Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knitting Daily is Live

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[tag]Interweave Knits[/tag] [tag]Knitting Daily[/tag] is live. The site is fresh and interesting looking. The Editor, [tag]Sandi Wiseheart[/tag], is interested, for now it seems, in getting the opinion of the knitters as to what they want in patterns and designs.

As the PR page states: More informative than columns, more fun than posts, more technical than blogs, these thrice-weekly offerings are an interactive invitation to come on in and knit a spell. It’s all that you’d expect from Interweave Press, and just a wee bit more.

One Survey was to tell her what was the perfect sock pattern. The results showed that according to the Sock Survey the perfect sock pattern would be:

  • Worked from the cuff down (70% of the votes);
  • For a woman (46%);
  • Designed in a textured (but not cabled) stitch pattern (22%);
  • Worked on 5 dpns (37%); and
  • Suitable for a variegated or handpainted yarn (36%).

If this survey is used, the perfect pattern should show up soon at Knitting Daily.

I checked out the free pattern library and noticed that it contains all the online and free patterns from Interweave Knits, [tag]Interweave Crochet[/tag] and [tag]Knitscene[/tag]. Currently the library contains 65 patterns. There is also a stitch guide containing very detailed graphics and good explanations of how to perform the stitch. The graphics are LARGE – love it as I can actually see them clearly!

It seems one of the best magazines for our hobby has built a good internet magazine. Lets hope it continues to grow and thrive and maintain the current focus – knitters!

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.