this ragweed (or goldenrod? are they different?) was new to our yard this year and though allergic to it, we kept it on for its glorious deep yellow-gold color in late summer and fall.
then, uh, we just kept it on.
our weed whacker’s battery got fried after a power failure and some of the stuff that usually gets chopped off it still standing out there. which is great—i’m now discovering how beautiful these weeds can be through the winter.
i was able to leave my desk yesterday by 7pm—the earliest i’ve finished in weeks, i think, so i made tracks for my knitting spot in the living room, put my book on (i finally secured a copy of the story of edgar sawtelle), and got to work.
first i put a number of inches onto david’s sweater. i mentioned yesterday that he’d picked some buttons from my button box—here they are
these have been in my collection for a very long time—about 20 years, i’d guess. back then, i lived in a manhattan neighborhood we used to call “the way upper west side”. it wasn’t really far enough up to say “i live near the cloisters” or far enough south to say “i live in sugar hill”; it was in the much seedier area between, filled with the gray buildings of the hospital complex and rent-stabilized apartment buildings of another era.
during the 80s, this area was a haven for dealers and rife with crack and cocaine kitchens, with whole buildings devoted to the trade. it was also home to tens of thousands latino families, musicians, artists, and actors because rents on the large, light filled prewar apartments was reasonable. sprinkled among us were a number of older jewish ladies, mostly widows, who had lived in the neighborhood all their lives. i knew one woman, rose, who was born in a building around the corner, moved to our building when she got married, and never lived anywhere else.
my friend laura lived upstairs—we both worked in the fashion trade at the time, often at home in our apartments. we got together almost every afternoon to take a long walk, do our shopping, and have coffee if time allowed.
(i know, it’s getting to be a long story and it’s not even about the buttons yet, but it will be . . .)
one day while crossing under the george washington bridge on broadway, we discovered a tiny hole-in-the-wall notions shop. we were excited before we even went in—the next nearest shop that focused entirely on notions for the trade was down at 39th street. if this little shop was any good, it would be a godsend for the two of us.
it was.
honestly the place was no bigger than a closet, but they had everything from the year one.
we were in heaven; buttons, zippers, threads, snaps—any kind we wanted—eventually.
the couple who ran it—a charmingly troll-like duo with sly, sparkly eyes—delighted us even more with their bickering and their faux-tricky ways, always saving the best thing to show us last. not once that i was in that shop did another customer ever enter.
you had to ask because nothing was kept in front but a few undesirable decoy items. at first they would always say they didn’t have a thing that would do, then they’d grudgingly tell us they could look in the back, and eventually come out with not quite the right thing. if pushed, they’d rummage around some more—oh, what a lot of trouble it was—and finally, they come forward with exactly the right thing. then, of course, the haggling could begin.
nothing pleased them more than being asked to help find buttons for a project; this enabled them to draw the game out even further, filling a good hour or more perusing and speculating over dozens of boxes of buttons, til our hands were filthy with dust and we had argued an agreeable price.
then one day we went in and they told us they were closing shop to retire. they had already sold everything to a notions vendor in another area, but if we didn’t tell anyone, we could buy some last picks (as if dressmakers exist in the thousands or something. and why were they open anyway, if they were actually closed?).
we were devastated, but they weren’t sad at all—it was a good thing!
hahaha, well you can image how feverishly we stocked up that day, as our budgets allowed.
that’s when i bought these embossed metal buttons. i took all they had, in both pewter and brass. the pewter ones i used on a wool jacket i made for an old boyfriend—i carried the oak leaf motif through by embroidering it along the inside facings and pocket in black silk on the black wool.
and these brass ones have been waiting all these years for someone to pick them out of the box. the neighborhood has changed drastically since the 80s, become cleaner and more upscale, and i imagine that gritty little shops like our notions place are rare, if they exist any more at all. but it’s nice to have a token of that time, and a useful one at that (unlike long stories about buttons, which are of questionable use, if any).
these buttons have such a rich motif that they wouldn’t be right for just anything, but i think they’ll look great along the front of david’s knit jacket, picking up the subtle gold tones in the yarn. they are on the small side so i don’t expect that they’ll overpower the fabric and the finish is hand-rubbed rather than shiny; preliminarily, the proportion seems good.
