All the News That’s Fit to Stitch — Part Fourteen

January 31, 2015February 1, 2015 KateLeave a comment

Sorry I haven’t been posting a lot lately. The semester began and I got so busy correcting my five-thousandth “its/it’s” error that I have neglected this blog. I can’t believe this month is already over and I haven’t updated you all on my Christmas craftiness or on my New Year’s goals (preview: 2014 was a mixed success). I can tell you that I have made the pledge to continue the monthly Smalls SAL in 2015.

New year, new logo!

I have not been remiss, however, in collecting lots of links just for you. Please to enjoy the following:

A small Canadian hand-knit sweater company makes a pretty compelling case that Forever 21 is ripping off its designs. An interesting commentary on the differences between hand-knit (20-25 hours, 100% wool, approximately $400) and machine-knit sweaters (? hours, acrylic, $39.95). Bonus — Wyatt Cenac makes a cameo appearance!
These knitted Chuck Taylors are adorable. And, if those aren’t to your taste, how about these?
Looking for something a little different to knit? Look no further.
Some beautiful yarn bombing photos (these last two links thanks to martinimade)
And even more beauty with “Chilean ‘yarn bombers’ plot large-scale knitting attack.” Amazing. Granny count: two. (“Granny count” courtesy of my friend, StitchBitch)
Chickens wearing sweaters. Yes, you read that correctly. Chickens wearing sweaters. But don’t knit any more sweaters for penguins, please.
Is Buzz Feed obsessed with knitting? If so, just keep it coming. And coming.
A cheeky article from the HuffPo blog called “Bros and Rows” about the history of men knitting. Sadly, knitting seems to have followed the same gendered trajectory as every other skilled profession: when men do it, it’s a respected, well-paid craft; when women do it, it’s an oft-dismissed, underpaid hobby. Granny count: one.
Along the same lines, the Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum (CAFAM) is hosting an exhibit of works by male quilters. Granny count: one.
It’s raining men! I don’t know quite how I feel about this, but I do know that the comments are disturbing on so many levels. At least they’re not wearing these. I mean, I want to support all things Etsy, but no. Just, no.
A great 7Up ad featuring yarn-bombing.
Looking for a scarf that’s a little out of the ordinary?

I promise to post more in February so I hope you will all hang in with me.

All the News That’s Fit to Stitch: Lucky Thirteen

December 9, 2014December 10, 2014 KateLeave a comment

As the weather turns colder and the holidays approach (to my relatives and friends in the upper Midwest and Northeast United States — much love and much respect), my thoughts turn even more to knitting.

Knitting behind bars.
As if running a marathon weren’t difficult enough. And he’s set the world record, for both hand-knitting and knitting with needles. An extensive Q & A by Runner’s World here.
Apropos of our past discussions on Sherlockian knits, I present Sherlock Holmes, unlikely fashion icon.
And speaking of Sherlock Holmes and knitting, Debbie Bliss has a new book, Woolly Woofers, coming out soon that’s all about knitting for dogs. Here‘s Daily Telegraph preview article with some free patterns, including one for “Sherlock Bones” that’s actually kind of cute and it looks very well-designed (although I don’t know what self-respecting dog would be seen with that deerstalker hat). She’s also selling some dog-themed mugs to coincide with the book.
And the Grand Central Market is looking good in turquoise, hot pink and yellow. Thank you, Yarnbombing Los Angeles!
I haven’t been watching Outlander, but the knits sure make me want to start. They remind me a lot of some of the imaginative accessories available on Etsy.
Sally Gilchrist does beautiful ink prints, including some colorful knitting-themed ones. Skeins!

That’s it for now, but I will be posting an update on my (as usual, belated) Smalls Challenge for November and at least one more special gift-themed version of “All the News That’s Fit to Stitch” soon. Now that the semester’s over, I will have more time to post. See you all soon!

All the News That’s Fit to Stitch: “These go to eleven.”

