Brooklyn General Store

Plucky Fluff in Brooklyn!

2008-01-09T23:25:00.000-05:00

We are very pleased to announce that Brooklyn General will be hosting a freestyle spinning workshop, CAMP PLUCKYFLUFF with fiber artist, Lexi, of Pluckyfluff fame. To participate in this amazing workshop, you must have basic spinning experience. The two-day workshop will take place on January 19th & 20th from 10 am to 5 pm and costs $200.

Camp Pluckyfluff is two FULL days of spinning classes and workshops. Going from 10am to 5pm both days, it will cover a broad spectrum of techniques. The emphasis, however, will be on helping you to learn to create your own new and original styles. A list of materials needed is provided on Lexi's website, here. Call the shop at 718.237.7753 with any questions and to register!

See you in the shop!

Be the first to know!

2008-01-06T13:35:00.000-05:00

Our email list is the best way to be the first to know about upcoming classes, special workshops, sales and the latest exciting new items in the shop...

We hope you'll take a moment to sign up...

Classes Starting Soon... Take your skills to the next level!

2007-10-30T12:37:00.001-04:00

Please call 718.23737753 to register! I'm sorry, we cannot take registrations via email. Supply lists are available here .

STARTING THIS WEEK--only a few spots left!:

BEGINNER KNITTING, Thursdays 7 pm to 9:30 pm (11/1, 8, 15, 29). $125

EMBROIDERY WORKSHOP, Saturday 1:30 to 3:30 pm (11/3, 10). $80

BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER

PROJECT KNITTING, Monday 6:30 to 8 pm (11/12, 19, 12/26, 12/3). $125
Ready for a new challenge? Stuck on something? This class will help you take your knitting to the next level, whether you want to try your hand at something other than a scarf or you're ready to tackle your first sweater. Decreasing, increasing, knitting in the round, reading a pattern, piecing your work, blocking…these are just some of the skills you might learn while working on your piece.

SEWING 102 (Beginner/Intermediate). $150

SESSION B (Wednesday 11 am to 1 pm (11/14, 28, 12/5, 12/12).

SESSION C (Sat 11 am to 1 pm, 11/10, 17, 12/1, 15).

FAIR ISLE MITTEN WORKSHOP, Monday 7:30 to 9 pm (11/19, 25, 12/3, 10). $125
Ever looked at some gorgeous fair isle mittens and thought, "I'd love to make those, but I never could!"? Well, you can! Learn the basics of fair isle knitting (also called stranded colorwork) while making a pair of 2-color mittens. Your skills will translate to many projects.
Prerequisites: comfortable knitting in the round on double-pointed needles.
Supplies: 115 yds in each of 2 contrasting colors of fingering weight yarns (wool recommended), 1 set of wood/bamboo dpns to obtain gauge of approx. 8 sts per 1", range of size 1, 2, or 2 1/2. All supplies available at first class.

Vestee Complete!

2007-09-11T15:45:00.001-04:00

Just in time for fall, I've completed the Vestee sweater for my daughter.

Vestee by Marjorie Bringham from Knitty Spring 2007

Yarn: 3 skeins Rowanspun dk, two in Sugar Almond and one in Goblin. I also carried along a strand of Dewberry Kidsilk Haze by Rowan. This compensated for the slight difference in gauge between the purple and green yarns.
Difficulty: Definitely intermediate, but not bad for your first sweater attempt! Especially if you follow Marjorie's original directions, provided here

I bought all my yarn right here at the shop--this Rowanspun has been discontinued... how sad that I only just discovered it! Lucky for me, the store still has some.

~Kaitlyn

2007-08-26T11:54:00.000-04:00

Learn to
KNIT, CROCHET, SEW, QUILT, EMBROIDER and
DO YOUR OWN ALTERATIONS

Daytime, Evening and Weekend Classes begin after Labor Day at

128 Union Street between Columbia & Hicks

Visit our website for details and call 718.237.7753 to register!

revised Vestee pattern available here!

2007-07-05T11:55:00.001-04:00

update to add: revised Vestee pattern! (Word format)

Today I came across a small decanter of the perfume I used to wear in high school, Guerlain Jardins de Bagatelle . It's never suited me, but for some reason, I put it on. I expected horrible, icky high school flashbacks and got nothing. Except confirmation that this perfume has never been right for me. I probably stuck with it for so long because my grandmother, ever a lady, was a Shalimar woman and I idolized her. She taught me to knit and also taught me how to drag a project out for yeeeeeaaaaaaaaars, although this second teaching was unintentional. (After her passing, my sister and I plotted to finish the sweater she started at my birth only to find the yarn disintegrated.)

Segway: I am almost done with my Vestee! I just need to attach the shawl collar. We have more Vestees to show, but certain lucky people are on vacation or moving into new homes right now ;). This vestee will have a shawl collar and is made using Rowanspun dk with Kidsilk Haze carried along for softness (no. 7 needles). And now for something special--an updated version of the Vestee pattern! Marjorie Brigham, the sweater's designer, has generously allowed us to offer her second version of the pattern. It includes more detail on the yoke shaping and some really great schematics. You can download the word document at the top of this post!