today i’ll finish the left front and maybe get pretty far on the right front, or a sleeve; i haven’t decided which piece to do next.
and, as much as i’d like to devote myself wholly to just this project right now, i do have a couple of other gifts to finish. my mom’s scarf needs to get done and then i started this scarf for my nephew’s girlfriend last night
in deb’s lovely, alpaca and wool DK yarn. in the embrace colorway, i think this will be just the right soft and fluffy thing to send as a girlfriend gift.
i was very careful about picking the stitch pattern for this scarf—i wanted something open and lacy to knit with one skein (245 yards), but with enough cushiness to still be warm. and it had to be quick and easy (but not look it). i picked a stitch that is related to to the one i used in brambler
which was a very quick knit using 200 yards of a slightly lighter-weight yarn.
so that project is on its way, which is good.
i don’t know if these socks are gonna get done; they keep getting pushed out of the way while i work on other things. i do have another gift for my nephew, so it’s not a tragedy if they don’t, but i thought it would be nice to give each of them something handknit. i’m going to try, but if they do get scotched now, i can send them for his birthday in march.
that said, i have a window this afternoon to knit for a few hours before i have to go out this evening and i think it’s time i took advantage of it. hope your holiday knitting is going well and not stressing you out; it’s important to keep it fun.
43 thoughts on “soft and fluffy”
A lovely story to make David’s sweater all the more special.
Thank you for sharing.
; )
I have in my head the mental image of the characters in The Princess Bride played by Billy Crystal and Carol Kane. (A nice MLT sandwich – mutton, lettuce and tomato.) Great story!
Like Anne, above, I had the same mental picture of the shop owners. I pictured them rubbing their little hands together when they saw you girls walk through the door.. That was a wonderful button story. Thanks, Anne!
Ragweed is the plant Ambrosia artemisiifolia and the pollen from this plant is a huge allergen for many people.
Goldenrod is classified as Solidago and does not cause allergies, generally.
In many climates, they bloom at the same time, so poor, beautiful Solidago gets blamed for Ambrosia’s behavior.
I loved the button story…well worth the length. I used to go to a guy in Pasadena, CA that sold and fixed zippers–just zippers, in a closet-sized shop. The owner filled quite a bit of it. One day I went to buy some zippers and the shop was closed. The shop next door told me the owner had died the week before.
I have to add to Genie’s comments on goldenrod and ragweed. Goldenrod is showy and yellow (and the plant in your picture). It has a bad rep because it blooms at the same time as the inconspicuous ragweed that as Genie says so many people are allergic to. So enjoy your Goldenrod! I enjoy your blog, very much. Thank you. Yesterday’s High Peaks hat is gorgeous and added to my favorites on Ravelry.
When I was a child, my grandmother would take me downtown to her favorite notion store, and we would climb the steps to an old loft/warehouse.
There I would get fitted for my new winter coat. We were not well off by any means, but my grandmother new if she bought a good coat, it could handed down to my younger cousins. We did that for many years, and when I was in high school, I went to pick out the coat, but when it was time to pick it up, I could take the bus with my girlfriends after school and pick it up. This is when I found out that this was not the way everyone got a coat. They were amazed at our adventure, and even more so at the shop owners, they were probably kin of your shop owners. The sweet note to the end of my story, when I got married, the shop owners made my wedding veil as a gift to me. Going downtown with my grandmother wearing a dress and a hat and white gloves, and eating at a fancy restaurant downtown with an attendant in the elevator too!!! Thanks for your story, I made me think of a wonderful time in my childhood.
I *loved* reading your button story! Such a nice memory and I know just the type of little NY shop you mean. 20 years ago you say this was? Well, 20 years ago I was living a subway ride away from you, sandwiched between the nice neighborhood of Murray Hill and the not-so-nice area of Hell’s Kitchen. If only I’d known you then!
And btw, I love, love, love the stitch you’ve chosen for the Alpaca/Wool scarf. It’s perfect!
We have a similar store near me on Long Island (of all places!) Crammed with buttons floor to ceiling, I always wonder if the price I’ve been given is the same price that someone else gets. 🙂 There are many notions stores in NYC but all the ones I’ve seen are more “modern” than the one you describe, but if I run into a goody I’ll clue you in…
I have to disagree with you: long stories about buttons aren’t of questionable use! That one, in any case, wasn’t, and it was a delightful read!
