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Knitting in the News: Nerdy Knits, Knitting Fails and Charity Projects

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giant sock knitting failBuzzFeed is not a site I love, but they do sometimes have some fun things related to knitting and crafts. This community post from Allie Dahl collects 19 nerdy knits that you’re sure to want to stitch up if you haven’t already if you’re of the geeky persuasion. You’ll find classics like the Doctor Who Scarf and the Jayne Hat, as well as projects inspired by Star Wars, Mario Kart, Harry Potter and Zelda, among others.

We all know knitting doesn’t always go as planned, and gauge can be a beast. But sometimes you want to show off your new knitting creation even if it’s, if you’re being honest, an utter fail. Check out this collection of projects that didn’t quite turn out as expected (via Mashable), and you’ll probably feel better about your latest knitting problem.

It’s been a cold, hard winter lots of places, and knitters and crocheters in Denver have taken to the streets, leaving scarves around town for people who need them. While most of the people in the story seem to be crocheting, this is something knitters can do, too. Please ignore the reference to needlecrafts being for old people; it’s still a nice story.

And speaking of stitching for people in need, I recently saw a call for handmade hats and booties for the Preemie Project, which gives hats, booties, care items and bereavement items to parents of preemies (as well as those who have stillborn babies or a miscarriage) at hospitals across Iowa. They’re in particular need of hats and booties for 3-5 pound and 6-8 pound babies, and say they always need more items for boys than girls. Click the link for more information.

[Photo of giant sock from Imgur, via Mashable.]

Comments

  1. I thought I was the only one who found Buzzfeed irritating! Thanks for sharing the link to The Preemie Project, they have the best measurement chart for preemies I’ve seen.

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Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.