To the Peasants of the Emperor

Check out this stop motion music video made by Aniboom Animation for AM Syndicate's song "To the Peasants of the Emperor", in which yarn people overcome many obstacles in their material world thanks to the potential of yarn.

Interweave Knits Gifts 2014: A Review

Interweave has released its annual Interweave Knits Gifts 2014 issue, which starts out slow but then gets to some really fantastic patterns. Let's begin.

The Fawn and Reindeer Ornaments. This design could use a little more polishing, as they are a little on the lumpy and shapeless side. I'd maybe put a cardboard square in these rather than stuffing, and make the design a bit more detailed.

The Mini Stocking pattern. This is a pretty little stocking and would make a good way to "gift wrap" a gift card, though I would shape it a touch more.

Swagger Sweater, Swagger Hats, and Snowflake Coozie. These aren't the kind of thing I would take time to make, but I have to admit they are kind of fun and would make neat little party decor items. Also if they were all made unique, they'd be a good way for your guests to keep track of which beer bottle was theirs, a sort of knitter's version of wine charms.

The Humpty Bunny design. Very cute. And there'll never be any need for all the king's horses and all the king's men to try to put this bunny together again.

Knitted Strawberries. These are a good knitted rendering of strawberries, should you need knitted strawberries to decorate anything.

The Kit and Kat Pullovers. I like these designs on the whole (and what little girl who plays with dolls at all wouldn't like a "mommy and dolly" sweater set) but the combination of worsted weight yarn and ribbing do make the little girl's sweater look more than a bit on the bulky side for my taste.

The Teatime Linen Set. This would be a cute little set to make if you feel like indulging that tea party-loving child in your life, and it will be gratifying to remember that no actual tea will ever stain your work.

Mama's Socks. These are just adorable. Love the design and the colourway.

Treasure Bags. As someone who has whipped up many a little matching purse to go with the most recent little girl's dress or sweater I've made, I'm happy to see these patterns. Very pretty lacework, and it comes in both the square and circular version.

The Sweetheart Tablet Cover and Faeroe Phone Covers. These are quite pretty, and practical too, as they are lined to protect the gadgets they cover. The tablet cover is my favourite, probably because the designer had the room to go with a more detailed design. If I had an iPad or a cell phone, I'd totally knit or sew covers for them, because so many of the commercially made covers for them are hideous.

The Fir-Cone Sachet. Oh, how lovely. There's nothing quite like the charm of a beautifully detailed little piece like this one.

The Winter Woods Hat and Gloves. Very pretty and eye-catching set. I'd make the wrists of the gloves more fitted. The designer was probably trying to tie the gloves to the hat, but slouchy gloves don't work nearly as well as a slouchy hat.

The Leaded Window Shrug. This one is objectively an outstanding piece of design, but it perhaps doesn't work as well when considered as a piece of clothing. The front's baggy shape isn't flattering, though the back looks quite good.

The Barcode Cowl. Love this one. Being able to create a polished-looking, eye-catching piece out of only garter stitch (which tends to look beginner project-ish) is a sure mark of an accomplished, talented designer.

Woodstove Slippers. Not thrilled with these. I've seen slippers very like these before, and they're a bit too frumpy grandma for me. Using an off-beat colourway might elevate them a little.

The Cottage Christmas Blanket. This design is awesome — it's another very accomplished garter stitch project — but I would go with another colour scheme. That yellow used for the trees gives them an unfortunate "yield sign with the chicken pox" look.

The Rosebud Hat. Very much like this one, but then I tend to be a sucker for any kind of rose-themed design. I'm imagining this is in various rose-like colour schemes: red, pink, peach, yellow, and white, and always in a mohair/angora blend.

The Gingham Scarf. I love this scarf so much that even though I don't like gingham I suddenly want to see more gingham-inspired knitting projects.

The Fairbanks Cowl. Nice classic cable piece.

The Captain's Return Hat. Another lovely cabled piece.

The Voussoir Hat. An impressively intricate design.

The Radcliffe Cowl. Really lovely. The texture's great, and the contrast edging really finishes it off. This is one of the most attractive cowls I've ever seen.

The Medallion Mitts. Not all that taken with these. The overall texture is very good, but the medallion part on the back of the hands looks less like a medallion than it does muddled stitchwork.

All Points East Shawl. A lovely piece.

