Mossy Cottage Knits

When I voted I saw that the results were a dead 50-50. Then I laughed when I saw that I was the second person to vote! I like the needles on the second one, but it looks just a little too chic for me. I like the grass-roots look of the first one best.

Ditto marylee.

Well, the second one is too floofy for me. (Ask TMK, I'm sure that's official design jargon) Can the first one be changed a little bit more, to differentiate it from the previous logo just a little more besides the date? I like the font, and the cracks, and the color, and everything, too. I think I don't like the oval and the date font.

I love both, but I think my nee-nees (another technical term) would look better draped with the second logo. I'm all about the Cafe Press shirt.

I have no opinion. Does that mean I can't be a knitblog commenter anymore? I don't think I've ever seen a comment from someone who didn't have a strong opinion one way or the other, and it's freaking me out a little.

Still 50-50 (actually I guess I was the one that made it 50-50 again) but can you add the knitting to the previous logo -- the second one is just too tooo..... but I do like the knitting in it.

While I do think the new logo is beautimous, I think keeping the old one is a good idea, so there is continuity and recognition associated with it.

I say change is always a good thing. Besides,how can the old logo bags and tee-shirts become collector's items if we keep the same logo year after year (only changing the date?). Love the old logo, but it's been well used and now we need something new. Love the new one. It looks light and airy. And flowing. Yeah, it's flowing, just like our movement. Knitting to warm Mongolia. Mary B

Uh oh - I was just about to leave a comment saying "Either I'm only the 2nd person to vote, or you're in trouble," because it's still 50/50. So I guess you're in trouble! (Or maybe the poll is broken?)

Erika, as of 2:10pm PDT, we had 28 votes, 14 for each which explains the 50/50. The voting has actually been a million times closer than we thought it would be. In fact, it has probably been 50/50 six or seven times since people started voting. It's going to be a close one!

Carrie, you are not alone. If *I* had had a firm opinion, there would've been no reason for the poll!

Well, put me in the "slight preference for tried and true" column. And I got some correspondence from F.I.R.E. this week, which I will blog about this weekend. They need bucks to transport supplies to Mongolia this fall! Those containers don't send themselves for free, apparently. I had the lovely flier out on my kitchen table to remind us to write a check and send it, and the cat barfed on it. Anyway, it might be worth publicizing that F.I.R.E. could use a little extra help of the long green variety to make sure that all the good work arrives at its destination.

Ha! I've pushed it to 52.9 - 47.1 in favour of the old logo. I just think it's more evocative of Mongolia and what we're doing. The new one is lovely, but the font used for 'dulaan' is too... I dunno... I'll go with Patti's term - floofy. That's the only thing I don't like about it though, so if the font were different I'd have a harder time.

I really like the second one, but I think having continuity is good...(so I voted for the original with the date changed)

Hmmph! I'm not too sure about the democratic process. (Guess which one I like.) TMK

I love them both, but *now insert exact language that Rachel H used*. Hee. Sorry, TMK.

Norma, you have no idea. I just got off the phone with TMK and she had just finished muttering something about how, given the time difference between here and there, it was important to make sure our East coast e-friends had a chance to vote. I think she was counting on people like you to push the vote the other way. Oops.

A lot is to be said for tradition, especially if this is indeed our last year on this project -

And if we do go on another year or two, doesn't the Old Logo increase in value by virtue of historical consistency?

(Don't want to change courses in mid team.)

Just sayin'.

I voted for the second one, but then noticed there is no date. Was that a purposeful omission? If so, I think the first one will do just fine, as I am torn between two logos... ;)

Kathleen, the lack of date on the second one is on purpose. We're trying to find one logo that we can stick with for however long this project continues, and we thought perhaps, for that reason, we would try no date.

BTW, "torn between two logos?" Very funny. But, of course, now I have the song stuck in my head.

I actually didn't like the font on the second one tremendously at first, but the newness of it won me over. And the more I think about it, the more I like that it's loopy like knitted yarn...

Ok, lurv the new logo. Love the curves, the knitting, everything. Awesome job TMK!

