Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knitting for Dogs, Cats, and Yarnbombing

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yarn bomb canadaJacksonville, Fla., resident Jane Cottrel has been busy knitting scarves for unlikely customers: pugs. She sells wee warmers for pups at $25 a pop and donates the money to pug rescue organizations. She’s made $1,00 so far and has orders that will bring in $1,000 more.

Meanwhile, knitters at a Scottish senior center have been knitting for cats. The home has a weekly knitting class and so far a dozen blankets have been donated to a feline welfare charity.

Knit graffiti has popped up in a local park in Vaudreuil-Dorion (that’s in Quebec). The yarnbombing was developed by members of the local Cercles des fermières, a women’s organization celebrating its 100th year. Members said they are trying to raise awareness of the group among younger women, and they covered about 75 trees in knitting and crochet. About 25 of the Cercles des fermières groups are planning yarnbombing projects this year.

A group of churches in Norfolk, UK, are planning a celebration of knitting to take place this summer, and part of the scene will include a knit wedding, complete with a knit bishop based on the real-life bishop in the area. The fiber Bishop Graham was stitched up in about 50 days using 16 balls of wool. When meeting his knit double the real bishop said perhaps there should be more knitted bishops so that way he could “keep an eye on everyone.” How’s that for a great stash-busting project!

[Photo via Montreal Gazette.]

Comments

  1. Would love to see a pic and a pattern…would start making for Italian greyhound and whippet group

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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.