Winter is upon us and you know what that means– it’s time to cozy up in our favorite hand-knit scarves and hats.
Peacock & Pineapples is just the place to satisfy all of those seasonal knit-wear needs.
We chatted with Suzanne, our fellow Greenpointer, who creates these comfy, yet stylish, winter looks.
GP: How did you learn to make these beautiful knit creations?
Suzanne: I learned how to knit in 2003 while living in remote town in eastern Washington State. My Grandmother had always knit, and it proved to be a good way for us to spend time together when I came back to New York and began visiting her in a nursing home. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a couple of years prior, but, as with all patients with memory loss, she retained the knowledge of the things learned in her youth. Continue reading →
Aida Markiw retired from software development to pursue her dream of painting and making beautiful things. The best part (for us) is that these beautiful things are also wearable.
Her company, Llyallya Creations is a one-woman operation.
“I named my company after an endearing Ukrainian word that my husband calls me at times.” Aida explained, “Llyallya in Ukrainian means ‘doll’.” Continue reading →
WEDNESDAY 12/4 * Chanukah on Ice @ McCarren Rink (776 Lorimer St) 5:30-6:30pm (kids skate), 7-9pm (adults skate), $12/adult, $10/kids (includes skates and dinner), Celebrate the festival of lights with latkes, donuts, hot drinks, and an ICE MENORAH (how cool is that?), while skating under the stars to the sounds of “Jewish music,” RSVP ♦ War Reporting: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot @ Brooklyn Brewery (79 N 11th St) 7:30-9pm, $25, Join photojournalist Ashley Gilbertson as he talks about his experiences shooting battle zones and the bedrooms of fallen Iraq soldiers, in coversation with VICE Editor in Chief, Rocco Castoro, All proceeds benefit RISC (Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues), More Info ♥ XXXMas Trivia @ Trash Bar (256 Grand St) 7:30-10pm, FREE, Test your knowledge of the less family-friendly holiday films, like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Home Alone (?), with drink specials to keep your wits about you * Punk Rope for the Philippines @ 99 Meserole Ave, 7:30-8:30, All proceeds benefit DAMPA, a grassrots women-led peoples’ federation of 217 urban and rural poor community groups organized throughout the Philippines, after party with drink specials at the Soft Spot (128 Bedford) from 9pm-12am, RSVP ♫ Sean Nicholas Savage / Zula / Regal Degal / SoftSpot / EyeBodega visuals @ Death By Audio (49 S. 2nd St) 8pm, $7, RSVP ♫ Local X Local featuring O’Death @ Brooklyn Bowl (61 With Ave) 9:30pm, FREE with RSVPContinue reading →
Do you knit? Do you need something to do during the election? If so get going on this. (Also great for your 2 hour commute this week)
MAKE IT BETTER: A CRAFTALONG FOR SANDY RELIEF
Two New York-based crafty bloggers, Brett Bara from Manhattan Craft Room & Natalie Soud from A Dose of the Delightful, began to think about what they could do to help those Sandy victims without electricity, heat, or even proper shelter. They knew there had to be a way to harness the power of crafters to help–because if there’s anything knitters, crocheters and sewers are good at, it’s making warm things.
So they decided to create Make It Better: A Craftalong for Sandy Relief. The goal? Rally crafters to make warm hats, scarves, blankets, mittens, socks and sweaters–and deliver them to people in need as soon as possible.
HOW TO HELP
MAKE IT. Simply knit, crochet or sew a warm garment or blanket–items most needed are hats, socks, gloves/mittens, scarves, sweaters, and blankets. Use one of the quick and easy free patterns we found below, or any pattern you like. If you’d like to include other small items to help the relief effort, feel free to donate another warm garment (new or gently used, please). We are hearing reports that general clothing is no longer needed, so please restrict your donations to warm winter items only.
SEND IT.Send your finished item to 9 Thompson Street, New York, NY 10013 as soon as possible (c/o Natalie Soud). We want to start distributing warm goods within a week or less, so stitch something quick and send it off! Our volunteers will deliver the items to various points in and around New York City. (Although we’ll start delivering immediately, we’ll be accepting donations for the near future, so free free to send projects whenever they’re complete.)
CRAFTALONG. Share what you’ve made and help spread the word! Please, please, please blog, Tweet, Facebook, Instagram, and Pin that you’re participating in the Sandy Craftalong as soon as you can (like today!) so that we can get as many hands stitching as possible. Then, when you finish your project, share what you’ve made by posting it on your own blog and on our Facebook page at facebook.com/sandycraftalong. Also remember to use the tags #makeitbetter and #sandycraftalong
Greenpointer Brett Bara, who is a New York-based author, TV host, blogger and designer who specializes in crafts, desserts, and DIY decor is offering a limited edition of small-scale stitchery classes in her Greenpoint home studio (a.k.a. the crafty clubhouse) starting next week. And she is offering a 10% discount to Greenpointers readers!
Learn to knit, embroider and crochet. The 2 hour long classes are beginner level, and will also have yummy homemade snacks and wine!