I voted to keep the old logo. I know, but it just seems so much stronger. It's almost tribal and by golly, I don't think I've ever met people more tribal than knitters. We're just not that fancy as a group. We're down to earth, strong and committed. I think the first logo says all that.

Oh, and if we keep the old logo and just change the year, we'll have to buy new t-shirts every year (or at least a button or bag) and that's more money for Dulaan, right? Right? Ok, shutting up now. Hee!

I gotta agree, keep the old logo. Continuity and familiarity and all that. And what Stalker Angie said.

I don't really like the a in the font on the 2nd one. Is that too picky?

Aaaarrrgghghhhhhhhhhhh!

Head hurts.

Dude. Put the knitting needles in the old one and I'd be wicked happy. Because I love the knitting needles. The font in the new one is not Dulaan enough.

That is also, I'm sure, a totally designery thing to say. Or marketing. Or something. I'm an editor, whaddya want...

I seem to be agreeing with the majority, here. Sorry, TMK. I've always loved the sturdiness of the top logo. It looks like it's been nicked and dinged, but is still surviving. I think that is particularly symbolic of what we're doing and the people we're supporting. "Standing the test of time", I believe, is the phrase I'm looking for. In more ways than one.

I love the original logo - it's earthy and rugged. The new one, while beautiful, just seems too delicate to me. I agree with the suggestion to add knitting needles to the original logo.

:) "Torn between to logos" v. My Kim-o-no* (ala "My Sharona") are vying for space in my head! Thought I'd share the wealth!

*I finished my first attempt at the MDK Kimono for a co-worker and couldn't get the tune out, until I came here that is!

Another unasked for opinion :)

I like the "rustic" look of the first one and feel that it more accurately reflects what we're doing and why.

The second is beautiful and elegant. But it makes me feel cut off from the project and the people we knit for.

Definitely the first...

I'm all for change but I love the...how did you put it...dry desert cracks in the border of the first one and the font. The new one is likable as well, I'd wear either T-shirt and I don't even knit. Mmmmm I like the knitting needles the swoopy (that is the technical term isn't it?)

I just prefer the old one.

The new one is very artistic, but the old one scales down better for a website button, for example. Plus there's the continuity thang. :)

Sorry, TMK. The new logo is too lovely. I agree with the commenter that the loveliness makes me feel cut off from the reality of the problem we're trying to fix. So I went with the old one.

I like both but voted for #1 because, like those on the SKG logo, the needles on #2 look more like nails than knitting needles. Very sharp nails...not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just not a nailer. More knitting going on here than nailing.

Oh dear, TMK, it looks like Logo No. 2 is going down in flames. It got my vote! All the reasons given for sticking with the first logo are good ones, though. It has been immensely interesting learning how people react to the logos--often describing features that I had internalized but hadn't even known that I had. Art is an amazing thing, no? EmBe

My two cents. (Living very far and away I am desperate that I cannot come and attend the super-yarn-fuelled garden parties and bring back some nice scarves, so this is as far as I can go with contribution to the Dulaan project)

Designwise, I prefer the second logo.
Brandingwise, the first one is better.
I agree with Kristen on an excess of elegance and delicacy...

Now, Elaine made an excellent point that N°2 will make more stylish CafePress items.

Ah, perhaps that wasn't very helpful. How about asking Frankie??

gee, i've just had the button for the current one on my site for a month or two. thought it looked spiffy. stay with it...don't get me started on identity issues, please.

when do you plan to do this 'cause i'll be blogging about it to people who were in Knitting Retreat in maine with us, spouse knitter-spinner and me, naomi, newy york city

Well, it seems that there's no need for my art history expertise with this crowd! ;) Sorry, TMK, but I agree with everyone who has commented about the symbolic significance of the original logo. Perhaps I'm guilty of exoticism, but the original logo does speak of a "rustic, yet enduring" nature. I do like the new logo, but not for this project. Perhaps we need a new charity to use it for? ;)

Why not take the date off the old logo and replace it with some knitting-needle thingie and make everyone happy? Keep the strong font and rugged character, but make it more knitty (and keep from having to update the year next time).

