Funny Knitting Projects

On the last day of the year, I thought it would be fun to share an article that helped inspire me early in the creation of Knitting Project of the Day: Weekly DIY Roundup: Funny Knit Patterns!

I came across this article as I was beginning my search for interesting knitting projects. Which one featured in the article is your favorite? For me, it is the hair rollers!

World Aids Day Yarn Bomb

World Aids Day Yarn Bomb - Twilight Taggers have done it again! These gorgeous knit and crochet creations are in red in honor of World Aids Day (Dec 1).

Photo credit Twilight Taggers via a Creative Commons License

Knit Your Bit

Given the title of a charity collecting knit items for veterans (Knit your bit) , I would assume that the 1917 video "Knit Your Bit" was some kind of propaganda commercial to get people knitting for the troops.

Over my time here at KPOTD I have shared some vintage photographs of all types of people knitting for war efforts. While it is sad that there are still wars almost 100 years after this video was made, it is nice that hand knit garments are still appreciated.

ChemKnits

Today is the third birthday for ChemKnits, my main knitting blog. To celebrate three years and over 300 posts (almost enough for a year of KPOTD!) I am naming ChemKnits today's KPOTD. The start of this blog has spun into me running four different blogs and writing for two different independent writing platforms.

I started ChemKnits because I was researching different earflap hat knitting patterns. When I was writing descriptions of each pattern, to help me keep track of the links, I wished that this list were already available online. I then decided that I could be the one to share this list. Happy Birthday, ChemKnits!

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Do you have a knitting blog? Tell me about why you started it in a submission to KPOTD!

Knitting Artifact - Not What You Might Think

Knitting artifact. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;74(11):1501.

An Artefact is something that shows up on EKG and is non cerebral in origin. This is the first example of a knitting artefact:

"One hypothesis might be that the wool being knitted by the patient causes a build up of static electricity either on the knitting needles or on the wool itself. During the transfer of the stitch from one needle to the other, the tapping of the needles together may cause the release of this static electricity and allow it be recorded on the EEG."

QR Bombing

You see QR tags popping up all over the place, but I never thought I would see one made out of yarn! (I love making knitting charts, so I'm a bit bummed I didn't think of it first!)

From the Artist:

"I wanted to break out of the basic black and white form of the QR code and try if I could somehow “hide” the code in the fabric, make it less obvious. Using more colours both in the background and in the figure itself seems to do that nicely. The only thing you have to keep in mind when using other or more colours than just black and white is to keep the contrast high enough. By the way, this is a perfect way to use leftover yarns – I didn’t have to buy any new materials for these pieces."

Photo credit anuko via a Creative Commons License

Hand Knit Christmas Stockings

One of my favorite knitting projects are hand knit Christmas Stockings. The three stockings featured in the picture above are of my own design, but you can easily combine different elements from different patterns to create your own custom Christmas stocking.

Merry Christmas, from ChemKnits and the editors of KPOTD.

Crochet Settlers of Catan Board

Settlers of Catanis one of my favorite board games. One of the best parts of the game is that the board is multiple pieces that changes each time you play. Of course, this can be challenging if the surface you want to play on isn't perfectly level.

How is this for a solution? A crochet settlers of catan board. Sure, this may work for travel purposes, and there are many other things that you need to play... but I love the concept!

LisaJedi designed and crocheted this Settlers of Catan board.

Knit Handcuff Cozies

WOW! I was exploring ravelry when I came across the following handcuff covers. I have no idea why someone would want to make these... but this is certainly cool enough to be named KPOTD!

Self Patterning Yarn

Did you love those Ghost socks that I shared with you yesterday? I mentioned the secret to the socks is self patterning yarn, designed by KnitPurlGurl.

She is currently out of her stock of yarn (at least as of the time when I was writing this post.) But will offer skeins for pre-order. Each set of yarn comes with the pattern so you can get the patterning to happen correctly.

The self patterning shapes include Watermelons, Santas, Ghosts, Mushrooms, and much more.

I really wish I knew how to make these patterns since I love dyeing yarn of my own. Of course, I don't expect the designer to share her secrets!

Ghosty Socks

I fell in love with these ghostie socks when I saw them... and then I realized that the pattern is not due to stranded colorwork, but to the design of the yarn. That is right, this self striping yarn also forms little ghosts as you knit!

Just to give you a heads up, tomorrow's KPTOD will feature the Etsy store where you can purchase these fantastic handpainted yarns.

WW2 Knitting - Then and Now

During World War II, there were initiatives titled "Knit Your Bit" to create socks for soldiers. Now, the WW2 Museum website has a lot of free knitting patterns and has been running "Knit Your Bit" for 6 years to help keep our veterans warm with hand kit items. Read more to find out how you can contribute.

Knitting iPhone Apps

I was contacted by Knit Suite, Mobile Apps for Knitters to look at the applications they have produced, but I don't have an iPhone (I am an Android girl.)
I got contacted to review these apps, but I don't have an iPhone. Since I am not able to play with these applications myself, I wanted to find out what others think of them.

"I recently developed 3 iPhone applications for knitters, collectively known as Knit Suite. These are the start of what I hope will be a series of small, single focus apps for knitters.