The scarf you are knitting for your nephew’s girlfriend is a delight too! (Oh my, you just made me realise that one day, my nephews will have girlfriends whom I may want to knit for… That’s an interesting thought… though I still have more than a few years before it happens!)
Never underestimate the value of a long story. Thank you for the trip to the notions store. It’s as if I had been there myself.
I love the girlfriends scarf. Perfect!
Wonderful button story, and such handsome buttons! It’s great that your love story in sweaters is continuing with such a fun back-story. And lucky, lucky nephew’s girlfriend. That is one beautiful scarf. (My nephew’s girlfriend is getting a baby sweater, as they seem to have got well acquainted rather quickly.) And yes, the lovely goldenrod gets a bad rap when the ragweed pollen blows in from far away. I love your garden posts, BTW. We seem to share many favorites, and I’m always excited to learn about a new plant.
Love the button story! 😀
What a wonderful story, and beautifully written — I can just see the gleam in their eyes as they drew the search out. The knitting looks gorgeous!
What a fun time that must have been for you in NYC! Such a neat story attached to those buttons.
I really like that scarf pattern!
I love the button story, too.
But I’m really stopping by to tell you that I printed out your Poinsettia neck warmer pattern last night from Knitty. And, on the (far too long — traffic was awful) trip down to bring my daughter home from college, I tried starting it. Well, first I finished another scarf and then I tried starting it with some Sheep Shop Yarn #3 in a soft pink…but realized very quickly that I had a 24″ not a 16″ needle.
So I insisted that we stop at the yarn shop at Fredericksburg before heading home so that I could get a 16″ needle. And lo and behold, the shop had some drop-dead gorgeous Colinette Cadenza in the Sahara colorway on sale so I bought three skeins of that, wound one of them in the car and started knitting all over again. I got through the first eight rows and stopped there. The yarn is squooshy and soft and the pattern is lovely. I’m thinking I might give this to a cousin for Christmas but then again I might decide to just be selfish and keep it for myself.
And you thought your button story was long!
I’ve never commented before, but you brought back memories. I lived “across the bridge” from Washington Hts. in the Highbridge section of the Bronx. I was born there in 1937. There was a button and thread lady around the corner from us, in a basement apt. and my mother used to send me there once in a while, I guess for thread. I remember a tiny room and a tiny lady, dressed in black. The place intrigued me and still does. It was so foreign from my Irish upbringing. Anyway, thanks for the memories. I really enjoy your blogs. By the way, when you were in Albany visiting your mom for Thanksgiving, did you attend mass at St. Matthews Church in Voorheesville? There were two women there at the 8:30 mass that could have passed for you and your mother. Pat
They are definitely great buttons! I love the motif, very pretty, but still subtle.
The birds will LOVE you for leaving those “weeds” – seeds for them all winter. You’ll get to enjoy seeing them landing on the stalks and craning to reach the best parts.
I’ve lurked forever, reading and enjoying your blog. Thank you for sharing your talents.
Denise
I did not know your notions people as I was then and remain a Brooklyn girl, but I do remember a lovely, weird notions store that was one of the last hold outs of the pre-gentrified Soho. It was on Broadway and was run by a family of slightly demented Hasids.Inbreeding, you think?
I bought a dozen matching buttons there and the owner sold them to me for a dollar, clearly delighting in the way he was getting one over on the little girly.
Even in 1985 a dollar for a dozen was cheap.
I wonder what happened to those buttons. Your story was lovely.
Any chance I can be your nephew’s girlfriend for next Christmas??? LOVE that scarf!!!
I’m so glad that several others cleared the lovely goldenrod’s name, and rightfully so.
And I am not sure that story is true. It sounds too much like a fairy tale. 🙂
Loved the charming button story!
I love to hear the story behind things; having a back story gives things more meaning. And what a wonderful story your button story is! Enjoyed it thoroughly and only wished I’d know the store and its owners myself!
The nephew’s girlfriend’s scarf is lovely; what a great stitch. What a gem!
I love the stitch that is quick and cushy…I have a skein of Tanglewood Fiber that I’ve been searching for the best stitch to show the hand-dyed wool…will you be selling this pattern? I only have 215 yards also…
Thanks in advance for any information you can share with me.
