Tiny Things Make Me So, So Happy

I don't know what it is. I'm generally a sucker for good packaging, which is terrible news for me, but great news for companies at large. There is something about teeny tiny things that yanks the wallet right out of my back pocket. Remember itty bitty erasers shaped like anime characters?

I had tons of them, and I never used them. Ever. Because they were too damn cute. And I couldn't bear to grind their little faces away. Not only that, but I think they were pretty bad erasers.










My boyfriend will actually buy me things based on their size. Which is why I have the tiniest, itsiest turtle pendant in the world. I can balance it on my pinky nail. It really is the cutest.

So you can imagine how I felt when I saw this:

My goodness; is that not the skwinkiest, witsiest crochet turtle you've ever seen?!?


Think it doesn't get any cuter? Take that!

And that!

And THAT!

These are all the adorably squinky creations of Su Ami, a vietnamese family of 5 crochet crafters with a shop on etsy. I think these actually make pretty awesome gifts, if you have someone in your life who would appreciate them. I can't imagine how they make them so darn tiny, but I'm very thankful that they do.

I'm also very happy that they price them for as much as they do, because people should get paid for their crafting, and paid well. I can't tell you how disheartening it has been to look up what people are charging for their handknits and seeing that for what they're making, they're barely covering the cost of the yarn. Well-crafted, handmade goods deserve acknowledgement. Just because you can buy a knit hat at the Gap for less, doesn't mean you can find a handknit hat for the same amount of money. Especially when your handknit hat will more than likely outlive the Gap hat by decades.

Anyway, I'm putting this on my Christmas list...

Happy Tiny Crafting!

Flossie

Thread and Breakfast

Sometimes, I think I'm just not obsessed enough... especially when I see massive installation projects like Thread and Breakfast, which is an actual room in the Pelirocco in Brighton where everything inside it is knitted (except in the bathroom, because that would be moldy, weird and gross).
At just over $100 a night, I think it's worth it. But I guess I'll have to hurry and get over to the UK, as it will only remain knitted for the next 3 years.

click through to see more pictures and read about the room!

Knitwear, forever making a comeback

Does knitwear ever really go away? I guess it wasn't so prevalent in the 80s and 90s... well, apparently it's been making a 'comeback' for some time now, by which I'm not at all surprised. Last November I went to Amsterdam on business, and I made sure to take pictures of all the knitwear I saw in shop windows - it was pretty amazing. There seemed to be more there than there was here, but maybe it's just another case of Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, which, as you know if you read me enough, is a phenomenon of which I am particularly fond.
Here are some pictures of knitwear in Amsterdam from one year ago:

I really love the white cable dress and the bizarre, chunky floating-cables turtleneck next to it.

Now that the season is fast approaching, I'm hunkering down to knit some really big, chunky cowls and thinking of the design elements that will make them stand out most. I'm hoping to have some of them up for sale, especially as my schedule just cleared up considerably with the inevitable exit from the part-time yarn store job. I thought I would be sad, but have discovered that I'm not - the goal is to keep moving forward and push myself towards my own design line, and hopefully, eventually, some written patterns and online sales. It's exciting to have the opportunity to pursue your own creative endeavours and become the sole beneficiary of your creative work. No more selling myself short!

The inspiration for this blog was the unveiling of Isabel Marant's Spring 2012 fashion collection, much of which is not only knitwear, but inspired by knitters in general, which I think is really cool. She says the pieces are inspired by the girl who is "a bit crafty. She tie-dyes and patchworks, and cuts up her sweatshirts to knit with!" Click through the picture below for more from her line!

Happy Fall crafting!

flossie