The Galaxy Cowl. Quite like this one with its subtle play of colour. This piece would be a great way to add a touch of colour and style to a neutral, basic outfit, or conversely, a neutral tone to a colourful outfit.

Mackenzie River Hat. Nice piece. It's well-shaped and has a good texture.

The Backroad Hat. Full disclosure: I actually know Elizabeth Elliot, the designer of this piece, mostly as an "internet friend" as we are both longtime members of an internet community, but we also met in person at a Vegas wedding back in September 2006. I suppose that doesn't sound believable, but I understand there's a video of the wedding ceremony that documents not only our presence at the event but also our (and every other attendant's) expressions of dawning horror as we realized that "Elvis", who gave away the bride and sang a couple of numbers, wasn't wearing any underwear. But I digress. Nice simple hat that will be a good way to showcase a variegated yarn and will fit well because of the elastic properties of the stitchwork used.

The Stashbuster Hats. Quite like these hats, which as the design's name suggests, will be a great way to use up odds and ends of yarn while looking like a polished design rather than way to use up yarn.

Zero

In an Aldous Huxley-esque world of yarn creatures where yarn babies are born marked with the rank they will live with all their lives, one little yarn boy bearing a zero grows up to prove that something can be made of nothing. Directed by Christopher Kezelos, Zero has been shown in over 50 festivals and has won 15 awards including 'Best Animation' from LA Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island International Film Festival as well a nomination for an AFI Award in the 'Best Short Animation' category.

The Thread of Life and Other Knitting Fables

Ursula was thrilled that she'd finally found a good use for all that I-cord she'd made as a child.

Jolene thought wearing one's scarf around one's neck was just so been there, done that. There were plenty of other places to put it.

Calida's new outfit was perfect for going straight from the office to her new part-time job as punching bag down at the boxing gym.

Maris, like Calida, had knitted her own protective equipment for boxing. She was sure she'd never feel a punch through this breastplate and had only to knit a matching helmet for it.

Darby got halfway down the runway before a terrible draft alerted her to the fact that something was missing from her outfit. But as the other models all assured her when she came backstage in tears, anyone could forget her pants.

Moselle, who appeared two models after Darby, got cranky when the other models tried to remind her she'd forgotten not only her pants but also her shirt and bra. She hadn't. Her sweater, scarf, and tam combo was plenty warm enough on its own. Everyone knew you lost 45% of your body heat through the head.

Pansy had carefully kept all those floral decorations she'd made as decorations for her wedding reception, waiting for that happy moment of inspiration she knew would come. And when it did arrive on the day her divorce became final, she felt the resulting outfit and the matching tam she'd made constituted the perfect outfit for her first date with someone new, by expressing her personality and symbolizing new life. And she appreciated her best friend Moselle's support on the whole no-pants thing.

Annelise didn't share Pansy and Mosell's view that wearing a hat or a lot of hair eliminated the need for pants, but she had found an alternative to them. A huge tunic and legwarmers kept her warm while allowing vital airflow to her genitals.

Riva had never been one for the classic look. To her mind, classic was dead, and needed some unexpected leather patches and random fuzzy red nipple-like pom poms to bring it back to life.

Geneva's latest creation was part warm sweater, part sassy tassels, and part art installation. It came with a extra rope that was meant to be attached to a helium balloon. Geneva called this design "The Thread of Life" and gave all its purchasers special instructions for how to pull dramatically on the cord.

Chicken's Lifetime

Check out this stop motion video about the progress of a crocheted chicken's life, from egg forward, by YouTube user Betibettin. I did hope we were going to see the full span of a chicken's life, ending in some yummy-looking fried chicken on a plate, but the story took a different turn.

A Bevy of Swan Projects

It's my birthday today, and I've decided to mark the occasion by doing a post of selected swan-themed knitting patterns.

If you've ever wondered why my pseudonym is Orange Swan, the answer is that I chose it almost at random when I needed a username for an internet account back in 2001. Then in 2006, when I set up my first blog, it made sense to use the Orange Swan name because it was already familiar to a community of a few thousand people. Late in 2006, I bought my house and named it Swan's End (yes, I named a semi-detached, bite me), because I realized the swan had become my personal symbol. After I found an awesome swan candelabra at Value Village for $5, I began to buy appealing swan items whenever I came across them, which wasn't often. A friend wisely warned me that I wouldn't want to tell too many people what I'd named my house, because then they'd start giving me all kinds of swan crap, and most swan stuff is tacky. True that. You've seen those white plastic swan planters, right? I've found my best chance of getting nice swan items was to make them. I made the Art Nouvau counted cross-stitch cushion depicted above. But I've never knitted a swan project. So let's have a look at the best swan projects Ravelry has to offer.

