Car Cozy

I have found a lot of strange cozies over the years... but this Car Cozy has to be my favorite! Who would ever want to knit a car cover? Actually... that would be a yarn bombing project if I ever saw one.... Anyone interested?

My favorite quote from the pattern is: "...quickly realize that's way too much knitting one person, and invite a lot of other knitters to make cozy parts."

Free Car Knitting Patterns

A long time ago, I decided to search for car themed knitting patterns (that were free). I thought I would find knitting charts, toys, and items that you would use in your car. Surprisingly, I did not find as many free car knitting patterns as I had expected. Oh well, that happens sometimes.

I'm going to share my favorite "free car knitting pattern" with you tomorrow!

Waste Not

I once tried to make a shopping bag out of strips of old plastic bags, but I ended up breaking the circular needles I was working with. (It was part of an interchangeable set and I snapped a screw.) This is still something I hope to do someday, but for now I am content to admire the knitting projects of others.

I love what was done in the following picture, not only were the bags used in a creative striping pattern, but the phrase "Waste Not" was included in the bag!

Talk about Green Knitting!

Photo credit Rose of Academe via a Creative Commons License

Cupcake Knitting Patterns

It is amazing when you stumble upon an area of knitting that is insanely popular. I was shocked when I discovered how many people design and knit cupcakes, and especially by how many free knitting patterns of cupcakes are available online. I haven't yet decided how I will use this discovery... but this is a fun way to bring play food to a child, or make a cake for a diabetic!

If you don't knit, would you be interested in free crochet patterns of cupcakes?

Mathmatical Knitting

Two theoretical and practical aspects of knitting technique: invariants and a new class of Petri net - IEEE transactions on systems, man, and cybernetics, 1997.

The title of this scientific knitting article grabbed me right off the bat because of the way knitting and math are related. What is knitting but physically graphing a 3D shape?

So what is a Petri net? "A Petri net (also known as a place/transition net or P/T net) is one of several mathematical modeling languages for the description of distributed systems. " So this is beyond my understanding, but I like that "knitting technique" appears to be a mathematical term (rather than referring to knitting itself) in this abstract.

Dyeing Yarn - Purple Separation

When I was first researching dyeing yarn with food coloring, I learned that purple was a hard color to dye because the red and blue dyes will separate and absorb at different rates. But in all of my attempts, I always came out with all over purple color. I decided to test this color separation in the following video:

Stunning Knitting Magazine Cover

I don't think there is anything I need to say her, as the picture speaks for itself.

Singer Jane Froman Knitting Among Empty Seats at Radio Rehearsal in NBC's Studio, March 14, 1938

Photographic Print

Eisenstaedt,...
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Edible Knitting

Yummi 'Gurumi: Over 60 Gourmet Crochet Treats to Make is a delightfully tasty knitting book. This is one of those books that makes me wish I knew how to crochet. I'd like to order up a crochet ice cream sundae and some crochet ice cream, please!

Want to find more edible knitting and crochet books?

Statue reading a knit book

By now you should know that I love seeing examples of yarn bombing, and the following is no exception. Unfortunately, the owner of the images has disabled use of his images through creative commons since the KPOTD submission, but I still think it's worth checking out WonderMike's photo of a statue reading a knit book.

Computer simulated knitting

I was procrastinating on Ravelry when I came across an interesting discussion in the forum about simulated knitting. The article mentioned in the discussion looks at a way to simulate knit fabric to understand it's behavior (in contrast to woven fabric). I highly recommend that you check out the discussion and the article!

Friday Night Knitting Club

Coming soon to a theater near you... Friday Night Knitting Club in 2013. I have never read any of the Friday Night Knitting Club Novels, so I don't know what to expect from this movie.

A reviewer on amazon said of one of the books, "I don't knit, but the references to the wool and the process made it seem very inviting."

I would go see this movie... hurrah for knitting becoming more mainstream!

Slipper Sock

A slipper socks is an item, but it is fun to see a slipper sock that is ACTUALLY a slipper sock... that is, a sock that has a pair of slippers knit into the pattern!

Unfortunately this was listed as a personal pattern on Ravelry, and the blog post is not written in English so I don't know how to replicate this pattern... but it shouldn't be too hard to let this inspire creation of your own slipper socks!

Definition of Knit (noun)

Here at KPOTD, I am searching many sources for knitting related topics. As I've been dealing with knitting used differently in scientific journals, it occurred to me that I should look at the official definition of knit.

Now the word knit as a noun doesn't have any surprising definitions (1: Knit Stitch, 2: Knit Fabric) although I found it interesting that the word itself was reused in the definition! The interesting thing from this dictionary page was the "First Known Use" of the word Knit... in 1596. I wonder where this came from!

As always, if you can aid me in my research, please use the KPOTD submission form.

Making Convertable Mittens

Have you ever wanted to make a pair of convertible mittens, but didn't love any of the patterns that you found? In this video, you can learn how to convert any mitten knitting pattern into a convertible mitten pattern. Happy Knitting!

