BIPOC in Fiber Launches Crowdfunder for Website

Jeanette Sloan has been at the forefront of discussions of diversity in knitting and the list of POC designers and crafters on her website has proven a valuable if rather low-tech resource both for consumers who want to support BIPOC designers and for knitting companies and event producers who want to be more diverse in selecting who they work with.

She’s teamed up with Lorna Hamilton-Brown (whose dissertation was about dispelling the myth that black people don’t knit) and website designer Alyson Chu to launch a dedicated website for BIPOC in fiber that will include a directory, profiles, support and more for designers and yarn crafters of color.

The project has been on Crowdfunder for just a few days and has already surpassed the goal of £20,000 raised. The money will go to producing the website and compensating people who are producing content for the site and rewards for the campaign.

This will be such a great resource for knitters, yarn companies and those who hire designers and teachers, and is another way to bring more attention to the diversity of the knitting and crafting world.

[Photo: BIPOC in Fiber.]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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