Knitting, It's More Than Just Hilarious Sweaters...

So, like I said, there will of course, always be ugly sweaters here, especially around the holidays, but there's so much more in the handicraft world! Today, I think we'll get a lil' avant-garde and explore some more daring designs.

All images by SpattersandJayne

Ok, at first, I totally wasn't sold on this, but then the fact that I've been reading The Hobbit crept in and I thought, "hey, these are kind of middle earthy!" (Shut up! Yes, I'm a nerd, deal with it!) The huge,chunky knit; the ginormous, funky, wooden buttons; and the multi-functionality...from cowl, to hood, to cape, really grew on me! Perhaps I'll get one...they're kind of 'precious'...(hehehe, see what I did there?)

Image from Knitty.com "...little purls of wisdom."(clever!)

Man, talk about perfect for those bad hair days...especially the cold ones! Stylish do and hat all in one! Megan, the designer of this creation, dubbed the "Hallowig," (since it was created for Halloween, but hopefully the name tipped you off...) gives detailed instructions on duplicating this hair raising knitwear.

(Twins)
(Burka 2)(She only wanted boy-children) Now that's a onesie!

Images by Chrystl Rijkeboer

Speaking of hair, why not use a little in the actual knitting itself? Here we see "Twins" by Dutch Artist Chrystl Rijkeboer. She incorporates human hair into her work...which some might consider ugly, but you can't deny it'll stop you in a heartbeat! The subject matter of her work varies from the lighthearted to the politically charged.

Image from knitteroo

Yves Saint Laurent bridal wear circa 1965...

What bride wouldn't feel beautiful and..feminine? Not an ounce of symbolism in that...no sir, not...a...bit. Although, for some reason, the groom said he felt...inadequate.


Image from google.

...of course, if none of those are your speed, there's always this. Even the collar mimics the little pig's tails...and trust me, if there's anything a woman wants to associate herself with, it's a pig. Oink!

(Also, I'm playing a bit with the background right now...since it's not Christmas anymore. Let me know if it sucks and you hate it...and by proxy, me. Thanks!)

I'm Hooked! Crochet hooked that is!

Princess Seeker

I am part of a t-shirt design community known as Threadless, now, deep in the dark heart of threadless is a place called the blog...and in that blog, are topics that range from politics and religion, to bacon and tacos. Also, people post various works of art, allowing folks to see some truly inspiring talent. I know what you're thinking, "yeah, that's nice, but what does it have to do with sweaters, amazingly ugly sweaters?"

Very little actually, however, it has a lot to do with some of the most creative pieces I've ever seen come out of skein of yarn. I'd like to introduce you to *drum roll please...*

CHELLY!

Chelly's work is nothing short of delightful. Her hats, scarves, and various creations are fun, whimsical pieces that exude a joyful spunkiness. Her crochet wearables are not only functional, they're FUNctional! Enough of me blabberin' on, here is just a small sampling of some of Chelly's stellar crocheted pieces ranging from adorable animals to friendly underpants!

Bunny Cap (Chelly assures the teeth do not impair vision!)

Bullcap and tailfront (That is some extraordinary detail work on that cow!)

Speed Racer! ( Imusthavethishat,becausethishatissoawesome!!Ohhhhhhh!)

Phil's XL Underwear Hat (brilliance.)

Nine Lives...(I'm pretty sure I actually squealed like a 9 year old girl when I saw this.)

Shifty Eyed Ninja (hahahaha!!!!!)

No Cable Cap (turn it off, put it on, and get outside!)

FNAscarf2 (bottoms up!)

Please check out Chelly's flickr for more examples of her fabulous work in her "yarns" set. When it seems like everything you see is so mass produced and cookie cutter, it's encouraging to see an artisan producing textiles with the brash individuality that these have. Many of her pieces are commissioned work, so if you like what you see, shoot her a flickr mail. I know I'm in some serious need of a tiger cap/scarf combo...I think I'll be paying a visit to my friendly neighborhood Chelly soon!

Stuff White People Like...

...is sweaters! How do I know this? I've been told so on a site called "Stuff White People Like" Dash it all, it's true! I'm not going to fight it! Am I white? Check. Do I love sweaters? (Um...blog?) Check. Have I attended...and actually organized a Christmas sweater party with sweaters gleaned from my local thrift store? Check and check!

FROM STUFF WHITE PEOPLE LIKE

The sweater is an essential part of the white person wardrobe and it is a very good idea to familiarize yourself with all the different types of sweaters that are most popular with white people.

When you approach the subject from the perspective of age, it’s essential that you combine very young and very old white people in the same group. This is because young white people think it is very cool to wear clothes that are popular with senior citizens. The most popular example of this is the cardigan sweater, which is essentially a wool jacket with less buttons. An old white person might combine this sweater with a button down shirt to provide himself or herself with valuable warmth in the winter months, but a young white person will combine it with a t-shirt to create a ‘layered look.’ This not only allows them to show others that their personality features as many layers as their clothes, but it’s a chance to show people that you own not one but two cool items of clothing.

White women will also purchase many small, thin sweaters that they can wear in combination or on top of other clothes. Though you may think it would make more sense to just purchase a thicker sweater, these layers allow them to achieve maximum temperature control (see Scarves for more evidence of this phenomenon).

Moving up in thickness and age, one comes across the ‘ultra thick’ sweater. Though you will find these at Farmer’s Markets and Community Gardens throughout the country, they are most popular in the Pacific Northwest. These are often light brown or almost beige and weigh upwards of 10 pounds. When you a see a white person walk into a bar or coffee shop wearing one of these sweaters, you can tell the weight by how much they are sweating when they take it off.

White people also appreciate the irony of ugly sweaters that usually feature things like reindeer and snowmen. Though it seems unlikely, white people have even been able to turn this into a theme for parties. Typing in “ugly sweater party” into google will return a wealth of images and a dearth of diversity. However, there is one notable exception.

Regardless of the type of sweater, it is also good to be aware of the fact that finding a nice sweater at a thrift shop or goodwill is considered a major event in the life of a white person. Scoring a garment that makes it into the regular rotation for under $10 is a story that white people will tell for up to five years after it happens. Therefore, if you are seeking white friendship it is a good idea to do one of two things: You can either go to dozens of thrift shops in hopes of finding a dream sweater or you can buy a new one, remove the label and make up a story about how you found in a Goodwill in a bad neighborhood that “hadn’t been picked clean by hipsters.”

(Check out the front page for more sweater goodness.) Man, we white folk like a bunch of stuff! All you other white people, have a look and a laugh at yourself. All you folks who aren't white, drop by and laugh along with us, we're pretty ripe for comedy! ;)

If You Want to Destroy My Sweater...

Weezer has plenty of ways to show you how...
(Don't do drugs kids!)

or maybe you're more interested in destroying friendships!? This is awesome...Mari and Melvin, please contact me and invite me next year. Thanks!



"Check out the back! Welcome Wagon!"


from Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas
"Thoughtful Gifts for Women" ...


Image from photobucket

...speaking of thoughtful gifts for women...how about finishing the job there buddy? ( I guess you can always show the woman you love how much you care...that is if you've got your own natural sweater.) *shudders*