Knitting Through It

RRP: $17.95

ISBN 10- 0760330050
Knitting Through It is a book filled with inspiring stores for “Times of Trouble”. This book has short stories and excerpts about knitting and how it has been, and continues to be used during Polictical agendas, War and poverty and heart warming stories of personal times of despair where knitting has lifted spirits, helped with rehabilitation and eased pain and anguish.

You do not have to be a knitter to enjoy this book, it has short chapters making it a perfect book to pick up during morning tea or a cup of coffee in the afternoon. It’s not only inspiring it’s educational and leaves you feeling the urge to pick up your knitting.

It will make you stop and appreciate all that you are giving to your knitting. It’s not just about yarn over and under it’s about lifting your hands, using your heart, focusing on the recipient, deep breathing, relaxation, calming your racing spirit and knitting an item out of love, hate, fear, happiness or pain.

Sitting down to knit will never be the same again…..

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.

Have you read?