Boutique Knits was my last minute gift saver. It could be yours too.

We’re getting down to the wire as far as Christmas shopping goes. I already published lists and lists of apparel and accessories suggestions, but if nothing in that arena feels quite right for the fashion lover on your list, I have the perfect alternate. Boutique Knits is 144 pages of meticulously illustrated and beautifully photographed knitting projects. If you weren’t aware that knitting was cool, then this is your formal notice. The book includes 20+ must have accessories from little cloche hats to wraps and fingerless gloves with varying degrees of difficulty. It’s sure to keep your crafty recipient busy and thinking of you for months to come.

The talented author is one of our own Pdx-ers,Laura Irwin. If that name is ringing a bell somewhere beneath the gingerbread cookie haze and hot toddy’s it might sound familiar from the goods she had back in the day at Seaplane. Rabid shoppers clamoring for fuzzy piece patterns prompted her to write the book in the first place. Laura’s knitting talent was also on display very recently for several million people and you probably saw it whether you knew it or not. Recent Project Runway winner, Gretchen Jones, contracted Laura to create all the knitwear in her winning Bryant Park collection. The briefs and romper you saw was all hand knit together by Laura’s aching fingers over a sleepless couple of weeks. This scenario should dispel the last few who might be clinging to the idea that knitting is only for grandmas.

If you don’t care about timeliness you can find Boutique Knits on Amazon, but if you want to spread some handmade cheer this weekend buy it in town. You can find it over at Powell’s, but really you should pick it up at Haunt. You can find Laura there a couple days a week, knitting goods for sale and smiling at passer-bys. She might even just sign a copy for you.

Haunt
811 E Burnside
Suite 113
Portland, Or
Tue-Sun 12-6pm
Laura Irwin
Boutique Knits on Amazon