Vogue Knitting Live,  2015  was not all runway glitz and glamour but offered us, participants much more.

Upon arriving to the fifth annual VKL (Vogue Knitting Live) conference in NYC, I learned that my room at the Marriott Marquis was on the twentieth floor.  I thought the view was outstanding and certainly provided the city ambience for the event, however I was glad I left hubby at home with his squeamish fear of heights.

The conference itself spanned four days however I was  there for only two.   The opportunity for learning was overwhelming and our favorite designers were our teachers.  The classes and topics spanned entry level to design work, an array to meet the masses.  Some classes assigned homework!   And, then there was the lecture series. Just check out the photo below and you can see what the wide range of offerings were  in just one morning!

I took in four lectures, two on Saturday and two on Sunday.  Amy Herzog was engaging and bright.  I learned about shaping, to come in a bunch of stitches away from the side seam for a better fit.  She had an underlying message of self acceptance.  My photography session was ok.  I did learn of some equipment and/or new blog sites.  On Sunday, Sally Melville was excellent and spoke on creativity and brain functions.

The best lecturer (for me) was Brandon Mably, the designer of the British Flag sweater.  He is as captivating a speaker as he is a designer.  Wearing one of his masterpieces (pictured down a few), he showed  us examples of where he gets his inspiration, from ordinary rock and garden hoses, buckets filled with fish, and stone walls.  Knowing I was going to hear him, I wore my Union Jack and showed him after class.  He was so thrilled and asked if he could snap this picture.  He asked me to do the arm thing.

(They made me do the arm thing on the runway, as well.  The sweater is 44 inches from side seam to side seam.  That is what  gives it such a wonderful drape when the arms are down.  88 inches around is unheard of, yet looks beautiful, which is everyone’s point.)

 fashion British Flag…

Here is the genius as he taught one of his classes.  I did not attend this but would surely consider it in the future.  You might tell he is all about color.  On the board is everyone’s work from the class.

A Friday night cocktail reception and a Saturday night gala dinner were events I was sorry to have missed but knowing of them will only propel my interest in getting to these special events another year.

Now, of course one of the main purposes of a knitting conference is to invite vendors to sell their wares.  And, as you can see the main floors were just covered with the sellers with whom I’ve become familiar due to internet yarn shopping.  How nice to have made  acquaintances and to have talked with the enthusiasts in person.  Due to a large yarn stash, I did not purchase any yarn and must say I was mostly taken with some of the knitting tools I saw.  What first comes to mind was the button book, a wonderfully beautiful way to show off, categorize, and keep organized a button collection.  I cannot forget the amazing Yarn Dancer, an elaborate and highly sophisticated mechanism to wind yarn.  I talked with the developer for quite some time.  I was also captivated with the sheep pelt that I would have considered purchasing if I didn’t think my pooch would eat it once I got home.

Tool interest or no tool interest, yarn was everywhere.  Yarn with flowers or feathers or pom-poms, yarn with sprinkles, sock yarn, rug yarn, felts for spinning (I might have the wrong name), lots and lots of dyed yarn, you name it, I could spin a tale talking about the yarn.   The picture below was the sixth floor, one of two floors filled ~ candy land for us all.

And, what would be a conference if not for making new friendships?  I call this the silver lining of it all or maybe the icing on the cake.  Here is one such friend standing proudly next to Stephen West, the designer of her knitted piece.

We came one, we came all in passion of our craft, love of learning, and friendships that we hope will stand the test of time.