Knits from Outer Space -Knitting Patterns

With all the excitement surrounding the Pluto flyby this week, I thought it might be fun to look for some knit representations of space. I didn’t find any knits celebrating Pluto specifically, but there’s lots of fun space-themed stuff out there.

Of course we can’t talk about space and knitting without at least a brief mention of Space Invaders. The little aliens from that classic video game are perfectly shaped for knitting, and there are lots of Space Invader themed knits out there. Two I really liked were this tam from Erica Grønntun and Emily Sontag’s double knit Old School Space Invaders Scarf.

The Illusion Knit Space Scarf by Andrea Blumberg uses a fun technique to make a design that features a rocket, planet and stars you can only see when you look at the scarf just right.

If you love knit hexipuffs (like on the Beekeeper’s Quilt) check out the space-themed charts from Louise Lavender. There’s a rocket, a robot, a moon and Jupiter, and you could use them on other projects as well (I’m seeing them along the bottom of a sweater for a little person).

I also love SJ Griffin’s Moon and Star Socks, which feature lovely stranded colorwork and would be really warm as well as fun to wear.

If you’re willing to shell out a few bucks for some fun patterns, also check out the Little Ringed Planet pattern by Dawn Finney (it’s $2.50) or the super cute Aliens from the Planet Flangelzwat by Liz Wray (somewhere around $4).

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It’s been well documented that I love a knitting pattern with a bit of whimsy, so when I saw the Mine! Pullover from Sarah L. Kelly recently I knew I had to share it with you.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to knit a sweater with a yoke full of seagulls? And another seagull at the waist? Chasing little crabs?

The story behind the sweater (and you knew there had to be one, right?) is that while Sarah was traveling around Europe there were a lot of cheeky seagulls about. They reminded her of the scene in Finding Nemo where the seagulls say “mine, mine, mine” and thus the Mine! series of patterns was born.

Oh yes, there’s a whole set. It was the sweater I saw first but there’s also a pair of socks (and the pattern says there’s a cowl, too, but I couldn’t find it as of this writing. If you see it let me know and I’ll add the link here!) so you can totally deck yourself out in pesky seabirds if you want.

But back to the sweater for now. This is worked in DK weight yarn from the top down in the round. The yoke and a section at the bottom are worked in stranded colorwork, with stripes on the body, though you could make the body a single color if you wanted. Details like the beaks and eyes are added with duplicate stitch to make the knitting a little easier.

The colorwork sections are charted. The pattern comes in 10 sizes, with a finished chest circumference ranging from 32 to 68 inches, or 80 to 170 cm.

The socks are worked in sock yarn and come in three sizes. There worked from the cuff down and change needle sizes to accommodate the less stretchy nature of stranded colorwork. You can choose from a side profile or a seagull that’s looking out from the sock. Make a matching pair or mix it up.

Both patterns are available on Ravelry: sweater and socks. If you make them I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sarah L. Kelly]

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