Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Josh Bennett Profiled in New York Times

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josh bennett new york timesI don’t really know what to say about this piece about knitwear designer Josh Bennett in the New York Times. I almost feel like it’s just men knitting season (exhibit A: the actually really nice story in the Wall Street Journal about men knitting at Bryant Park) but I don’t want to sound like Bennett isn’t worthy of a profile in the New York Times.

I will say that I hate the headline “Grandma Never Knit Like This.” I hate even more that the executive director of the Craft Yarn Council apparently invoked grandma, when she should know better. And I hate that photo of him knitting but clearly not knitting because that’s nowhere in the universe of how a person knits (and how are there three strands of yarn?).

The story is interesting in that it takes a different view on men knitting. Here’s a man who has had great success designing for big-name fashion designers, but he doesn’t knit in public. He learned to knit at age 8 and fully embraced it for a week until he thought “boys don’t knit” and stopped for 10 years.

It talks of the cattiness of the fashion knitting industry, the way ugliness can spread on the internet, and the idiosyncrasies of one knitter (no hats, socks or unnatural fibers, no sweater for his partner, even though they’ve been together eight years — the sweater curse does not have time limits).

And I think there’s some value to knitting being talked about in “mainstream” media, so I’ll just leave it at that. If you want to know about Bennett’s current fashion obsessions and favorite shows to watch while knitting, check out his list of five, too.

If you read the article I’d love to know what you think.

[Photo by Deidre Schoo, via the New York Times.]

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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.