September 25, 2014September 25, 2014 Kate2 Comments

I don’t know if it’s the whisperings of autumn in the air, or the fact that schools are back in session, but, whatever the reason, things in the world of knitting are starting to liven up lately. I’ve been collecting these links from around the knittingverse, and I’m ready to unleash them now. Please enjoy the following:

What the kids are doing: yarn-bombing on the University of Rochester campus.
How learning to knit helps you learn to code. (thanks to martinimade for the last two links)
Although the issue of Scottish independence has already been voted on, the campaigns for both sides have included some of the oddest political advertising I’ve ever seen. Check out reason #3. (And, although this isn’t knitting- or stitching-related, you’d be doing yourself a favor by watching John Oliver’s charming and hilarious plea to Scotland to remain part of the UK. Did you know that the unicorn is Scotland’s national animal? Seriously.)
Exactly as advertised: Great Moments in Dystopian Knitwear. Full disclosure: I used to work for the woman who designed the sweaters for The Matrix. For years afterward, she was still getting requests to make Matrix-style deconstructed sweaters.
Artist Carol Milne makes amazing knitted glass sculptures. Yes, you read that correctly: knitted glass. Be sure to click on the links to find out how she does it.
Bunting! Need I say more?
I know what I’m knitting for Halloween!
The new “deep fall” Knitty is up! My favorite patterns in this issue are “Two Sides,” a reversible Aran scarf with a cabled edging, this pattern for a knitted, orange stuffed octopus, and Franklin Habit’s pattern for a “Jersey jacket for a child (1888).” Opus, the octopus, would make a super-cute friend for “The World’s Deadlist Crab,” a pattern from the summer 2009 issue.

Smithsonian Yarn Bomb

September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 KateLeave a comment

I’m working on a much longer post at the moment, but for now this little tidbit will have to do. The Smithsonian Museum, specifically the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, has turned to yarn-bombing their gateway to promote the current Chiharu Shiota Exhibition. The results, as you can see, are spectacular:

Yarnbombing at the entrance to the Freer/Sackler Galleries

There’s even more information and gorgeousness at the Freer/Sackler’s own blog, including background on who did the knitting (the staff of the museum; many of whom learned to knit specifically for the occasion) and what they’re going to do with all the yarn afterwards. Be sure to click on the links to the exhibit itself, which also uses red yarn in a really lovely way to, literally, tie together her installation on the things we leave behind (in this case, shoes).

If you’ve never been to the Freer/Sackler Galleries, the intertwined Asian art museums of the massive Smithsonian complex, you are really missing something. Their collection is not too vast that it’s overwhelming, and it’s beautifully curated, including James McNeill Whistler’s famous Art Nouveau masterpiece, the “Peacock Room.”

Maybe it’s time for a visit to my aunt in Virginia…. hmmmm….

All the News That’s Fit to Stitch: Part the Ninth

July 19, 2014July 19, 2014 Kate2 Comments

From far and wide, from across the Interwebs (a.k.a. the Electronic Cat Database) and beyond, I bring you all the news from the worlds of knitting and stitching that I could gather this week:

Professor Fonz has done it again! You may remember her designs, like the “Deduction Game Chullo,” from my obsessive posts on the knits featured in BBC Sherlock series (the first one in the series is here). To go with her cardigan based on the popular “The Wallpaper Had it Coming Again” fair isle pattern, the “#SherlockLives Cardi,” she has added a boatneck-style sweater entitled, “Let’s Play Murder.” According to the Ravelry pattern site, it’s “crime-solving at its most luxurious.” I’ve been working on ampersand design’s “The Wallpaper Had it Coming (Again)” mittens which, although based on the same fair isle pattern, is obviously a much smaller design, and I have to agree with Professor Fonz’s assessment that this fair isle patterned sweater is probably not a project to be entered into lightly by someone who is just beginning to work with the fair isle technique. The results speak for themselves, of course:

Let's Play Murder by Professor Fonz — “Let’s Play Murder” by Professor Fonz

Granny Square-apalooza!

This brings Stitch ‘n’ Pitch games to a whole new level.

What a ball of wool can teach us about healthy aging. How come all the academic talks I’ve been subjected to in my life were never this entertaining? (thanks, martinimade)