This is the Wetwang design, by Ann Kingstone, and the pattern is available for £5.00(GBP). I quite like it. It's simple, effective, and wearable. But I think if I were to make it I would refer to it as my "swan sweater" rather than my "Wetwang". Wetwang is a Yorkshire Wolds village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, but the name has some seriously unfortunate connotations in modern parlance.

This is the Swan Lake & Lily Stole, designed by by Susan A. Reishus. It's available for $25.00(USD), which is by far the most expensive single pattern price I've ever seen. It is a lovely piece, but if I were to make this, I'd want to make it in a colour to get it away from the old-fashioned, doily-like effect it has in white.

This is the Swans A Swimming design by Sharon Winsauer. It's available for for $9.95(USD). I actually like this shawl design better on the whole than the previous one, because the lace pattern is gorgeous and the whole "kissing swans" thing is a little too twee for me, but I do wish this had a shape that was as good as that of the previous shawl. Shaped shawls lie better than rectangular ones.

I've posted previously about the Hexapuff technique, designed by Stephanie Dosen of Tiny Owl Knits, and other Ravelry members have done some really impressive work by running with Dosen's concept. This chart, which was created by Jennifer Fabian, offers not only swan but penguin and raven lovers a way to customize their Hexapuffs. The chart is available as a free download.

This is the Spirit Swan Knitting Chart, by Melanie Nordberg, and its available as a free download. Melanie Nordberg, by the way, offers a variety of amazing charts on her Ravelry page. I've featured her work before in some of my theme pattern posts. Her charts would make a excellent starting point for someone who wants to design a themed afghan or sweater.

This is the Valkyries sock pattern, designed by Karen S. Lauger and available for $5.10(USD). The Valkyries are the amazons of Nordic mythology and the swan is one of their symbols. I don't know if I could stand to put shoes on over these. It might dilute the Valkyrie power.

Enchanted Knits 2014: A Review

Interweave Press has released a special issue called Enchanted Knits, which features 27 projects that reference well-known fairy tales and literary works of fantasy. Let's have a look at them, shall we?

The Among the Birches Shawl. This project was inspired by Norwegian folk tales of the Hidden Folk, who sometimes lure adults and children into the woods for nefarious ends. It's a nice piece and the texture is lovely. But I wouldn't recommend it that you wear it for any excursions into the woods as it will catch on everything.

The Bamboo Princess Baby Blanket and Hat. This design is based on a Japanese fairy tale that begins when an old Japanese bamboo cutter finds a tiny baby girl in a stalk of bamboo — note the green, the leaf-like lace patterns, the fibre used. Very meta, and it's a nice set in itself. That is one pretty blanket.

The Butterfly Fairy Tank. Very pretty and wearable summer top. I like that this designer found a way to incorporate butterflies into this design in a fashion that isn't too twee for a grown woman.





The back view and part of the front of the Chloris Sontag. Hoo boy. From the description on the Ravelry pattern page:

This wrap is inspired by the nymph better known by the Latin name Flora. Goddess of flowers, greenness, and growth, she was said to be the wife of Zephyrus, the West Wind. Mixing crochet with knitting, this lush piece takes a utilitarian bit of warmth from the past — the sontag, or bosom friend — and updates it with plush reversed textures, lacy motifs, and thick and thin yarn combinations for a signature accessory that will still ward off a bit of chill.

Wear this and you'll look and feel like a goddess of flowers, albeit one who has just had an epic battle with a weed whacker. As for practicality, you'll notice that the description refers to a "bit of warmth" and says it will "ward off a bit of chill". Only a bit, mind you. The front does look much more promising, but we can't see very much of it in any of the pictures provided.

The Colubrida Wrap. This piece references the snake that figures so often in mythology — and fortunately in a not too-literal way. It's a nice piece. It lies well and that "serpentine" lace border is something different and interesting.

The Eglantine Sleeves allude to the briars that surrounded Sleeping Beauty's castle for the duration of her century's sleep. And they're a beautiful piece of work, but I'm trying to figure out how one would style them. I can see they'd be useful to wear with a shawl or cloak, but if the weather is cold enough to require both, wouldn't you just put on a jacket instead?

