Knit R2-D2 Makes Knitting, Geekery Cool

I’m a bit of a geek, mostly thanks to my husband, and of course I’m a big old knitting geek, so I’ve absolutely loved seeing the pictures of the knit R2-D2 that was briefly on the streets of Bellingham, Wash., in honor of International Yarn Bombing Day last month.

Knitter Sarah Rudder told a local TV station she was inspired to knit the wooly robot because of a bunch of concrete barriers downtown that look like R2-D2. She measured the thing (technically called a bollard) and improvised a pattern, which can now be found on Ravelry. It takes about 1,200 yards of yarn and took her about three months to knit.

The robot made a brief appearance at the farmer’s market back in June, but Rudder says she hopes to make it regular event given the positive response people have had. Besides, what do you do with a giant R2 cozy in your house?

[Photo by Sarah Rudder.]

Next Pattern:

I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?