Checking in a bit late but I, too, like the original logo best. I do like incorporating the knitting emblem but the font makes the newer model more difficult to read at first, unless you could use "D" in caps?

I voted for the new one but have reverted to loving the old one. What if we are able to keep going for years from now, keep the old one, but add little things to it so it gets a little bit of change every year. Like some how adding a faint yak head or just yak horns in the background, or the knitting needles, or a crochet hook. Huge amount of heart from TMK putting so much work into giving us a new choice - RAH TMK! Now that we know FIRE needs money too, I'm going to get going with my big basket-of-items-for-knitters raffle so we can bring some in. I've got a lot to go in it already - Koigu (Beeeeeg surprise), tea towels that have sheep breeds on them, needles, sock yarn, knitters' sleep shirt, etc. What do you think I should charge for tickets - $5 or $10. It will be a big GOURMET basket to win for any knitter/spinner. Plus, I can take PayPal for those who hate to mail checks as much as I do....

Linda "K"

Had to go with the old here...I LOVE the needles and swatch on the new, but HATE the typeface (sorry TMK!) - just too foofy for me - I think the old typeface speaks better of the people we're knittin' for.

My 9 (so far) Dulaan '07 hats (one with matching scarf) and I voted with Marilee and the current majority (53.1%:46.9%). I like the idea of keeping the original logo as the official logo (continuity, brand recognition..), but would not be averse to buying a T with the new logo for a change of pace. :)

I agree with Lyssa! The truth is I like the old one better, but I like how the new one doesn't have the year. So how about just de-dating the old one? (I made up a word!)

I love the second one but it's too hard to read, and that would get worse when it's shrunk for, say, a button on a web site. Any chance of just making the thin, curvy letters a little quicker to read? It really is more lovely.

I voted for the original logo. I love how strong the letters are and how much character they have. I don't like the font of the '2007' it looks a little too modern.
The new logo has some positives. I love how the loopiness (is that a word?)of the Dulaan resembles yarn. I do feel the word should be capitalized as any place should, as well as looking too commercial not capitalized, as if it is a product advertisement. The knitting needles look more like pins, their shape seems wrong. And the knitted fabric doesn't look like knitting but looks like graph paper. My thirteen year old daughter suggested forgetting about needles and fabric and just having a simply drawn ball or skein of yarn attached to the yellow line, placed in the same spot the fabric and needles occupy now. I like the idea of a skein and knitting needles myself. Then we can all imagine what warm piece that yellow yarn can become, sort of like when you hold a pretty skein at the yarn store.
I salute you for all the work you and others do for this project. I'm at the end of my first Dulaan hat, using your pattern, (it's so easy but it looks really nice, thanks!) and hope to make lots more from stash this year.

I voted for the old logo, too. I liked the way the original logo font was so nice and strong and worked well with those lovely cracked horizontal bars to create a pleasant whole. Not that I didn't like the new logo, but it was a bit too frilly for me.

Another vote here for the old one. The new one was too airy-fairy, light-weight for me. Dude, we are doin' some heavy stuff here, ya know, knitting to warm frickin' Mongolia! (said in my best Tommy Chong voice) The old one has the seriousness and weight that we all feel for the project.

I've been following the project with interest. My mother has just come back from 6 months in Mongolia and the need there is huge. Thank you for what you're doing. I'd be knitting for you, but I'm in South Africa and have been knitting for local charities here instead.

I voted for the first logo. It's already recognised widely and has continuity going for it.

As much as I like the old logo, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the new one. Faboo job TMK! And with it being Dulaan 007 (which makes me think James Bond) it just seems to fit the 007 image.

Sorry everyone - got to go with the new one. Love the "flow" of it.

Could you include your really neat shipping/inventory form with the info flyer, or at least point to it as you do with the pattern page -
I copied it the first year and just change the date, but new contributors might like to have it.
It made accounting for and describing the items so much simpler, and I'm sure the folks at F.I.R.E. appreciated it.
Just askin'.

Hi Ryan - do your knitters use acrylic for the Dulaan project? I was just given a huge bag of it by my mom, and would like to find a home for it other than the thrift store. Someone posted on my blog that I should contact you and see if your project can use it. Email me if you can!