Knitting

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Have Any Patterns for the Pattern-a-Day Calendar?

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knitting pattern calendarI’m sure you’ve seen those knitting (and crochet, and other craft) pattern-a-day calendars at your local bookstore or yarn shop. As you can imagine, it takes a lot of patterns (365, maybe? actually, it’s more like 100, as some patterns fill multiple days) to fill one of those, so the publishers are always eager for submissions. The submission period is open for the 2014 calendars, but won’t be for much longer.

In fact, the deadline was today for any patterns that wanted to be considered for inclusion in the photos on the cover of the calendar, but you have until August 15 if you want to submit a pattern — or several — to be included. All the details can be found right here, but you have to send good-quality, full-color photos (digitally or by some other means) as well as the pattern and a form that includes all the basic pattern info and your permission to publish it.

Designers of the three best patterns in the calendar will also be awarded cash prizes (up to $500), and you’ll get a free copy of the calendar for each of your patterns that is accepted, as well as the ability to link to your website in the calendar.

Have you ever submitted for or been published in one of these calendars? Spill it! I might try this year if I can come up with something that won’t take me away from my book knitting for too long!

[Photo by Accord Publishing.]

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Pencil Knitting Patterns

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.