Over Abundance

James over at subdue it with a sweater just gave me the “You Make My Day” Award, which I am of course happy to accept. The caveat of this award is that you must pass it on to people who just make your day when you read them. Here is my list, which does include some non-famous, non-knitting people because, well, I’m a multi-faceted person, dammit.

Robbie at KnitXCore is pretty amazing, as he says.

Erin at Dress A Day always has something to ponder or make me laugh about the way we choose to attire ourselves. Erin is a strong proponent of a dress-and-skirt wardrobe for the people who want it. Don’t worry, if you don’t like wearing dresses (I don’t!) Erin is still funny and insightful. She isn’t out to convert you. Plus she finds beautiful gowns that take your breath away.

Alicia at Posie Gets Cozy always inspires me with her artful photography and beautiful home. The devotion she shows towards her family and friends is really lovely, and I am glad to call her a fellow Portlander though we’ve never met.

VeganYumYum makes vegan food not only delicious, but intelligently. There is no attempt to “fake” things that are not vegan so that you cannot tell, there is only the effort to make a truly delicious vegan dish. Sometimes she attempts to duplicate non-vegan things (i.e. Madelines) but in a savvy way that seems more honest than when people try to disguise meat substitutes and the like. I really like her writing style for its clarity and wit.

Lolly Knitting Around is kind of quirky, in a way that I can’t describe. She writes about topics other than knitting, such as living green and sustainability, but her knitting posts are always full of a great confidence mixed with wild curiousity. I love this kind of knitter, because they will try anything!

Crazy Aunt Purl isn’t for everyone, but for me Laurie’s story of divorce and the subsequent creation of a new life has been inspiring. I bought her book and read it in one night. Her humour, her insight, and her insane ability to come out alright in the end gives me hope when stuff hits the fan.

Anne Hanson at knitspot is the woman you can blame for my secret obsession about lace. I love it so much. I love to look at it, all laid out perfectly, and also swaddled around that beautiful man of hers in her photography! Her blog is funny, smart, and has a technical edge that makes the geek in me squee like a fanboy.

Marie Grace - Yarn Slayer is a mother of five (I think) children whom she homeschools while also being a knit designer who sews, cooks, and otherwise maintains a very full household. Her recent move to the country had interrupted her blogging for a few months, but she is back with vigor. She amazes me, quite simply, and her designs are all about thoughtful details. Love it.

yarnstorm is a blog where you can find the small parts of everyday life elevated to a place of intellectual and emotional stimulation. Her sense of history combined with a devotion to the arts of domesticity astounds me and gives me a deeper appreciation for everyday things, like the reading of good books and the making of good foods.

In other news, the Big Gray Cardigan is going to get frogged again. I should knit it into a swatch with intarsia: Thou Shalt Not Add Ease Nilly-Willy Without Checking Yardage First.