Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Coraline

As a knitter, I am often distracted by the sweaters when I see a movie. I remember seeing the Sylvia Plath movie a few years ago and seriously rewinding it so I could look at the sweaters (never mind the depressing plot--check out that cardigan!) The owner of my first yarn store, Linda Daniels, was the sweater knitter for The Ciderhouse Rules, so I was aware early on that a lot of the sweaters on screen are handknit, one of a kind creations.

Althea Crome is the fiber artist behind the knits in Coraline. I should clarify: the handknits in Coraline. She is a miniaturist which means she knits things that you and I struggle with like gloves and intarsia twelve times smaller. She has to create her own needles with wire because they don't make needles small enough for her!

See how she does it in this video. And check out her website for more inspiration.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This looks like a Liz or Marybeth challenge. Definitely not for me!

Vi

Anonymous said...

A pattern for the Coraline sweater has been released:

http://www.coraline.com/images/sweater_pattern.pdf

Anonymous said...

My sister wore my "one of a kind creation" one night to PoorBoys in Nashville and one of the Country Stars asked her where she could also get a sweater like that and my sister replied that she couldn't because I had made it. It was out of the white baby afghan yarn that has the silver thread running through it and had the round white pearlized pailettes all over it. She looked so georgous in it because she always got a to-die-for tan in the summer. She really got a kick out of saying she had something they couldn't buy. So I know what you mean. As I haven't created an identity name, I'll remain anonymous for now.

Anonymous said...

Dear Unidentified/Nameless/Anonymous Knitter.

Congrats on the sweater! Hope she gave them your name anyway. Those folks have $$$$$.

By the way, you can choose Name/URL when posting your comment (a box will pop up). Make up any name you want or put your real name or a nickname.

Some names (like Bliss or Obama) have been taken.

The Mayor

Anonymous said...

Did you go to Smith (I'm Class of '97)? Northampton Wools was my first yarn store, too!

Anonymous said...

holy mother of god.....