My friend, Irene, and I went to Kaffe Fassett's lecture/slide show last night. It was good to see him again. He came and did events 3 different times when I had my yarn store (which was called Spindleshanks Yarnworks, Ltd. just because I liked the sound of it). He is really a nice man and I got to say hello at the end of the night. He very sweetly kissed me on both cheeks and asked what I was doing now, etc. During the lecture, he had told this funny story about the 'last time he was in Portland' (which was for our shop). He told about arriving from the UK, totally jet-lagged, and being whisked to this church (our event was held in a church downtown because it was a very large but inexpensive place to hold a lecture). He said he was very tired and told this slightly off-color story and then Brandon (his partner) whispered to him very loudly, "Kaffe! You're in a CHURCH!!!" It got a big laugh.
Anyway, I had been able to visit with Brandon for quite a while before the lecture and he was the same sweet Brandon. Then the slide show started and Kaffe showed examples of the sorts of things that inspired him and then the products of that inspiration. It was very cool.
The fun part was that he had lots of slides of things that he has in his house and I got to go to tea at his house (years ago) in London. Here's the story: he had done some workshops and lectures for us a few months before. I was going to London, which I did every year when I had my shop. I would buy interesting things that weren't available here in the U.S., like Sasha Kagan sweater kits of original designs and such. I would go to this great show in Islington every March, which was put on by Country Living UK magazine. They had everything there from housewares to knitting to art, very fun. Anyway, I had Kaffe's phone number so I called him and said I was in the UK for a week (I was staying with my friend Judith, who lives in a 1640's thatched farmhouse near Marlborough), and could I come by for a visit. Brazen hussy that I am but I knew that he would say yes. And he asked why didn't I come around for tea on a certain day. So, I took the train into London and then the tube to his station which was only about 3 blocks from his house. He and Brandon were busy getting things ready for one of his books, Glorious Inspiration. They were decoupaging a screen that was to be in the book. They gave me a tour of the house, which is one giant experiment in design for them. Then we had some tea and biscuits (cookies to you yanks) and I went on home to Judith's. It was incredibly fun as they are incredibly witty and funny guys.
He came back and did other events for my store and so the whole thing worked out very well for both of us.
Anyway, Kaffe is cool and such an inspiration. Now he also does quilting and fabric design, which is the most fabulous stuff out there on the market!
This all brought back great memories.
Oohh you had a yarn store?! Oh how wonderful!
Posted by: Rubber-Sol | Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 05:58 PM
I am smitten with envy. He is my idol in color and pattern. I want a job where I can go to Europe and shop. Hell, I want a job where I can go to NYC and shop@
Posted by: Loretta | Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 01:45 PM
That sounds wonderful! And I LOVE the name "Spindleshanks Yarnworks"!
Posted by: thesoulofhope | Monday, October 18, 2004 at 06:26 PM
This last one was by far the most fun--a good time in our lives to get together without all that high school baggage? It could have been especially wonderful because I knew how hard we had all worked on the plans!
Posted by: Margaret | Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 08:43 PM
That sounds like fun; I remember being in London and visiting a friend of a friend who lived outside London--so I had to take the train out there. I had a delicious dinner and a wonderful conversation. I miss being able to go to Europe!
Posted by: Margaret | Sunday, October 17, 2004 at 07:19 PM