Have you ever felt that you missed out on a knit? Like missing the deadline for a sock exchange or not being able to buy that knitting book because it's out of print and may never be printed again? Such drama that can arise in the knit world.
I had seen the knitted robots by Jess Hutch on a few blogs and felt the urge to make one but alas, no patterns available. It wasn't even on Ebay. I remember how my friend Patricia said that it was near impossible to get now that they were all sold out. Imagine my surprise to see it then on the cover of Craft magazine. I was definitely one of those people who was duped into buying it thinking that pattern was inside but alas, no... False advertising? A whopping Yes from me! I'm not completely dissin' on Craft mag because I do loved the other projects within, but really now... it was so misleading.
Sadly, I have to wait like everyone else to see if she'll reprint this fabulous toy book of hers. (Please do, Jess! Adoring fans are waiting :-))
Her book of course isn't the only one that I am talking about. There are other great knitting books that have either been out of print for sometime or have recently gone out of print. Mostly Mittens is another such title (Did you see it's over on Amazon, used for $205! whaa!) I'm not all so bummed out though since there are new titles out everyday that contain a wealth of great patterns which make not being able to get some of the other coveted titles not as hard to bare. (but can I tell you how envious I get of those who do have them! you know who you are ;-)) But, I'm a very patient girl. Just ask my friends.
Oh! I heard back from Kim Hargreaves, which is so thrilling to me because in what other industry does one of the leading desingers actually have acess to or is able to commuicate with a normal everyday person of the craft. If I were making an at home film and wanted to ask Spielberg a question do you think he'd respond? Anyway, point being it's true that her kits are sold together... no seperate pattern for me but I get that if you're growing a business there are things you have to set standards for and hope your consumer understands. I actually might just get the kit anyway since I'm considering more and more finishing that Blanket Cardigan for my mom after seeing the Philistine's.
The knit world is no different from any other industry - there are things that are currently available and others that aren't. Example: have you tried getting an copy of the orignial Fletch movie? Impossible. Out of print! (plea for Chevy Chase!)
I will keep knitting Cherie while I wait for all these things. The back is complete and now to start the front (can't winter break be Every Week, I'm getting massive amounts of knitting done!). Being straight stockenette I thought I would go nuts but I love mindless knits on a vacation week. Keeps the brain on a low function frequency.
FYI, Mostly Mittens is reprinted under the name Knitting Marvelous Mittens. :) It's also out of print, but my mom found it for me last year at ArtSpun and they still have it on their website for the low low price of... $12.95:
http://www.artspun.com/Search:427/Product:1579902650
Posted by: jess | February 21, 2007 at 01:31 PM
crap, I just saw that it is now out of stock!! :( sorry to get your hopes up! :(
Posted by: jess | February 21, 2007 at 01:32 PM
I am really lucky that my library has the mittens book. you can find it on half.com for a more "reasonable" price sometimes....funny how all the good stuff goes out of print....i think that was a bit deceptive to put the robot on the front with no pattern - boo!
Posted by: Stacey | February 21, 2007 at 01:38 PM
I too am awaiting another opportunity to jump on the knitted robot bandwagon. Yes, the Craft "advertisement" on the cover, very misleading... I was duped too.
Posted by: nova | February 21, 2007 at 01:44 PM
check this craftster thread:
http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=66445.msg1503516#msg1503516
apparently there are copies online somewhere.
you should try emailing jess yourself. if you know someone with a copy, maybe she wouldn't mind if you get a photocopy of it?
Posted by: mai | February 21, 2007 at 02:34 PM
Bummer she won't sell the pattern separately. I was waiting for you to report on the result. But I guess that just drives the demand up because it's not "out there".
Posted by: Kim | February 21, 2007 at 05:53 PM
Margaux - here is a great knitted robot I saw today at the Berlin Museum of Technology (we are on vacation, looking at art of all kinds, and some yarn stores, in Berlin)
http://www.daltonphotographs.com/Berlin/B-knit-robot.jpg
Posted by: Denise | February 22, 2007 at 03:54 PM