Speaking of smells, I am close to getting my whole house to smell like moth repellent and that's good thing. this. stuff. smells. awesome.

If you need to name something quickly and cleverly, ask a four-year-old! "Shoo!" was an obvious choice to name BG's own brand, but not one that came to any of us adults.

until next time,
Kaitlyn

Peaceful Savannah

2007-06-08T19:11:00.000-04:00

I was just coming off a very difficult sweater that I finally finished after almost 4 years. I think Katie and I started those sweaters when Arlo and Oliver were about 18 months. Here it is. Like that fancy hem with the peacock feathers on the inside too? I don't know why I love to do that color work. Figuring out which colors must follow each other is the great challenge and often what you least expect will look perfect together.

So this is what happened...

When the vestee idea came up at the Friday morning breakfast, Jennifer was so excited about it that I just had to do it.
I didn't really want to use the pattern decided upon, so I thought I would make something similar using the Savannah that has been beckoning me for months. I thought I would make the sweater for one of my sweet clients who just had a baby, Mae, about 2 months ago. This client is really in to organic fibers and NO COLORS. So I picked the natural white and started from the bottom...

Ahhh, Savannah is divine. How peaceful to knit with natural white. The lack of color enables my hands and mind to relish in the feel of the fiber. My mind stays blank. Now I can see my client's attraction to a peaceful palette of whites. Well the pattern is turning out to be not at all like the vestee except in its size. It is knit from the side because I wanted the body of the sweater to flow nicely from the leaf border. (see picture below) It has a hoody and will zip up the back. Unfortunately, I ran out of yarn and am waiting for it to come in to finish the sweater. In the mean time, I made this shirt for Katie's birthday out of Liberty of London fabric. Peacocks again.

--Catherine

wrap it up!

2007-05-30T00:49:00.000-04:00

hi!

i'm cal, the new sewing and embroidery teacher, and i wanted to share pics of the lovely wrap skirts from our first round of sewing 101, completed last week! everyone had a great time, and two of the girls even managed to add pockets to their skirts.

the next session of this class begins this saturday; sign up while you can!

Sewing 101    $100  STARTS SATURDAY JUNE 2nd 11am to 1pm
The best way to learn to sew is to sew.  We will get you sewing!  We 
welcome kids (over 12 please) and adults.  This is a hands-on project 
based class.  We focus on a flattering wrap skirt.  Terms and 
techniques are discussed along the way.  Meets once a week for four 
2-hour sessions.

updated class schedule

2007-05-24T18:34:00.000-04:00

Please call 718.237.7753 to register!

Beginner Knitting $100 START TUESDAY MAY 29th 7-8:30 pm
Learn to knit in a friendly relaxed atmosphere! We’ll teach you all the basics you will need to know to begin your first project, including casting on, knitting, purling, and casting off, along with other techniques. Meets once a week for four 1.5-hour sessions.

Beyond Scarves $100 STARTS MONDAY, MAY 28th 7-8:30 pm.
Ready to move beyond the rectangle? Got a project you’re stuck on? This beginner-intermediate class is for you. Bring a project and we’ll help you through it. Focus is on pattern reading and techniques.
Meets once a week for four 1.5 hour sessions. Beg knitting skills required.

Quilt workshop $100 JUNE 24TH. 11 am to 1 pm
We will teach you all you need to know to make your own crib sized quilt. Supplies are available in the store, or bring your own. A great way to use up leftover fabric! Meets for four 1.5-hour sessions.

Tween Knitting $15/session FRIDAY, ONGOING. 3:30 to 5 pm.
This is a drop in knitting circle for children ages 8-12. Knitting and Crochet help available. Children must know basic knitting skills. Registration not required. This is a drop in circle.

Sewing 101 $100 STARTS SATURDAY JUNE 2nd 11 am to 1 pm
The best way to learn to sew is to sew. We will get you sewing! We welcome kids (over 12 please) and adults. This is a hands-on project based class. We focus on a flattering wrap skirt. Terms and techniques are discussed along the way. Meets once a week for four 1.5-hour sessions.

Sewing 102 $100 STARTS WEDNESDAY MAY 30th. 7-8:30 pm.
Take your beginner skills to the next level! The class will take you through the construction of Simplicity’s Built By Wendy Dress, Tunic, or Top pattern (#3964). Beginner skills required. Pattern available in the shop. Meets once a week for four 1.5-hour sessions.

Embroidery Workshop $40 Saturday, JUNE 2nd. 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
This two-hour workshop will teach you eight to twelve basic stitches. Embellish anything and everything! Supplies are available at the store or bring your own. Meets one time.

Embroidery Workshop II $40 SUNDAY, JUNE 3rd. 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
This two-hour workshop will get you going on a Sublime Stitching project. Supplies are
available at the store. Meets one time.

