That Knitting's Alive!

One of the most frustrating components of Astounding Knits! was the chapter that featured knitted animation. No matter how fabulous the stills sent in by the featured artists they were still, well, still.

So without further ado, I herewith present links to the book's animated entries, in all their glorious animated-ness. Enjoy!

"Brain", crocheted by Kate Fenker

"Brain," in its still form.

The knitimation of Max Alexander, featuring "I Am Ahab" and "The Knitties"

A scene from "I Am Ahab."

LOVO Films' commercial for Natural Gas Belgium (the making of the commercial is equally compelling)

The house heats up...with knitting!

I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, and I don't, really. But the final piece of animation (from which I couldn't even get a still for the book – couldn't reach the director, Michel Gondry; couldn't reach the band, Steriögram; couldn't reach the artist responsible for the knitting) has a personal story that goes along with it. Just after my daughter was born in 2003, I stumbled upon a tiny East Village shop run by a woman named Lauri Faggioni. In its window were hand-sewn and embroidered birds of the most fantastical whimsy and skill; equally amazing, the shop was open – Lauri kept what I will generously call "East Village hours." I was mesmerized by the creatures she had created and we got to chatting. I told her I had just written a book called Knitting Lessons, which sought to answer the question of why so many people were seemingly, suddenly knitting at the turn to the 21st century. And she told me she had just knit an entire music video. We agreed that I should write about it, and exchanged email addresses and phone numbers; but I could never, back then, find the appropriate forum and finally last year, when I was writing Astounding Knits!, she had already moved on to bigger things – like designing the incredible set pieces for Gondry's movie The Science of Sleep. I never managed to see or speak with her again. But one of her silk birds swings in my daughter's bedroom window and this music video, titled "Walkie Talkie Man," blows my mind every time I watch it. Lauri made THE WHOLE THING. And yes, that's her in the blue sweater.