Sunday 19 February 2012

Ode to my Knitting Crushes.

I have many knitting crushes. Some are pure and steadfast, some whimsical and some have been my biggest crush since, like, FOREVER. So I thought I would pay tribute to the people I consider legends in the knitting world and I would turn completely fan girl on at the drop of a knitted hat. 

In no particular order....

8. Melissa Wehrle of Neoknits. My favourite ever knitscenes are without fail, the ones where she has several designs. I've built them up to the point I couldn't possibly knit them. But this year, as I say every year, it's going to happen.
7. Gudrun Johnston of the Shetland Trader. Just wow. Again, I'm in awe and am yet to brave casting any patterns on!
6. Alana Dakos of Never Not Knitting. I've made several of her stylish accessories by now and I'm thrilled that she has a collection coming out with another delicious designer: Hannah Fettig. I'm avoiding buying Coastal Knits for fear I will become knit frenzied and never leave the house.
5. Vanessa Smith of Knit Rhapsody. I think not only is her design work to die for but she is also hot stuff herself and I admit, I have a girl crush.
4. Veera Välimäki of Rain Knitwear Designs. Her designs are stylish and grey and striped and I must KNIT THEM ALL. yes. 
3.  Cecily Glowik Macdonald. My more recent knitting crush, a slow burning and building crush. Now it is fully fledged and I want to make about 10 of her sweaters/ cardigans NOW. I'm in awe of course and completely paralysed by the thought of not making mine as perfect as the pattern.
2. Stephen West. I love his wearable designs. His photography suits my playful self and I love, love the fact that I can make things for both myself and the giant that I will wear. Lace is nice but this is wearable. I'm working through this collection slower than I would like. It helps he's cute as a button too. Yes. 
1. The ultimate for me, Brooklyn Tweed. Oh Jared, let us count the ways I love you. For me it's not just the clear, simple but informative pattern writing, the stunning photography but it's the classic nature of these designs. This is what knit wear should look like. The last two Fall collections have taken my breath away and made me sink into tea and toast and hours of reading and browsing over the pattern info. I can't bring myself to knit them. I'm too in awe. Aren't I silly?

Do you do this? Obssess about design collections but never seem to get there? Or dabble then run away again?

ETA: I have absolutely NO idea why this republished here. I was correcting typos last night and something funky happened. Ho hum

5 comments:

Anna said...

I also have knitting crushes on Cecily, Veera and Gudrun. Feel a bit scared when I start a project as don't want to disappoint them. Am also a fan of anything by quince & co.

Anonymous said...

Oh lordy I adore Jared Flood. I can't believe how his patterns are able to provide such a wonderful experience for the knitter--how does he do that--like none other...

Truly Myrtle said...

Gosh, you and I have almost the same crushes! I am definitely an obsesser that never gets there. I managed one Veera top....Oh how I want to do more!

Ness said...

OH! But it's so much fun to just JUMP IN! You must remember that these are knitting GODS we cannot hope to attain their perfection, only to mimic it. Though I will say: I've yet to see any project from either Brooklyn Tweed collections that don't look precisely like the ones in Jared's photos....

Unknown said...

I have a similar idea for a blog post, but more in the realm of "Have you heard of...." When at a knitting group or with new knit friends, I try to resist barraging them with my questions. If I were to do it in a post like yours the info might be more easily digested....

So here's is my short list for you ... Do you know of BabyCocktails patterns? She is a local/ Boston area designer.... I have seen a number of people casting on her Narragansett sweater... Have you checked out Tiny Owl Knits new web page? Have you seen that there are 3000 projects on Ravelry? Do you follow Kate Davies blog Needled? Love her style and her story. How about Glenna? I love her blog, Knitting to Stay Sane. And last, do you know of IndigoDragonfly yarns? Another spot that I cruise... love the wacky names they give to their fiber colors!

I love your list of designers and I admire them too..... and I want to thank you for introducing me to Neoknits! I discovered something I don't know there! She did a review of a new app for ipad/iphone that I want to share.
Thanks!