It seems that the running theme at Knit Nite last week was bugs. Somehow, both Wednesday and Thursday, the topic of bugs have come up. Chiggers and Ticks , it’s enough to freak this city girl out. Like I’ve told everyone else, growing up in Cleveland we had black ants, spiders, flies, mosquitos, and lightening bugs. That’s it. I don’t do nature so I can rarely identify and don’t really want to identify any other type of bug.

It would only be fitting that this greeted me as I left my apartment Saturday morning.

In case your wondering it’s a preying mantis . I only know this because of the National Geographic specials I watched as a child. So that you know (and can laugh)I screamed and it took me 15 minutes to leave without thinking it would attack me. It sat in that same spot all day , or at least until 10pm when I got home, and turned it’s head everytime I opened the door.

I was tempted to add it to the baby sweater I finished this weekend.

This is the 6-12 month Pirate Sweater from Zoe Mellor’s Adorable Knits for Tots , without the pirate. I didn’t have any green yarn, otherwise there would have been a big green bug on this sweater.

New Rules -blogstyle
I want to say a couple of things about my blog etiquette.

Comments

I’ve been debating on a way to uniformly respond to comments. I used to just reply through email but sometimes I think others would like to hear the response too. So I’ve decided to start responding to comments directly in the comment section. If you ask a question or expect a response, it will most likely end up there. I’ll only answer through email if it something of a personal nature.

Reader gallery – yeah or nay

Some have asked if I’ll have a reader’s gallery. My answer is probably not right now. That is because I’m using blogger and that would require I start a seperate blog. If I can reorganize my flickr account then I may reconsider sooner. What I will do in the meantime is post any pictures that someone sends me of a finished Saunshine design.

I have a picture that Jal sent me of her finished Calla which I plan on posting in the near future. I had to send my “new” laptop in for repairs because it was overheating, so I don’t have proper photoediting software. She knit it in black and I want to alter the pic so you can really see how go it looks.

What’s life without a little healthy debate? Everyone can’t always agree but I do enjoy when people can intelligently discuss something. With this in mind I’d like start a little debate if you will.

Last week I received an email which said(and I’m paraphrasing):

I don’t understand how you can be so protective of your copyrights but so clearly copy someone else’s work, i.e. Missoni. Are you aware of the contradiction? You didn’t just use it as inspiration, you copied the entire dress.

And the person later wrote:

It’s just too bad that Missoni lost out on a sale and think if everyone that saw the dress just went out and copied it. That’s why I think copyrights need to be protected

Before I tell you what I said, I want to say that I respect the person that sent it. Most people wouldn’t pose the question at all. We had some discussion over the issue and I thought it would be interesting enough to continue the subject with all of you.

Now onto what I said and what I think (in list form for easy reading)

• My dress was made for personal pleasure and I do not intend to sell the pattern.
• If I decided to sell the pattern I could because by the legal copyright laws, you can only copyright a picture you have taken, instructions for a pattern (the written word), or a drawing but you cannot copyright a concept or design . You can patent a process/method of making something but not the idea of what you are making (I can make a spoon out of steel but you can make a spoon out of plastic). You can trademark a sign/logo but not a style
• By copying the look of the dress I have not enfringed on any copyright,patent, or trademark laws. I did not duplicate their process for making it (machine knit),use their design plans/pattern, or stamp it with a Missoni label.
• What you could call me is a copycat(my words) or a knock-off artist.
• Making knock-offs is not illegal and is the basis of most of the clothing you buy at retail stores.

  Almost all low-end RTW (ready to wear) garments are a knock-off from a major designer.

  
  (This dress is from Forever 21 and is the 2nd version that have seen of the dress above. The first I saw was an even better match.)

  If you were to buy a sewing pattern, most of those are knock-off designs.

  

  Heck, let’s keep it all the way real. You, like I know, there are a few knitting patterns out there that bare a striking resemblance to my Ruby and Diamonique patterns, all of which surfaced after my pattern was released. Same idea/concept, different pattern, no copyright enfringement. No copyright enfringements, no complaints from me. It’s the nature of the business.

Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t make a habit of making knock-offs. You can ask my sister how many times I refused to copy someone else’s work. I think that it does show a lack of originality. However in this case, with the fact that I saved $1720, you can call me a copycat. I’ll just be a copycat in the cute Missoni knock-off dress.

So what’s your take on this whole thing? Agree or disagree, I’d like to know.

The weather was fabulous here in NC over the weekend so I made sure to get out and enjoy it. Of course that meant that some knitting went by the wayside. Instead I made this weekend about finishing some projects.

First up was the Urban Aran Cardigan. (Excuse the crappy pic. I was in no mood for dealing with the tripod).I’m awaiting the zipper I ordered but otherwise it’s a FO. I’m not used to such a loose fitting article of clothing but it actually fits quite nicely. I made the size medium.

Thanks to JoAnn’s sale on buttons I finished up the baby cardigan from my future godchild.

Aren’t the button’s adorable? I’m working on the matching hat now.

I also finished up the blanket. It’s not perfectly square and has a tendency to curl but I think it’s good enough.

And in clearing out items I came across this.

This is the beginning of some socks, using Regia Cotton Surf, for my G-ma which I started in April. I’m thinking I should finish these soon too.

If you’ve never watched the pop culture show Best Week Ever on VH1, then you should know that they discuss the weekly happenings in the news and entertainment and then decide who is having the best week ever.

Well I must say that I am having the best week ever.

Exhibit A:
One finished dress and a slew of great and funny comments. Thanks for all of the complements. Some of you had me laughin too. To answer a few of your questions: It is my own free-form design, there is no pattern forthcoming, and I won’t be lining the dress. I just plan to wear a slip underneath. And just for Wanietta I will on numerous and random occasions, twirl around and strike a pose the first time I wear it.

Exhibit B:

My copyright registration for my first set of patterns. Mailed in March, and after 6 months, officially registered. It takes some time but is official from the date they received it.

Exhibit C:

The yarn for my first ever book published pattern. Yep, that’s right. I’m gonna have a pattern published in a book thanks to Kerrie from MagKnits. It’s a book for designs using handpainted yarn and will be published by October 2007.

So yes folks, I’m having the best week ever.

I hope all of you have the best weekend ever. See ya Monday!

Missoni-who? I don’t need no stinkin’ $1800 Missoni dress. Who needs Missoni when you have Miss Saun. (He he he…I’m a little delirious with delight. Can you tell?)

Here it is….

Now that it’s done, I’m kinda pleased. I was fearful of the fit up until the point I pulled it over my head but everything worked out okay.

I still need to weave in the ends and do some crochet edging but I will tackle that later this week. I think this may be my second longest WIP. I don’t think I’ll let anything languish that long again.

My kooky sister hinted at wanting me to make her one. Of course she was met with delirious laughter before she completed the sentence. Then all I said was “NEVER again”. There are some things you don’t make twice and this is one. It’s an one and only original and it shall stay that way.

Now I just have to find a place to wear it . I think this would be a little much for a trip to Le Target or Le Walmar.