racy lace

remember these via design house stockholm? proof that lace panties aren't the only things that get to be racy. leave it to these guys to get them to market faster than you can say k2, yo twice, k2tog, k1, (yo, k2tog) twice.

fo: twinkle best friend cardigan

twinkle knits can be a bit deceiving. yes, they knit up fast, but don't get too cocky. these suckers are particularly devilish in the details. of course, that is also the charm of ms. chia's elegant, fitted designs. trad details such as english shoulders and bobbled cables are suddenly mod when crafted on fat needles with fat yarn. but keep your wits about you. each stitch is like the type in those large-print books: you can read every word from about 10 feet away. yes, it's a quick read, but watch out for those typos.



knit in canary twinkle soft chunky on US19 circs. i used about 3.5 balls to make the small size. i found the 45mm off-white buttons at my lys. be aware, clown buttons like these are not easy to come by. m&j trim carries them, but were out of the color i wanted. i couldn't find a single other source, though ebay could be hit or miss.

knitty knitty

i am totally smitten with ashley goldberg's charmingly minimal illustrations. her spare sense of line and childlike simplicity belie a depth of emotion. be sure to check out her use of yellowed, stained and very cool vintage watercolor paper. i will definitely be back to her shop again and again.

blues

looky what my BKFF clarity123 whipped up for me. taking pity on my own sad attempt at a slouchy showercap (er, beret), she took crochet hook in hand and showed me what the blues is all about. i didn't think anything could make me wish for a sudden cold snap.

knitting puns DOA

my fave bad knitting pun, spotted in a recent promotional email:

spring is here and it's time to dye!!!

kinda makes me want to poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick.

you?

handmade nation sneak peek

twinkle reposing

twinkle best friend cardi patiently awaits her adornment of big yellow buttons. which i have yet to find anywhere online. in the meantime, she languishes, like a bulky, beached lemon rind.

chia pet

visit the twinkle website to get your twinkle FO featured in this online gallery. yours truly submitted the green shopping tunic and got this exclamatory shout-out from wenlan chia herself:

great job done!! i love the color on you!! please share more pictures with us when you get more done! ~wenlan

bookish

click each image to view full size

i wish my friend dona had an etsy shop or somewhere to link to so you could purchase some of her amazing crafts for yourself. this is a woman who doesn't own a cell phone. who tools around town in a jeep cherokee she bought in 1985. and who still believes in the indelible power of the printed word.

whimsy

i love these little mitten notecards from whimsy press. besides cards, the collection includes stickers, journals, and wrapping papers featuring a variety of themes. the designs are fresh, colorful, and funky. be sure to check out the doggie wrapping papers. forget wrapping gifts with this stuff--it's cute enough to paper a wall.

objects in rearview mirror may be smaller than they appear

what a fun, quick knit these tiny booties are. two inches of double knitting, a clever technique that creates two layers of fabric, pillow-stylee. from there, you work the heel, pick up some stitches, work a few rows of ribbing, and voila! from the beautifully designed last-minute knitted gifts and knit with luscious french angora from purl.

hippity hoppity

place in warm, secluded easter basket. set your ipod to something romantic. leave them alone and don't peek. and maybe, just maybe they'll multiply like little bunnies.

hello yello

i feel sunny despite the four or so inches of snow that have fallen over the past couple of days.


my brand-spankin new wheels might be one reason. (hey, it was this or a $1600 repair bill on my old mini. go figyah.)


my brand-twinklin new best friend cardi might be another.


of course, they all jaundice in comparison to the newly re-va-va-vamped bonnie. previously banished to the darkest corner of my unworn knits pile, she will rise like a phoenix bess out of the ashes. inspired by this dreamy dress from the new VK, and bolstered by this great tute, i took scissors to stitches and snipped away. stay tuned for a longer, slinkier bonnie. do you think clyde would approve?

welsh rarebit

it's not a giant scrunchy. or a beached sea urchin. rather, it is a bit of welsh ingenuity from the knitters of flocks. their funky flash site is the perfect showcase for their unique designs, handspun and knit from the wool of rare sheep and rabbits. dig deep and you'll be treated to a few hidden nuggets, including a fun scan of a how-to-knit page from a vintage knitting book.