Wonderful button story — ah, the old NY. On SI years ago, there was an underwear store (can’t quite call it a lingerie shop) similar in feel to your button store. Oh the bargains — and bargaining. Many other commenters have had similar experiences. Another common thread (so to speak!).
I grew up on the Upper West Side during that time. I lived in a bad pocket — above 96 but below Columbia. I was born at that Hospital you mention and took my driving test in that hood too. I enjoyed reading your description of the neighborhood. Thanks.
and that scarf is gorgeous!
Anne, always a delight to stop for a visit to your blog. The button story was delightful and made me feel I was right there with you!
It’s a lucky girl who receives a scarf from you!
LOVE those buttons. I’m a sucker for anything in a leaf motif…especially oak leaves. Thanks for sharing!
Love the story! the knitting is mind blowing as ususal, but the weed verses flower got me rolling on the floor. See my hood was a little different from yours. I grew up on hundreds of acres of farm land, and those lovely “flowers” (both kinds) sprout up every where and had to be hoed out by hand. My first thought seeing all those seeds ready to fly off and plant themselves was to go grab a bag and seal them up! Then I started laughing I guess some habbits never go away.
Anne- Fun times in NYC- but look where life has taken you, and the buttons right along with it. They were waiting for David.
I suspect there are a few treasures to be had, we have a small “fashion district” in Toronto, and there’s a few small shops that carry notions.
Anne,
I remember all those fun little holes in the wall-they
were so Dickensian. My Dad,now 87,was a tailor and then floor supervisor for a coat factory in Paterson called Marie Coat & Suit. There was another brand,but my 50 year old brand lapses when I need it. He dealt with the garment district a lot in the 60’s, 70’s and even 80’s and gave me tons of buttons,and those cones of thread.He made all of my coats,too.They were gorgeous…my childhood was lousy,but there was a good memory or two. Thanks for bringing them out.
Lovely story! That makes the sweater even more meaningful.
In talking with my mom last night she told me that she had her grandmothers sewing machine, which I knew, and told her to keep. But what I didn’t know is that she put all of her buttons inside it. I can’t wait to see what I can find!
Love what you’ve selected for the beautiful pink “girlfriend gift” yarn.
Your button story is the best read I’ve had in weeks. What a great tale! …something ‘real’. The buttons and the sweater are absolutely gorgeous. I could smell the smells, feel the dusty air as you spun your yarn. (i.e. told your tale). I could even see the shop owners gnarly fingers as they pushed through the little old, frayed cardboard boxes of treasures. Yes, I saw it. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful story, fabulous buttons!
You wouldn’t recognize your old neighborhood, Anne. (I worked at P&S in the mid-70s.) It’s been thoroughly gentrified.
I loved this post. I’ve always been a Greenberg & Hammer kind of gal, and I was disappointed that they closed their shoe-box-sized store on 57th Street (they too have on-line sales). Although I collected fabric and yarn, I never did stock up on buttons, only buying them as I needed them–alas.
I really like the stitch pattern on the pink yarn.
Wonderful story — you’re a good writer — and those buttons are splendid.
Such history is coming out! How wonderful for the button story! I loved reading everyone elses remarks. Times before were a little slower than they are now. I guess it makes you appreciate the finer things in life…like buttons!!! For years I had a “button” box, chock filled….haven’t a clue where the box is now…Thank you Anne for such a wonderful story! 🙂
Hi anne! Love the button story – sounds like fun times. How do you like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle? I’m reading it now but have put it down for a while. I know something bad is going to happen soon and I’m having a hard time wrapping my brain around it. So, the book is on hold until I’m ready…
Like everyone else, I love the button story.
I haven’t knit many garments (I’m mostly an accessories gal), but I did have the opportunity to visit a button and ribbon boutique last Spring, and it was a magical place. All those little drawers, it felt like a treasure trove!
Your friends and family are very lucky to receive such beautiful gifts. I am looking forward to seeing David’s sweater. Truthfully, I am hopeful that you will share that pattern when it is done.
Eleanor
May I ask what the yarn you are using in the hubby’s sweater? I love the blue and green of it.
Wendy
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