The three applications on sale now are:
Kitchener Stitch, a photo and text tutorial
Abbreviations, knitting and crochet terms found on knitting patterns
Yarn Needs, the yardage required to knit many types of projects in many sizes and several yarn weights."

Definition of Purl (Verb)

The word knit as a verb has meanings that go beyond the act of knitting with yarn. I was curious if the same is the case for "purl."

transitive verb

• to embroider with gold or silver thread
• to edge or border with gold or silver embroider
• to knit in purl stitch

intransitive verb

• to do knitting in purl stitch
  

I never knew that purl was an embroidery term. But it seems like this verb hasn't come to have as many meanings as knit.

Isn't it interesting that the word purl predates the word knit by 70 years (1526 for purl, 1596 for knit)?

Hyperbolic pseudosphere

Photo credit Cheryl via a Creative Commons License

Excerpt from Hawaii Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project:

"Aloha! The worldwide hyperbolic crochet (and knit) coral reef phenomenon is finally making its way to Hawai’i! Take some inspiration from the marine life around the Hawaiian Archipelago and knit or crochet some models of marine life to contribute to this community art project. The exhibition will take place from 4-28 June 2011 at the Hawai’i Craftsmen window at Marks Garage, a gallery in the Chinatown arts district of Honolulu."

Knits for Boston Fans

Do you like Boston sports teams? Three are many free knitting patterns out there that will let you celebrate your pride in the teams.

Convertible Fenway Mitts shown at Fenway Park in Boston.

With knitting charts, you can modify mittens (as shown above), hats, scarves and so much more. Show your pride for the following teams with:

• Celtics Logo Knitting Charts
• Bruins Logo Knitting Charts
• Patriots Logo Knitting Charts
• Red Sox Logo Knitting Charts
• Fenway Mitts (featuring a Red Sox Knitting Chart)
  

Penguin Sweaters

Anyone who knows me knows that I love penguins (the first dance at my wedding was in the middle of a penguin pit!) My friend Jessica found this picture of penguins in sweaters, and had to share it with me. This is certainly an attack of the cute!

Thank you, Jessica for sharing this with me!

Blocking Knit Lace

I have something to admit to you KPOTD readers... I often don't block my knitting projects. The last sweater I made for myself didn't get blocked (although it fits great!) I have come to see what a difference blocking makes, especially when it comes to lace projects. The following tutorial will show you how to block knit lace strips from lace garters.

My Top Knitting Projects

Since today is my birthday, I find it only fitting to make the KPOTD very personal. Last March, I created an article about my top 10 knitting projects of all time. In this article, I share images of each of these completed projects and why they have special meaning for me. I hope you enjoy taking a trip down my favorite knitting projects!

The asymmetric knit 14 cable hat, of my own design.

A Good Start

I like seeing this scarf woven into the bench, but I would love it more if the whole bench had scarves woven through it.... (Challenge extended... do you care to accept?)

Photo credit Vivian via a Creative Commons License

Yarn Corner

What a fun way to advertise for a yarn store!

Photo credit Twilight Taggers via a Creative Commons License

Yarn Bombing Statues

Adding hats and scarves and other accessories to statues is something I could get on board with!

Photo credit PB-PSBear via a Creative Commons License



Photo credit PB-PSBear via a Creative Commons License

Nano neuro knitting repairs injured brain

Ah, knit to bring things together and heal. I love that the word has become a term in medicine!

Nano neuro knitting repairs injured brain - published in 2006. "A team of scientists, led by Rutledge Ellis-Behnke (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA, USA), have shown that a peptide-based nanofibre scaffold enables axons to regenerate and to knit brain tissue together after injury, which results in a functional return of behavior."

Musical Notes

Musical Bombing - Crochet musical notes left outside a concert hall. What a unique idea!

Photo credit slideshow bob via a Creative Commons License

Double Headed Chicken

This double headed chicken part of a yarn bombing project, but it really looks like a sculpture to me. Magnificent!

Photo credit waltarrrr via a Creative Commons License

Maker Faire

" Maker Faire knitting at Discovery Museum Wow. The decorations at Discovery Museum were amazing. Kudos to these guerilla knitters!" - Nicola Stock

Photo credit Nicola Stock via a Creative Commons License

Ease in Knitting

I didn't know what negative and positive ease meant, and I found the following article very helpful. Ease doesn't come into play for many projects, but it is worth thinking about before you are going to start a new sweater!

Knitting Flags

I don't think this counts as yarn bombing.... but it is still super awesome!

Photo credit Cian O'Donovan via a Creative Commons License

The Knitting Machine

A 2005 documentary of Dave Cole's performance art piece "The Knitting Machine" at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art. Has anyone ever watched this?

Tubular Cast on Using Judy's Magic Cast on

I like this tutorial because the instructor has written down the instructions on a sheet of paper that she refers to as she goes through how to do the stitches. I now use this cast on method as a provincial cast on alternative (with an extra needle if necessary.)

My only complaint is that the needles are pretty far from the camera, but this is really a minor complaint since I learned the technique.

Knit So Fine

The book Knit So Fine revolutionized my way of knitting. I now LOVE knitting with thin yarns. It is amazing what a difference it can make in the drape of a project.