10.29.2011

Knit a Cupcake


Cupcake! 
noun
a small cake baked in a cup-shaped container and typically iced.
an attractive woman (often as a term of address).

Webster’s definition seems simple enough… but the world of cupcakes has exploded the past few years.  A decade ago, cupcakes were simply a sugary treat that was standard fare for children’s school parties.  Whether they were baked at home or picked up at the supermarket or bakery; cupcakes had either yellow or chocolate cake and some way too sweet icing slapped on the top.  If it was a holiday, then they came with those funny plastic sticks that had a pink heart for Valentines Day, a black cat for Halloween, a Santa hat for Christmas and so on. 

How did we get from childhood treat to multi million-dollar industry? Did Carrie and Miranda really start this craze when they so innocently nibbled on cupcakes in front of The Magnolia Bakery in a 2000 episode of Sex and the City? By 2009, Slate ran a piece about “the cupcake bubble”. What happened? 

Then in January 2011 Business Week declared, 
“The idea of a cupcake shop filing for an IPO is baffling. But last week, Crumbs Bakery announced it would go public in a reverse merger worth $66 million. Crumbs, which is the largest chain of cupcake bakeries, did $31 million in revenue and $2.5 million in income in 2010. The company's top-selling product cost $3.75.”

We have become a society wild about cupcakes. Perhaps it is just that in this tenuous economy, the simple cupcake has become an affordable luxury.  Seems like most days at least one of my Facebook peeps mentions cupcakes.  It is either wanting one, needing one, making a cupcake run, treating herself to some sort of designer cupcake.  It’s become a new delectable vice.  The deliciousness of it all!!


Princess Beatrice certainly made us giggle when she wore a hat that looked like a cupcake. 

But what else can you crafters do with cupcakes?


Betz White felts sweaters and makes them into adorable ornaments. 






You can knit a cupcake pin cushion like this one from Spud and Chloe





Julie Williams created this darling decoration and shares her pattern at Little Cotton Rabbits



  

Inedible Jewelry takes the cupcake with this entire plateful of cupcake charms they sculpted in polymer clay! 






These cupcake fans are actually tooling around town in cupcake cars! What fun! 




If you are a fan of ‘everything cupcakes’ there are LOTS of choices not just to nibble on but also lots of craft ideas with cupcake themes.  What is your favorite?