On the Shore

I have been envious of quilting projects for a long time because my sewing skills just aren't up to par. Imagine my dlelight when I found the following knit quilt. The On the Shore is made up of rays, birds and turtles... I cannot wait for an excuse to make it! You can purchase it through Ravelry.com.

52 Pickup

Wow, this is an amazing double knit pattern! Now I want to play 52 Pickup. Pattern is available on Ravelry.com for $14.99. The price is high, but the pattern document is 115 pages. (According to the designer, there are many options on how to display the cards and not all pages are needed for the project, so don't feel intimidated!)

A Knit Ball and Chain

Make your own ball and chain... but soft enough that you can wack things with it without the risk of causing damage. (Assuming you fill the ball with polyfill stuffing, not rocks.)

Knit Your Own Drugs

Knit Your Own Drugs is a cute little novelty pattern. Rather than making a mobile for someone who has to take a lot of medication for health reasons (as was suggested) I think it would make a funny gift for someone working in the pharmaceutical industry.

Inspiration behind design

I love finding out what goes in behind the scenes on a knitting design. KnitPicks offers videos for most of their kits. I appreciate the 3D view of many of the garments, but also learning a bit about how the project came to be.

Knitting Graph Paper

I prefer knitting charts to written instructions. Why? I have a much easier time looking at a row and keeping track of where I am if I can see the stitches visually. I like being able to compare where I am now to where I was on the previous row. This is very useful when dealing with colorwork projects (I don't think anyone would complain about having a chart there) but people tend to be much more intimidated by lace knitting charts.

Today I am going to feature two articles, one that I may have mentioned in the past. The first are sources of knitting graph paper. This way you can work to convert writing instructions, of your own design or from another pattern, into a visual representation. The second article is about free knitting fonts that you can download so you can type in popular knitting symbols. Combine these two resources and you will be drawing your own knitting charts in no time!

365 Knitting Clock

This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen:

"365 is stitching the time as it passes by. It is knitting 24 hours a day and one year at the time, showing the physical representation of time as a creative and tangible force. After 365 days the clock has turned the passed year into a 2-m long scarf. Now the past can be carried out in the future and the upcoming year is hiding in a new spool of thread, still unknitted."

Atomic Blocks

It is no secret that I love scientific knitting projects. I recently came across a new science knitting pattern.... one great for kids! Make blocks out of your favorite elements on the periodic table. I would choose Phosphorus and Nitrogen (if you read my dissertation then you would understand why) but I am not sure what I would choose for the other sides. I really think that I will need to make some of these blocks for my future children.

Itty-Bitty Hats

I picked up Itty-Bitty Hats: cute and cuddly caps to knit for babies and toddlers by Susan B. Anderson from the library last week, and it is filled of adorable baby knits. I could not help myself, so I cast on a project immediately even though I had only checked out the book to review it! (Full review will be on ChemKnits in the coming months.) This book is full of great baby hats that you can knit for any baby you love. I highly recommend you check it out!

Wine Glass Holder

Brilliant! What do you do when you carry a glass of wine at the party but need to also hold food? Why you will use a hand hand knit wine glass holder!

This wine glass holder knitting pattern is available for free through ravelry.com.

Lace Crochet Books

When I think of crochet, my mind immediately goes to lace. I am not sure if it because I watched my aunt craft a crochet lace tablecloth, or because of the crochet doilies that I have inherited from my female ancestors... but to me crochet and lace go hand in hand. I have only started learning how to crochet, but I love reading through crochet lace books. These books of delicate patterns inspire me to work harder to learn this craft. You should check them out!

Knit Light

In the 2011 Winter edition of PatternWorks, I found an interesting advertisement for Knit Lights. Unfortunately, when I try to actually find the item I keep getting "Product not found." Is this a ghost lamp or something?

Anyway, the concept of a clip on light to help with knitting is a great one. I cannot count the number of times I've had to set a project aside because I didn't have enough light to focus on the intricate work. If you know where someone can find this product, please let me know!

Funny Vintage Knitting Images

The Thrift Shop Romatic wrote a great article about vintage knitting patterns. There are some really funny images showcased in this blog post, Fit to be Tied with Funny Knitting and Crochet. You should totally check it out!

Knit Lighting

Reshape Studio is so amazing that I need to feature this artist a second time on KPOTD. This cable knit lamp is something that I would need to have in my future knitting studio! Buy one for yourself through her etsy store.

String of LIghts Part II

A continuation of the amazing yarn bombing work showed in yesterday's KPTOD.

