Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knitter Stitching a Line to the Sea

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artist knits a stream to the seaBellingham knitter and artist Christen Mattix says the idea to knit a stream to the sea came to her years ago and she toyed with it for a couple of years before it began to form in reality. She would sit on a bench with a view of the sea six blocks away, and since 2012 she’s been sitting on that same bench daily for at least an hour during her knitting season, which runs from May through November.

The strand runs across a street, so it’s length is hard to judge because it gets stretched and twisted by passing cars. It’s worked in a dark blue acrylic yarn that stands up to the wear and tear and is just the same color as the sea on its best days, Mattix says.

She says the project has brought her out of her shell because she talks to people about it as they see her knitting. It has also taught her patience and the fact that things take the amount of time they take. She says she’d like to make it all the way to the sea in another season, but it’s as much about the “process and poetry of it” as anything else.

What do you think about this project? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

[Photo via Whatcom Talk.]

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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.