Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Watch This Sweet Short Film on the Value of Knitting

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When animator Samantha Moore’s mother lost the ability to follow knitting patterns because of dementia, Moore taught herself to knit through YouTube tutorials and was able to find comfort in knitting as her mother’s health declined.

She began to interview knitters about what knitting means to them and how it gets them through hard times and made the animated short film, “Visible Mending,” which you can view at The New York Times’ website.

The video includes several British knitters and is illustrated with knit characters that either they or Moore designed. The video is full of knit and crochet and stories about how knitting gives us a place to explore and be comforted, to know that mistakes don’t really matter, and to share our love and creativity with other people.

This time of year seems perfect for thinking about what knitting (and crochet if you do that too) means to you, what value you get from it and how you can share that with others in the new year.

Knitting may seem like a simple act of making things, and it is, but it is or can also be stress relief, self expression, a way of connecting with other people, a way to learn new things, hold on to traditions of the past and so much more. It gives us ways to use our talents to be charitable, to make gifts, to teach others.

I know I want more of all of that in the year to come. I’ve been using this in between time to work on some knitting projects to donate to a local warming center, and hatching plans to continue to do more of that in the new year.

I hope you’ll watch the film and think about what knitting means to you, and come back and share it with the rest of us!

[Photo via The New York Times]

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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.