Sweet Marie, she knit something!

in an effort to try and get some of my knitting mojo BACK, I busted out a quick hat.



free pattern: Robin's egg blue hat from Rachel Lufer
yarn: leftover Patons Shetland Chunky in "wine" (less that 1 ball?)
needles: 5mm
vintage button from an antique sale.



At this point in my knitting career I have ENTIRELY too many hats. It's time to do a serious purge.

This one's very cute and is a great well-written pattern (and did I mention free?!), though kinda not really my style. I think it'll make an excellent gift, and I will likely stash-bust out a few more as prezzies. I've had a moratorium on all yarn purchases lately, due to some very recent (and questionable) spending on my part, so it's time I re-visisted the possible surprises in my stash anyway!


It's July? are you sure? My sister bought me that shirt at Giant Tiger for 4 bucks--I kind of feel a bit like I'm channeling Flight of the Conchords in it, but she bought it more as an homage to this (if you have some time and want a laugh, read the reviews on amazon.)

Ironic t-shirts aside, I wish I could chalk my non-attempts at knitting up to summer-time frolicking (in truth this is partly true) but mostly it is that my dreaded Carpel Tunnel has reared it's ugly head again. I'm hoping it'll all just heal up on it's own before it gets to the point that I need surgery or something.

I've really only started one new thing...



...and the times that I do pick it up are fleeting at best. It's another attempt at a wedding shrug, not unlike this one, so that's not very exciting.

I'm pretty much just countin' down the days until my summer vay-cay at this point.

knitwear designers/artists

So, some of you know that I'm a bit of a design junkie. Usually this is within the confines of the mid-century realm, and that does extend into lots of things...furniture, architecture, art, fonts, you name it. And as you likely also know, that while I'm "into" fashion, for the most part it's nothing that I take too seriously (also there's that whole not-being-able-to-afford-most-of-it thing I've got going on). Oh yeah, and also: I'm a slob.

Very rarely do I make a truly expensive "designer" purchase (though I won't lie and say it hasn't happened on occasion ahem). It is often a discussion with the man of the house that I will turn my nose up at something if it costs more than three dollars (that is the thrift/junk/curbside re-appropriation/dirty picker in me!), and then turn around and buy a $300 (or worse but we won't go there) item in the same breath. What can I say, I'm an enigma.

But I am ALSO: queen of the knock off. If I can make it myself, I generally will. As knitters we are no strangers to the adaptation of patterns, or the desire to knit it yourself if you've seen it in a store. Seriously, since I've started knitting, when was the last time I purchased an actual "knit" sweater? Honestly, I can't remember.

So to that end I offer you: things we can't afford, but can probably make ourselves.

First up, from Kate Spade:



Ok, I am absolutely in love with these, and will definitely be attempting the Taxi ones, if not both pairs. Kate spade...hmmm, kinda not usually my thing--though I do think she does mod well when she does do it. Normally I might rant about the price of these basic mittens simply because "she's a designer" but apparently the sale of these mitts went towards the support of the women in Bosnia and Herzogovina who made them. Then I had an attack of conscience and felt really bad about even thinking about making my own pair.

In the end, they were sold out so I couldn't buy them anyway.

Also within the same hilarious/adorable/crafty realm from Jack Spade, these moustache gloves:



Fabulous. (and currently on sale...)

Or for the more adventurous, how 'bout you take some knitting inspiration from UK designer Lauren Jennings:



wow.

And if I wasn't already knitter, this amazing textile art from Aurelie Mathigot would still have caught my eye:


(found via Wool and the Gang --also newish knitwear designers (with their own line of yarn and knit kits you've probably seen by now) you should all check them out---they are even making me want a (gasp!) poncho)



And still one more non-sequitor for you (but still within the knit realm...) Phildar is having a SALE right now! I just bought three patterns books (in English for those of you concerned about that...) for about 15 euros (including shipping). Exchange rate or not, that's still a smokin' deal. You can buy yours HERE. The older the catalogue, the cheaper it is, so if there were some previous patterns you were drooling over, now may be your opportunity to get 'em for a song.

happy knitting! (oh and happy belated Canada Day and early 4th of July!)