Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knitting in the News and on the Internet

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The Hobbit scarf and other feats of knittingIt’s been a while since I shared any knitting news, and quite a bit has piled up, so let’s get to it.

Over the holidays you might have missed BuzzFeed’s take on 22 things that happen when you get into knitting. it’s actually a pretty accurate summary of how it goes, from the difficulty of getting started to wanting to knit all the things for everyone all the time to realizing yarn isn’t cheap to becoming a crafty zealot.

In other fun knitting-related roundups, Bored Panda collected a bunch of fun winter scarves, knit, crocheted and sewn. You’ll want to check these out for their sheer creativity, there are foxes, cockatoos, a knit USB cable scarf and the most amazing Hobbit-inspired scarf you’ve ever seen (shown above, you can also check it out on Ravelry).

The Toast has a list (it’s probably just as well they don’t all show pictures) of things you can actually find knitting patterns for that includes such silly things as broccoli, a sweater for a rat (which doesn’t seem silly if you’re the rat, I suppose), an alien autopsy and a couple of projects dealing with parts of the male anatomy. And Mashable has a photographic collection of 15 great achievements in knitting, ranging from spectacular yarn bombs to an anatomically correct knit skeleton with organs and a knit periodic table (some of these, of course, are actually crochet).

A company in the Netherlands knit a giant cozy for an Eames chair. Just because it was there. And a writer from Maine shares the story of how knitting brought her back from anxiety and depression.

Bulky knits are still going to be hot (see what I did there?) next fall and winter, according to the fashion shows in Italy, so keep out that big yarn and needles! And don’t miss the display from Spinrite at the Craft and Hobby Association: a knit celebration of Narnia called Yarnia. Too cool.

If you ever see knitting in the news and what to share, submit a link!

[Photo via Bored Panda.]

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Knits with Sheep

It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.