The Giant Slayer's Vine Scarf is, of course, based on the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk. It's a beautiful piece. The mohair-silk yarn choice works especially well, as it gives it such an luxurious and ethereal look and feel. But then I may be biased, as I seem to have a fetish for mohair.

The Hansel and Gretel socks are meant to represent the candy house where they are imprisoned by a witch. I'm a not a big fan of mismatched socks, even when they are clearly paired by a reversal of design, because to a casual glance they look like the result of doing laundry while drunk, but these are cute and one could knit them both the same way if one wanted.

The Hervor's Undermittens are named for a Norse mythological character named Hervor. I like the design on the whole as it's a nice blend of lines and curves and I do like a elongated glove as it's both more aesthetic (it creates a clean line at the wrist) and more practical (no wrist exposed to the elements). Not a fan of the colour scheme used here, but that can be changed.

The Honest Woodsman Pullover is named after the Aesop's fable about a woodcutter who loses his axe in the river. Very much like this sweater. It's something a bit different with interesting visual lines and texture while being a design even a very conventionally dressed man (and isn't that most men?) would care to wear.

The name of the Hunger for Rampion Pullover refers to the root that Rpaunzel's mother asked her husband to steal for her from a neighbouring witch's garden, while the cables on the sweater are meant to evoke Rapunzel's hair. It's a lovely piece, though I would make the sleeves wrist-length rather than this length. Unless you plan to dangle your arms temptingly out the window for the benefit of any passing princes.

The Into the Magic Forest Blanket is another beautiful baby blanket, this time based on Labyrinth. Love the spirals and cabled devices along the border. Warning: this baby afghan might make you think about David Bowie every time you use it.





The Kitsunetsuki Cardigan refers to the kitsune, or fox spirits, of Japanese mythology, which sometimes have multiple tails. Not thrilled by this one. Those seams in the front looks rough and unfinished and the cables in the back look random. The whole thing looks like a design experiment that didn't work out rather than a finished design.

The Maleficant's Cloak design. Maleficent is the name assigned to the witch in Sleeping Beauty. This piece is pure costume, but maybe some people like to have a physical prop when they're pretending to be Angelina Jolie.

The Merlin Sweater. This Merlin plainly favours traditional cabled sweaters and saves his creative moments for his incantations. Nothing wrong with that.

The Riddles with Dragons Shawl does seem to hang well, and the lace pattern is attractive, but that edging looks rather unfinished. This design looks like it needs a little more work before it's done.





Rumplestiltskin's Wrap. Oooh, quite like this one. It's beautifully detailed and gracefully shaped.

Singeli's Silver Slippers. Love these too. I do like a slipper that has a bit of style and elegance to it, and between the shape and the embroidery on this design, these slippers have both.

The Snowdrop and Rose Red Cowl. In my pattern reviews, I often criticized the way cowls sit, comparing them to flat tires or cakes. This cowl could teach a class in masterful cowl sitting. It has a very romantic feel to it, and yet it's totally wearable for a contemporary woman. Nice work!

The String of Flowers Circlet. This is... pretty enough for what it is, that being an accessory for the younger and more boho among us. I'd consider making something like this as a headband for a little girl.





The Sylvania Cardigan. Lovely classic sweater with an especially beautiful back detail.

The Taking Flight Kerchief. Pretty little kerchief for wearing around the house as you do all those chores at the behest of your evil stepmother.





The Entwife's Coat, so named after "beautiful Entwives were partners to the Ents of Middle-earth" in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'm torn on this one, because there is much I like about it, such as the detail and the front shaping and that awesome rose button. But the jacket as a whole is so very bulky it's not flattering, and those extra flounces at the back aren't helping. I'd be inclined to rework this design entirely to make it more streamlined.

This is Thumbelina's Dress. It doesn't say on the Ravelry page for the pattern what use this dress will be. I would want to make it to fit a particular-sized doll, such as a Barbie. Such a pretty, fanciful piece needs to be used and enjoyed.





The Undine Shawlette, named for a water-spirit of German legend. This is a beautiful piece, although I do question how well it's going to stay around one's shoulders.

The White Queen Stole is inspired by Jadis (AKA the White Witch) of C.S. Lewis's Narnian series, and it's a gorgeous piece fit for a bride. Just don't offer any Turkish Delight candy to any small children when you're wearing it.

The Woodcutter's Socks. Nice socks. Appropriately enough for the name they bear, they are simple and workmanlike.