Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knit a Plushie for a Kid with Epilepsy

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purple stitch project
Vickie Howell recently started the Purple Stitch Project, which asks knitters, crocheters and sewers to create purple items to donate to children with epilepsy. The project is Howell’s way of supporting and helping to build a community for kids with epilepsy because her son has the disorder.

Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder after stroke and Alzheimer’s, and is thought to affect about 300,000 kids in the United States. The project aims to raise awareness of the disorder and support kids through donations of hand-crafted items.

Just days after the launch of the project Howell came up with a specific need: producing 40-plus plushies for the kids who will attend Camp Brainstorm, a five-day camp for children ages 8 to 18 who have seizure disorders. The project has sample patterns in knitting, crochet and sewing, but any animal, robot or other small toy made in purple yarn (purple being the color of epilepsy awareness) or fabric will be accepted.

If you want to help you need to get your needles going, because the deadline to get the finished plushies to Howell is July 20. Good thing little dolls are quick projects.

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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.