Lady Cluck "Knitting"

Even as a kid, I knew there was something odd about Lady Cluck Knitting. (This was also around the time when I thought knitting was just clanking two sticks together.) If you watch the scene in Robin Hood, she is wrapping yarn around her finger over and over, but does nothing with the needle. Of course, since the animation was done by hand, there are repeat scenes used over the same backgrounds multiple times. This really goes to show how much animation has changed over the years!

I've been searching for a video clip, so if you know where you can find one please let me know!

Knit Mustache 3

This one takes the cake (although I wouldn't try to eat cake while wearing a knit mustache... you might get frosting all over it!) This earflap hat is super warm... not only does it cover your ears, but your lower face is covered by a knit mustache and beard.

Photo credit Rhonda via a Creative Commons License

Knit Mustache 2

This isn't a stand alone knit mustache, but looks pretty cool when you pull it up over your head!

Photo credit Gwen via a Creative Commons License

Mustache warmer?

I'm not sure that Will is aware that knit mustaches are a thing... but it is cute to be thinking about what to do with a tiny knit square. If you can attach it to your head without needing your fingers, then you're ready to go. Keep knitting, Will!

"Perhaps it's a mustache warmer? Or a fake mustache in case you can't grow a silky smooth blue one." -Paradigm

Photo credit Paradigm via a Creative Commons License

Crochet Mustache

This crochet mustache is amazing - almost better than any knit one I've ever seen! This picture led me to search for other images of knit mustaches, which inspired me to search for free mustache knitting patterns. Over the next few days, expect more images of knit mustaches!

Photo credit Asiatic League via a Creative Commons License

Longest French Knitting

What is the longest you ever worked on a knitting project? Edward Peter Hannaford produced between 1989 and 2005 a piece of French knitting that measured 13.51 miles! What was the purpose? Well this effort won him the world record for French knitting!

Death by Knitting

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.

A while ago I shared an XKCD comic that discussed death by knitting accidents, and I am sad to say that I accidentally came across some real examples. Troubling, is that some of these nearly fatal knitting injuries were not accidents. In searching pubmed for scientific knitting articles, I came across the title of an article "Two knitting needles in the thorax in a suicide attempt diagnosed on day 6 and treated conservatively" published in the annals of thoracic surgery.

Today there is no knitting project of the day, but rather a day to share some suicide prevention resources.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline
Suicide prevention Resource Center

Create Sampler Afghans

This sampler afghan is one of my favorite knitting projects, and the one I am most proud of. The book 60 Easy-To-Knit Pattern Stitches Combine to Create Sampler Afghans was instrumental to my afghan, but I supplemented the squares with ones that I found in some other sampler afghan knitting books to help finish the 20 squares. I highly recommend making a sampler afghan to help hone your skills and focus on a new technique.

Who said knitting was for old ladies?

I love vintage knitting photos. Many of these pictures are so real, they feel like the people in them are real (because they probably were) opposed to many of the knitting models you may come across today.

English Cabby Dutifully Knitting Sweater For British Soldier as He Waits at Taxi Rack on Oxford St
Photographic Print
Mydans, Carl
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Beautiful Scarf

This wavy knit scarf is so beautiful, I had to mention it on Knitting Project of the Day. I love the way the pattern of the scarf really shows off the colorway of the yarn. This would be a great way to showcase your hand dyed yarn (especially if the repeats are very long.)

Photo credit Noricum via a Creative Commons License

For the record, I also happen to love that it was photographed on what appears to be a patchwork blue jean quilt!

Please tell me about knitting exhibits!

I came across this image of a Radical Lace & Subversive Knitting exhibit, and became more curious about knitting in museums. Some of my friends found viking knitting (I think I shared that a few weeks ago) and sent the pictures to me. Please, if you visit any knitting exhibits, please take pictures and tell me about it at the KPOTD submission form.

Photo credit LollyKnit via a Creative Commons License

Knitting Propaganda

I know from some vintage photographs (WW2 era) that there was a big knitting for the troops effort. I don't have any idea how often these organized efforts happened, or who was organizing them. I came across the following knitting propaganda:

Photo credit Jessica Spengler via a Creative Commons License

I would love to learn more about these knitting initiatives. If you know anything about them, either from a personal perspective or a good book to turn to, please let me know through the KPOTD submission form.

A Knit Playground

I found an image of the Knitted Wonder Space in Japan, and just had to wish that all of my childhood playgrounds were like this!

Photo credit H.L.I.T. via a Creative Commons License

A "Wicker" Box

I like making knit accessories for my home, and I am always on the lookout to find new things to make. Knit felted bowls and boxes are a lot of fun, but these ones caught my eye because they have the feeling of wicker baskets.

Photo credit Janamunky via a Creative Commons License

Photo credit Janamunky via a Creative Commons License

Knitting Labor

Knitting midwives for drugless childbirth? is an article published in Midwifery Today with International Midwife in 2004. I don't have access to this article, but since I plan on having children someday I REALLY wish I could access this. Could knitting get your mind off the pain of child birth? I would be more afraid that you would want to stab someone with your knitting needles during a contraction (maybe this is how some of the knitting injuries I've read about occur...)

Felting by Hand

Over the years, I have been asked frequently how I felt by hand. I created this video in response to some questions I received about making felted oven mitts. I hope that you enjoy this demonstration that I created.