Thursday, October 25, 2012

ok, i admit, this does SOUND crazy...

...earlier this year, i spent quite some time knitting a cashmere cabled cardigan... for one of niece lindsay marie's barbie dolls!

 what, you mean YOUR nieces' barbies dress "off the rack"??!

some of the people who saw me doing so, on various airplane journeys this spring, just sort of looked at me sideways; others came right out and asked, "WHY??!?!" weirdly enough, it's other knitters who are most freaked out, and don't mind mentioning that fact; because i'm *wasting* time and high quality supplies!

the purse is filatura di crosa superwash merino. the tiny snap closure inside was the most difficult part of the entire project!

and i see their point. i really do. but a couple of years ago i had a series yarn-craft epiphanies which went a bit like this:  i really only knit or crochet whilst traveling; if my project isn't small enough and light enough to fit in my purse, i won't take it with me; i get bored if a project isn't challenging enough to hold my interest; i really reallllllllllllllly like super-premium yarn, and have quite a few leftovers that even taken all together aren't enough for a "real" project.

can't remember who makes this yarn, but it's hand-dyed and has a tiny bit of silk in it.

how i got from there to high-end designer barbie clothes is nicky epstein's fault. she wrote this awesome book a few years ago, and suddenly all of those things came together in my mind. and afterall, it's MY yarn, and my time, and i looooooooooove using both of them for this!


alpaca cardigan with patch pockets and a picked-up-short-rows shawl collar; every second of knitting this was heavenly!

the nieces love it, too! they've started to ask how one does various things yarn-related things, and how long it takes, and can i teach them?! we had some crocheting lessons over the summer and i have a special little custom scarf "kit" planned as part of their christmas present. 

so if you're on an airplane, a train, or a bus and you see a contented-looking woman knitting something tiny and crazy, stop over and say hi, okay? i'll be happy to see you, darlings! ♥♥♥

12 comments:

  1. These are so cute!! I just don't get where those people are coming from ... Obviously they can't see the kind hearted genius that we do ... Fools!

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  2. I don't think you're crazy at all (well....not because of this anyway ;-) ). I loooooove these, they are absolutely fabulous and Barbie is darn lucky to be able to be decked out in these creations. I'm betting your nieces think you're the Best Aunt Ever.

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  3. WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! WOW! These are absolutely FABULOUS!!!!!!! You are not wasting time at all! What a wonderful thing to do! These are a scream....I'm in love! When I was younger, I made my sister Barbie doll cloths from material that I had...the kiddo's love this one-of-a-kind stuff! Hats off to you my friend!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Okay, my friend - you've finally posted something that FORCES me to respond! (All of your posts are comment-worthy, for sure, I'm just time-challenged and a fly-by reader) THIS is the most closely-aligned with my creative sensibilities that anyone anywhere has ever posted! I have always had an affinity for all things small, I was a wanna-be fashion designer "back in the day", I have always been jealous of those who could actually knit something that looked like something - especially the "something" that it was supposed to be, I don't see the point in taking the time to make something but using inferior materials to do it, you're obviously using up bits that would otherwise languish in a drawer (more wasteful than using them on projects like this - hmmph!), you're inspiring creativity in another generation. In short - YOU'RE THE BOMB! FABULOUS projects and all of the other Barbies everywhere are so, so, so jealous (as am I)! Thank you so much for posting this - my mojo needed a kick in the a**!

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  5. Super awesome auntie is what you are. P-shaw to everyone else. Those girls will remember that kind of niceness for the rest of their lives and I think it is awesome. Plus their barbies will be dressed to the nines instead of hiding naked in a box somewhere. Awesome work (can you see my knitting jealousy rear it's ugly head again at your fabulous projects?). I really have to learn how to do this.

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  6. This is simply amazing. And you're right, it's YOUR yarn and YOUR time. And you get happy nieces, to boot. WIN WIN!

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  7. Fantastic... I know a couple granddaughters that would flip over these garments for their dolls... that's the whole idea, right? Keep on knitting, friend... I'm with you!
    Hugs!

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  8. these are awesome!!!

    back in the 60's my mom knitted an entire wardrobe for my barbie :)
    sure wish i would have kept them!!!

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  9. Okay I want that last one in a size mediumish in my size please. :) I love them all. I want you to be the aunt to my former 8 yr old self. That's probably not possible. See this is when you tempt me to go to the yarn dark side.

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  10. Oh my goodness, These are such cute little creations. Those have to be some pretty small knitting needles. I am always afraid to bring my needles on a plane with me. I always thought they would take them away from me. You know they could be some dangerous weapons. Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

    Hugs~

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