Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knit for Peace Day

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March 21. 2007 is the official Knit for Peace day. [tag]Randy[/tag], an American knitter living in Sweden, has a list of ways this was done in 2006. Also at this website is a list of groups that knit to keep people warm.

[tag]Full Thread Ahead[/tag] in Los Altos, CA is having a Knit-in and knit for peace. This year they be spending the day, from 11am to 6pm working on warm woolies projects and projecting peace (no specific political statements, just a general agreement that a peaceful world is a better one). If you stop by, please provide your own needles and wool for the project.

[tag]Peace Fleece[/tag] is is a yarn company run by [tag]Peter Hagerty[/tag] and his wife Marty Tracy who started buying [tag]wool[/tag] from the Soviet Union back in 1985 in hopes that through trade they could help diffuse the threat of nuclear war. Since then they have worked with shepherds in Russia, Kyrgyzia, Israel and the West Bank, as well as in Montana, Ohio, Texas and Maine. By working with people who tend livestock every day, they hope to find a common ground that slowly leads to mutual understanding and economic interdependence. After twenty-one years, their goals remain the same. They have a page dedicated to [tag]Knitting for Social Change[/tag]. On this page you will find information and links provided by Peace Fleece that they hope to directly introduce you to the people with whom they work that are using woolens and yarns as a tool for social change.

Have you read?

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.