Photo credit Twilight Taggers via a Creative Commons License

String of Lights Part I

Twilight Taggers are responsible for some of the best yarn bombing projects I've found. Part of the Light Winter Festival in Melbourne, Australia. I love that this mimics the look of a string of lights.

Photo credit Twilight Taggers via a Creative Commons License

Finshing Fair Isle

I hate weaving in loose ends. It is the worst part of any colorwork project (and I love colorwork projects!) I found an amazing post on the KnitPicks blog that has completely changed my perspective.

Instead of weaving in millions of loose ends, keep the ends long enough and braid them together at the end of the project!

Light Up Needles

Do you knit in the dark? I like to knit while watching movies, but this usually means I need to leave the lights on so I can see the stitches. Well I found an interesting solution to this issue... light up knitting needles! These "Knit Lite" knitting needles a LED tip that is powered by watch batteries. There is an on/off switch, so you can also use these needles when you don't need extra light.

Tiny Dress, Huge Eyes

This doll has HUGE eyes... but the knit dress is super cute. The image makes me think of 60's fashion...

Photo credit Suedehead via a Creative Commons License

Collage of Dyed Yarns

What a beautiful image of hand dyed yarns!

Photo credit Franziska Geiser via a Creative Commons License

What happens to knit samples?

I am a knitting designer, but I have never submitted any patterns to a website or magazine that requires review and testers. I was wondering what happens with test knit samples, and where they end up. I know that many magazines/websites require you to send in a test piece, but what happens at the end?

KnitPicks saves all of the samples and donates them to charity. This December post (and picture of last year's donation) warms my heart on a cold winter day.

KnitPicks Wooden Convertible Needles

Convertible circular needles are a fantastic invention. Why should you need to own each size and length of circular needles when you can just swap tips? I have fallen in love with the Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood Circular Knitting Needle Set, and not just because the needles are beautiful. The cable is one of the most flexible cables I have ever seen. I couldn't decide on tips, so I purchased out the Try it set which comes with two cables and three needle tips, one of each type of material.

I will admit that I already owned a convertible needles set, but this version is SO MUCH NICER, the needles are such a pleasure to knit with that I want to own all harmony wood needles!

Viola Afghan

I love interesting knitting patterns, but I also really love seeing the inspiration and how these patterns were designed. When I read about the story behind the viola afghan, I was amazed.

I am very tempted to make this afghan. I frequently find afghans that I want to make, but this one is really a work of art!

Knit Art

I have no idea what this instillation is for, but it looks really cool.

Photo credit Jennifer Leonard via a Creative Commons License

Yarn Alive

I read a great article today about knitting bringing comfort to elderly Japanese tsunami victims. The yarn they use has been donated from all over the wold. These women are knitting for comfort, and for practicality (such as creating blankets.) Please note: This availability of this article will be determined on your subscriber status to the Wall Street Journal.

"SHICHIGAHAMA, Japan—Every Tuesday in this tsunami-ravaged fishing village, the "Yarn Alive" knitting club meets—an accidental support group for a handful of the thousands of elderly Japanese still homeless after disaster swept away their lives nearly a year ago."

Visit the Yarn Alive blog for information on how you can help.

Lolcats likes knitting

Knitting is sweeping across the internet! Lolcats aren't exactly a cartoon... but they are pretty close!

Photo credit Stevie Nixed via a Creative Commons License

A Granny A Day

Here at KPOTD, we like daily projects (or attempts at daily projects.) Hats off to Dana "Craftyminx" for trying to make a different crochet granny square for each day of the year. It appears as though she hasn't been able to keep up one a day, but she is still working to her goal of 365 unique granny squares.

Her photographs are beatuiful, and her orgnaization system will make it easy for someone else to locate the patterns.

Two at a Time Socks.... Try Six!

I've knit two at a time socks, but I never thought about using this technique to knit more than two items at a time. Dyeforsocks1965 is working on 3 pairs of fingerless mitts... all at the same time!

What is the benefit of making them all at once? When you're done... you're done!

KnittingLeft.com

I love helping people learn how to knit, but I have limitations... I don't know how to knit left handed! I tried to help my roommate knit, but so many things were backwards I was not able to provide sufficient guidance.

It turns out that there are resources out there dedicated completely to left handed knitters! KnittingLeft.com has video tutorials and forums where lefty knitters can get together to share resources.

Go See the Art

I love this yarn bomb. It must have been hard to get the sweater on the statue.

Photo credit Ahd Photography via a Creative Commons License

Sparkly Knitting Needles

Clear, sparkly knitting needles. Too bad there was no indication of the brand or where you can buy them... I sort of want some!

Photo credit Mariana via a Creative Commons License