Happy Holidays!

(Greetings from Andy: Christmas at Tiffany's, via)

Thank you to all you readers out there, I wish you a happy holiday full of joy, excitement and good knitting. I hope to see you all in the new year!

Crochet at Home

(Left: Crochet table by Marcel Wanders, discovered via. Right: Crochet carpet by Patricia Urquiola and Eliana Gerotto, discovered via)

I love these crochet furnishings. How cool and girly are they?! I love how minimal they seem, but they are hand worked and intricate. Maybe it's appropriate to say, don't try this at home! That is, unless you know what you're doing!

DIY Q&A: Designer Knitting Patterns

(Left: from Rowan Studio issue no. 1. Right: from Kim Hargraves Fall 2006)


Dear Andrea,

I’ve been trying to find some knitting sites that, how shall we say, aren’t horribly tacky! Your site is beautiful! I’m trying to find patterns à la Comme des Garçons, or Yohji or even like the sweater that Carine is wearing....any ideas??

Thanks!
Candy


Dear Candy,

Comme des Garçons knitting patterns?! I wish such a thing existed! I started Fable Handknit for exactly this reason. There is just a lack of creative vision in the "crafts" business. While I don't have any exact matches for your search, I can recommend some sources to consider.

Rowan, the major yarn company from England produces many pattern books through out the year. They recently launched Rowan Studio, a bi-monthly magazine that is intended to be more fashion-forward than their other lines. While I am not a fan of everything they do, they are one of the best sources available for creative pattern design.

Kim Hargraves, is the former creative director of Rowan, she recently began her own venture selling her patterns and matching yarn as kits. She designs some lovely and desirable knits. I hear that her customer service is excellent.

Vogue Knitting magazine is the source for some "designer" patterns, as in Michael Kors, Twinkle by Wenlan, Pierrot, and Anna Sui. Try digging through yarn shops or public libraries to find back issues. Not every design is stylish or knit-worthy, but occasionally, you might come across a really great pattern!

And lastly, there is a glimmer of hope that knitting books will wake up to fashion in 2007. Some titles to look forward to: Twinkle's Big City Knits, Runway Knits, Glamour Knits.

Happy Knitting!

Andrea

P/S Keep watching this blog, in the coming weeks, I will be posting about how to re-gauge your knitting pattern to match the yarn you want to use!

What's in my knitting bag

(My knitting bag and what's inside; 2 cones of Fable handknit Pure Baby Alpaca, my current project on japanese bamboo circular needles)

Inspired by this, I decided to smap a pic of my current knitting bag. I'm not really inro the bags that are specificlly designed for knitting. I prefer to carry a bigger pirse to begin with or tote a stylish shopping bag. These days, I am toting a frosted Calvin Klein shopping bag. I like it mainly for the looks, but have found it functionable for my purposes, It's easy to toss things in and carry around.

So what's in your knitting bag? Snap a pic and post the link in my comments and/or tag it as "whatsinmyknittingbag" pn Flickr.

What's your Fable?

I am constantly amazed by what knitters have come up with using the Fable yarn or how they've interpreted the patterns. I'd like to invite you to pool your photos of finished projects relating to Fable, so that other can be inspired too!

Join "What's your Fable?" Flickr Group

Check off baby on your gift list...

When I was little, one of my favorite part of the holidays was actually wrapping the gifts. I enjoyed finding new ways to wrap presents and I still do now. If you still have to shop for a baby gift this holiday, keep me in mind for blankets! I will personally gift wrap, ship directly to your recipient and print out a note card with your personal message on it.

Thanks for everyone's interest and support so far!

Is Knitting Sexy?

(French Vogue editor, Carine Roitfeld wrote the book on sexy, is everything she wears sexy by association?, photo via)

A while back when I was just out of school and helping a friend to think of some ideas for a photo shoot, I suggested setting a scene of the models hanging around backstage og a gashion show and possibly knitting. This idea has more truth than fiction back in the supermodel era, some well-noted models spent their time knitting in between shows. My friend's classmate, a male (who had nothing to do with the project), remarked that knitting just wasn't sexy! Well the joke's on him, as last week I flipped through French Vogue (November 2006, of all people, Paris Hilton is on the cover) and a photo shoot was dedicated to a sexy model lounging around with their knitting in action. While there was no sight of a chunky sweater on any of the models, who were hardly dressed, they were in fact knitting in each and every photograph (I think there were about 12-14 pages worth!).

All this debate whether knitting is sexy, also begs the question is knitwear sexy? Are cable knit jumpers, tuques and cozy capes sexy? I could only say, not really unless you're talking about the book Sexy Little Knits and in that case, I feel it's overly provocative. So what is it about knits looking so sexy this season? It's the must-have of every magazine's It-list and a staple at every boutique. If the item itself is relatively not -that-sexy, what is it that makes it so? Well, it's the styling and the personality that the model brings with them to the runway and photo shoots. Kate Moss can make a paper bag look sexy. And in truth, the screaming sexy look has long been over since plunging necklines were declared vulgar.

Looking sexy in knits has to do with what is in relationship to the knitted item in question. For instance, a silk satin slip dress underneath a bulky knit cardigan à la Twinkle, or a knit dress with opaque leggings and platform pumps à la TSE, or an oversized beanie hat à la Marc Jacobs with an elegant evening dress and shawl. Sexy is relative to what else the person is wearing and their attitude. The New Sexy is a balance between the "traditional" notion of sexy and what is traditionally not. The juxtapose makes it all the more intriguing.

Knit Jersey Alpaca Blankets

(TOP: 3-panel knit jersey alpaca blanket, Twin- 66 x 90", $200 CAD, Full/Queen- 86 x 90, $250 CAD, King- 108 x 90" , $300 CAD. BOTTOM: knit jersey alpaca baby blanket, 30 x 48", $80 CAD. 100% baby alpaca. Colors availible in natural white, sweet pink, sea foam, lavender, peachy, ethereal blue and black (other colors shown are availible in limited supply. Made to order only.)

Fiber enthusiasts often tell me that they want to roll around in my Pure Baby Alpaca yarn. Well now you literally can. I've been at work creating soft jersey blankets made from the same yarn. Unlike any other natural fiber, alpaca's hollow physical structure acutally traps body heat. A perfect way to staying warm and cozy all night long.

Contact to order.

Knitting Goes Prime Time

(photos from Gilmore Girls via)

First Grey's Anatomy, now Gilmore Girls, as long as knitting gets a cameo, it will never die.

Because Stars Hollow celebrates just about every kind of holiday event there could be, it was just a matter of time before they held a Knit-a-thon. Luke's diner turns into a knitting cafe, Kirk hands out free needles on the day of. Only television could provide such an ideal vision of a knit-a-thon. How enviable!

Links
Gilmore Girls episode recap of "Knit, People, Knit!" on the CW
Crazy Aunt Purl's own photos of her TV also see
Where to get Loralai's Knit of Go Home t-shirt