Beginner Knitters

2007-05-23T07:51:00.000-04:00

Well, another session of Beginner Knitting has come to a close. We've had a lovely four weeks of learning, creating, and laughing together. I will miss these guys (unless I see them in our beginner-intermediate session)! I wanted to show our readers how everyone's first projects turned out. They are downright inspiring...

We've got two drawstring bags and two i-pod/cell phone bags here. Since this was a Spring class, I didn't want to force the traditional scarf project on the group. Plus, everyone learned to cast on, knit, purl, cast off, AND to yarn over and complete a mattress stitch. Two other added bonuses are that you finish your project during class and you get to pick fun ribbon and buttons...

Next session starts with Mary on May 23rd! Call us to register.

~Kaitlyn

Blogging Breakfast

2007-05-18T12:54:00.000-04:00

I was so disheartened to wake up to the cold, cloudy morning, but my
heart warmed at the cozy vibes of our regular knitting breakfast* on Friday.
What an inspiring group of projects today!

Amy's quilt for the P.S. 29 auction...

Wendy's incredible mohair shawl for a bride (with baby Samirah)...

Pam's crocheted jewelry...

Liz's Manos del Uraguay scarf...

Lulu's crocheted vest...

Mary's cardigan sleeve (her own pattern in Organik)...

Lulu's dress (made without a pattern) looks so good on her...

We have the cutest babies!!!!

And some everyday magic- Masuko's journal. Masuko drew this picture of
Lulu in December after spotting her in Manhattan and liking the way
she looked. They had never met before this morning....

~Katie

*knitting breakfast is an open circle held from 9:30 am to noon every Friday.

Vestee Progress

2007-05-05T23:36:00.000-04:00

Yarn selection for the Brooklyn General Vestee knit-a-long is all over the map. I, for one, had a hard time choosing. Cotton is perfect for right now, but wool would mean a jump start on next fall's toddler wardrobe.

I think yarn choices often reflect the knitter. This time though, I am just not seeing it. Jennifer always picks green and she's gone with an icy blue Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton; Melissa is using Noro Silver Thaw(I guess I never pegged her for the self-striping type). After some serious swatching I've settled on a tweed over something soft and squishy--Rowanspun DK in purple and green. If I am not mistaken, Rowan discontinued this yarn, but the shop still has some--score! I decided to carry along some lavender Rowan Kidsilk Haze for a softer effect and I'm pretty happy with the results. My nose feels differently and this will be, sadly, my last hurrah with mohair.

This lovely leaf trim belongs to Catherine, one of the shops owners. She's using Savannah by the Fibre Company and she can't stop raving about it! This yarn is a unique blend of organic cotton, merino, linen, and soya fiber. Earth friendly and fun to knit with--does it get any better for a Brooklyn knitter? Catherine's sweater will be "Vestee-esque"and the pattern will be available in the store soon...

~Kaitlyn

A Knit-A-Long!

2007-04-28T21:40:00.000-04:00

Brooklyn General has been in its new location for over six months, and Space has turned the once humble Friday Morning Knitting Breakfast into a sprawling, raucous free-for-all. With eight to twelve (!!) women and various pre-school age children and babies (including my own) in regular attendance, I have to admit, I was, at first, pretty overwhelmed with all of the energy. I missed the precious intimacy of the old Brooklyn General space. Walking down the stairs into that tiny, garden-level store, it was easy to stay for hours, breakfast running into lunch, long, lazy conversations undisturbed by telephone calls (or customers!) for the better part of the morning. I wasn't sure I could embrace this cacophonous new experience. New faces felt like interlopers; conversations constantly interrupted mid-thought, never to be completed; gleeful children running the length of the store and crawling underfoot...food EVERYWHERE.

A few months into the "new" Friday Breakfast, something shifted for me. In part, it was the realization that becoming a mother necessitates embracing chaos. Now I cherish this gathering just as much as I did its prim predecessor. The new faces have become friends, neighbors I look forward to seeing around the block or at the playground. The larger group also means more fun project ideas floating around, more constructive input when you can't decide which yarn to choose or what decrease will work best--as well as more practiced hands to feel a child's forehead when they seem like they might be coming down with something. Intrusiveness has become exuberant camaraderie.

I don't know why the Vestee pattern from the most recent issue of Knitty appealed to me as immediately and strongly as it did, but as soon as I saw it I wanted to knit it. I shot off an e-mail to a few of the BG regulars with the subject: "We have to knit these for our girls!," and Melissa responded immediately, "I'm in for the knit-a-long." A knit-a-long. Of course. So in celebration of my renewed love of this playful, loud, creative, messy event, I offer a communal activity and a Brooklyn General first: a knit-a-long.

Please, join us! Create your own vestee. Send us a picture. Or even better, stop by the shop one Friday morning, have a blueberry muffin, and knit-a-long for a while.

http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTvestee.html

--Jennifer