Stitch up Something for Hanukkah

While some other winter holidays get more attention, the Festival of Lights (aka Hanukkah) is coming even sooner, and it’s a perfect holiday for crafting as well.

Last year I knit a dreidel, which admittedly doesn’t spin very well, but it’s still pretty and fun to knit. (Amanda Kaffka has a felted dreidel pattern you can buy on Ravelry for $4.95 Canadian.)

So I thought I’d see what else was out there for faithful knitters, and I didn’t find a whole lot. If you know of other Hanukkah-related knitting patterns, I’d love to hear about them.

There’s a free Star of David washcloth at Aunt Kathy’s Place.

Knit Picks has a knit menorah table runner that makes a pretty, modern statement and a special place for votive candles to sit during the festival.

Sandra Wollin has knit a lovely illusion knit Chanukah blanket/wall hanging decorated with a menorah and the sides of the dreidel. It costs $9.

Alan Dart’s delightful Hanukkah Hiram is a knit lion with a driedel and a Star of David accessory. It’s available from Ravelry for $8 or direct from Alan Dart’s website for £4.

O Hanukkah! by Samantha Dart is a whimsical dog sweater decorated with all sorts of symbols including stars, menorahs and dreidels. There’s a lot of colorwork going on here, making it a fun challenge. The pattern is $6.

Finally a couple of patterns from books are also listed on Ravelry, including the Menorah Pillow from Handmade Holidays by Suzanne Atkinson and the Hanukkah Hat from 50 Knitted Gifts for Year-Round Knitting.

Looking for more Hanukkah patterns to knit? Check these out on Etsy

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.

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