Crave This!

The first of monthly photo & link round-ups!

With all that's been going on lately, I decided it was time to share a little bit of what is out there to inspire both myself and you to be creative and go after what we're craving! *Plus, it's a great chance to point out some cool folks who deserve extra attention! Recipes, photography, knitting... It's all here. Are you ready?

1-FOs that make me drool

To start off the fun, Presents' Octopus Hat. I have to say, this girl is one of my favorite designers, and this piece makes me want to learn to needlefelt. Her designs are completely worth a look, and she blogs here.

I love seeing stuff that really modifies an original pattern in a way that blows your mind, like this adaptation of Owls by Chiko. I would wear this version every single day, forever.

Erngrn's Goth Cowl made me do a little bit of a double take because of how she blended knit and crochet together so well. It reminds me of Stephen West, if Stephen West used crochet in his designs.

Mmmhm. I don't have words, I just don't. And all of her projects are this stunning. All of them.

2-Stuff I really need to knit

Starting off this section, something cute to keep your neck warm, by newbie designer (you go, girl!) Dagny Kristinsdottir. She blogs here.

I want this in every unrealistic color combo possible, please. Lindsay Koehler thought this one up, along with a few other cute accessory patterns.

I loved the Mrs Darcy cardi, and I was disappointed when it stopped being available before I had a chance to knit it. This cardigan published by Classic Elite made me feel a bit better. It's sweetly classy, and looks cozy to boot, no?

MITTENS! Colorwork scares me, but these are too adorably geeky not to queue. Plus, I really, really need mittens. Check out more from the designer here.

3-Things that DO taste better than thin feels

Donuts are the ultimate indulgence, especially with a nice cup of coffee. These colorful gems are from The Dainty Squid. The original recipe is vegan, but should be easy to adapt if you're into dairy.

This is true southern goodness in the form of chocolate, and something my great-grandma made for my mum when she was a kid. It's great with buttered biscuits or fruit.

Single-serving chicken pot pies? If that's not a marvelous thing to crave on a chilly day, I don't know what is.

4-The pretty, the quirky

This petticoat from Alisa Burke's crafty, smart blog! Don't be intimidated if you can't sew--it's super simple! I know now why I've been hoarding fabric scraps for so long. I just knew they were good for something.

I love everything Lee Meredith does, and these are no exception. Also check her out on Ravelry and her photography site!

A little sneak peek at the book Hyperactivitypography from Christine Clemmensen's blog. 196 pages of cute nerdiness. Admit it. You want a copy.

Finally, if you're feeling a little blue, what better to put a smile--and some hair--on your face than a 'stache on a stick from Maro Designs' Etsy shop? It'll also come in handy if you need to do some clever spy work.

Just a little side note, while I was browsing through cool stuff today, I saw a LOT of fashion models on style blogs that looked like oversized ten year-olds. Complete with knobby knees and barely-there chests. So, I'm ending October's Crave This! with a shout-out to those of us currently going against the grain. Balanced eating is beautiful, and we should all embrace the variety of bodies we were made with!

Happy cravings!

*Please note that all photos and work belong to their original creators, and I have done my utmost to link back to them as much as possible! If you like something you see, go check out the original. Seriously, the people behind all these goodies are crazy, cool, and inspiring. Show them some love.