D-d-d-d-d-dora!

So, I am aware of the Spanish-speaking children's icon, Dora the Explorer. I am also aware of her little companion, Boots. You probably are, too. . . but were you aware that a lovely lady by the name of Jennifer Wilson-Parkes has designed her very own Boots Doll?

You weren't!? Well, I feel I've done you some sort of service. Note though, it's a ravelry download, so I don't know how you non-ravelers will work it.

And to all of you whining and cheesing to get more Amigurumi, or "why haven't I posted this or that pattern," well, send me an email at lynough@gmail.com with something for me to post. If you don't send me an email, don't complain when I take my time telling you all about my wonderful cupcakes or. . . whatever I feel like blogging about.

Tweet Tweet

Alright, so I know that there is a considerable amount of people that want ami patterns. . . so I'm posting them as I find them. I was going to add this before all the AP exam/art show madness, but I just didn't. Blame laziness if you want, but my computer has been totally infected. Ad ware, evil stuff like that.

Anyway, this little bird is so adorable! And, it's also simple! Knit on straight needles, in garter stitch and sewn up, this would make a lovely springtime gift for a little kid. . . or even an older kid! Looking at it, I can imagine a mobile made out of many colored little birdies hanging over a bassinet. Hmm. . .

Oh, um, while we're on the subject, make a note of Raynor's site, "Knitted Toy Box." It's relatively new, but it stays on topic (unlike myself) so it might hold your attention more easily.

Knit Kitty!

So, it's been a while since I posted some amigurumi patterns. Well, for all of you who come here just to see them. . . poo to you. Here you go.

I've seen a few varieties of this up on ravelry. It's so cute! Knit it up, sew it up, and thank geobabe for putting it up!

Knit-Test!

I found this contest on the internet, and at first I thought. . . "Would putting this up on my blog hurt my chances of winning?" "Would putting this up on the forums I frequent hurt my chances of winning?"

Then, I thought: No. If my design is good enough, it'll win! So, hurry up and enter Metapostmodernknitting's Sock Challenge! I dare 'ya!

(P.S.- Check out the site!)

Knit Knit!

Well, I'm back from NYC, but I'm still obsessing over this book I bought at PS1! It's called Knit Knit: Profiles and Projects from Knitting's New Wave. I absolutely adore it! It has people, groups, patterns, sites. . . and a ton of pictures of innovative knit-things. They also have a website and a magazine. . . I want them T__T

Anyway, the book is devoid of any "You can knit, too, horray!" Slap-happy vibes that many other knitting books have been cursed with. On the contrary, it's much more of a "Look at this person. Don't you wish you were that creative? Envy." Seriously, some of the stuff is amazing:This house!? I bet I could find some way to make that. . . And this knitted room!? How awesome!

There's also patterns, for those of you who CAN'T buy a knitting book without patterns. Some of them might be a little hard to do, like this fiberglass teddy bear:

But some, like knit boxing gloves, a hat insbired by geodesic architecture, and this AMAZING cable cardigan, are definitely within my realm:
All in all, I think this is an amazing book. If not for the designers, for the inspiration. If not for the inspiration, for the patterns. If not for the patterns, for looking over them with your knitting friends and having quite the giggle. Definitely a buy! When's the sequel!?
(P.S.- The picture at the very top is designer Freddie Robbins. All the dolls in the background? KNIT AMIGURUMI.)

How to Knit a Flat Circle

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Downtown DiY: KNITTING.

Well, how nice! I came home yesterday and my mom had bought me a nice little book, on a whim! And a knitting book, on top of that! I have so few knitting books (I plan on changing that in the future) and this one had such a sweet cover. LIES!

First of all, I was really happy with the table of contents page. I love how it was laid out, love the pictures. As soon as I turned to this page, my eye was drawn to the cap in the upper right. Hey, I want to make that! So, I turned right to the page. What do I see?

The same picture on the cover. Okay, first I think: JIP. LAZY. But I forgive it. The instructions are pretty simple enough. They even have a nice instruction section, which explains the basics of knitting. I keep flipping through the book, and I notice a trend. . . NO PHOTOS.

Now, this makes me slightly irked. I really don't like working a pattern when I have nothing to go off of. They could have even used the same tiny pictures they put in the contents section (which I thought were lovely) and just made them bigger. But no. Instead, they do these arty, doodly sketches that look like they took the most of five minutes with a tablet and Corel Painter, with some knit textures paint bucketed in where the "project" is supposed to be. I don't know- maybe this was supposed to be "chic." Maybe their photographer had a mental breakdown and they hired a last-minute illustrator to fill some page space.



Whatever the excuse is, "it sucks and I hate it!" Is the only quote I can think of to describe this book. There's no pictures to go by except the tiny ones in the table of contents, the patterns, while presented in a fresh and clear way, are in no ways breakthrough. In fact, thinking back on the book I can't really even remember what designs there were. I do remember the sketchy little page fillers which, aside from serving no purpose but to distract you from the lack of knitting in the book, seemed to beg to be embroidered on something.

I especially like this one:

In conclusion, buy downtown DiY: Knitting for that tween in your life that thinks knitting and DiY is "cool" "indie" and "chic," but will probably never pick up a pair of needles in her life. Yes, I said her. Please do not buy a young pre-adolescent boy this book. It is obviously aimed for girls (another minus, on my docket.)
If you really liked this book, I apologize if I've offended your bad tastes. If you're the AUTHOR of this book, call me before you make a sequel, I'LL take the photos!

We're just lucky they don't have an equally humiliating crochet version. Or a Sewing version. WAIT. . .