This rad wind-powered knitting machine knits a long tube while the wind blows. It uses a vintage sock knitting machine. I love it as a visualization of how windy it's been in the last few hours/days. Via knitgrrl.

More:

• CRAFT Video: Antique Sock Knitting Machines at Maker Faire Austin
• CRAFT Video: Machine-Knitted QR Code Scarf
  
• Knitting your voice
  

Finger Knittin' Good
By Vickie Howell

In the past, I've had little luck getting my sons interested in learning to knit. Even when presented with jazz hands, in their eyes, my needles make much better swords than crafty tools. Alas. When summer vacation hits, however, a mom has to get creative in order to keep the kids busy. It's time to approach the situation from a different angle: keep the knitting, but ditch the needles!

Finger knitting is a great way to keep little hands busy, while creating long cords in a flash! Kids dig it because it's faster and less cumbersome than traditional knitting. Once knitted, the cords can be made into things like googly-eyed snakes, purse handles, gift ribbons, or my son Tanner's favorite project du jour, the Twisty Scarf, which we'll show you how to knit. Hey, don't just sit there, let your fingers do the knitting!

Today is a big milestone with our CRAFT Pattern Podcast's 100th pattern! Do-do-do-dooooo! (That's a horn toot, by the way.) To celebrate, Anna of Mochimochi Land has created for us a new pattern called "Weeeds". This little knit duo popped up in the backyard garden and look how adorable they are!

If you like these patterns, you can check out the adorable ones she has in her shop. Also, bookmark the Mochimochi Land blog where Anna shares news on patterns, tips, and lots more!

Download the Pattern PDF | Subscribe in iTunes

Here's an attractive alternative to the paper mustache-on-a-stick for your upcoming mustache party: this knitted mustache pattern by Instructables user Holly2.

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Austin artspace, testsite, has recently opened up an interactive exhibit with Brooklyn-based artist, Sheila Pepe. Pepe is known for her intense crochet-based installations, and Common Sense follows suit.

In the rooms of testsite, Pepe will install massive networks of crocheted yarn- skeins of yarn available for constructive re-use by testsite's visitors. Throughout the exhibition's duration, visitors are "encouraged to become interpreters, collaborators, to sit down and literally unravel Pepe's crochet stitches, and then use the same yarn to knit items for personal or domestic use, i.e. scarves, hats, socks, mittens, slippers, purses, cosies, potholders, etc. This collaborative effort removes art from a solitary, hermetic experience to one that is social, communal, and interactive--a renewal of old-fashioned notions of togetherness that are being embraced by current generations." Over time, during open hours as well as a variety of workshops, participants will dismantle Pepe's installation and creatively repurpose its materials towards practical ends.

As the installation physically deteriorates over the course of time, traces of its presence will remain: wall drawings from Pepe's ongoing Doppleganger series, created by the artist in collaboration with Dunbar. These sketches, "made according to a sequential method of intuitive object making, shadow casting, and interpretive drawing," create a playful, impractical counterpoint to the more utilitarian function of the dismantled and repurposed yarn.

There are several workshops going on throughout the month-long exhibit, including weekly open knitting instruction. Jenny Hart, artist and founder of Sublime Stitching, will be speaking at the exhibit this weekend on the subject of the role of functional media as art. For more information and a complete schedule of related events, see the testsite website.

The Knitting Orchestra from Art Yarn had its first performance Monday night in Manchester, England.

The Knitting orchestra is a curious experiment looking at all those parts between making a stitch, the rhythmic patterns, the gestural actions and an investigation into the many varied yarns, needles and techniques that can be used in knitting and crochet activity.

Cory on BoingBoing writes:

The ladies of the Afternoon Club in Mersham, England, knitted this complete replica of their village over the course of 23 years. It's to be sold in pieces to benefit the local hall.  

Michelle of A House Called Nut posted this simple tutorial for whipping up bangle-style wristwarmers. It calls for small amounts of yarn, making it perfect for scraps!

Remember the joy of writing your first Hello World application? Do you still have a copy somewhere so you can gaze upon your coded baby steps into the world of binary goodness? In knitting, creating something beautiful is just like binary, with a series of knits and pearls you can dream up the most sophisticated of patterns. In the spirit of hi-tech meets hand-tech, I will show you how to convert your binary Hello World app into a pattern of stitches (think knit =1 purl = 0), so that you can create, mount, frame and hang your Hello World genius for all to see.

Crochet or Knit Swatch Planter Propagator
By Kristin Roach

The downside of using random containers for planters is that they often look a bit, well, reused. I love my yogurt and all, but not so much that I want to look at 5 containers all around the apartment with plants sticking out of them. Enter swatches: another essential great thing. We all knit and crochet them so our projects turn out just so, but what to do with them afterwards. I have tried and failed to keep a swatch journal — it just gets so thick. Instead I've been using swatches for coasters, but how many coasters does one really need? Eight, tops. Recycled planter cozies! Perfect! You can use up 5 swatches in one go and the end result is a cutely snuggled plant in a great fiber-fantastic planter!

Susan from Minnesota writes in:

I am going to be the new proud owner of a used knitting machine that I am getting through our local "Freecycle." I am a knitter, but have never worked on a machine. Do you have any information, websites or references you could share with me?

I recently acquired a knitting machine myself, and I had to do a lot of research about them before picking one, then had to bid on many eBay auctions to get one I actually wanted. The most important resource for you as a new owner is the manual for your machine. Mine came with the complete manual, and I look at it at almost constantly while using the machine. It should explain the workings of your machine in great detail. If yours didn't come with its manual, you may be able to download it from online. Try typing the make and model number into a search engine, for example "Brother KH930E manual," and see what comes up.

There's a great roundup of knitting machine resources on about.com, actually, which links to the best pages (some quite old, but then again, so are these knitting machines) with resources for machine knitters. The woman I got my machine from on eBay restores machines with missing parts and then resells them, and is extremely knowledgeable on the subject. Her name's Patricia, and if you send her a message on eBay I'm sure she'd help you out.

If you have a question for Ask CRAFT, email me at becky@craftzine.com or drop us a tweet!

More:

CRAFT Video: Machine-Knitted QR Code Scarf

Mary Joy writes:

I'm currently putting together a Periodic Table for Knitting. I got the idea when I saw two other periodic tables based on typefaces and game controllers. Knitting's symbols and abbreviations are interconnected and so the periodic table's hierarchical organization is a perfect fit for it.

It's halfway done at this point; I expect to finish it by end of April. Quite a few knitters have already contacted me about making posters, t-shirts, knitting charts, etc., and I hope to have something available soon!

CRAFT reader Ruth Ellis writes in:

As part of the Homecoming festival (a year of events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and to encourage people worldwide to get in touch with their Scottish heritage) a textile art group from the North West of Scotland are inviting Scots, ex-pats, Scotophiles and anyone else that's interested to take part in an ambitious guerilla knitting project to cover the Skye Bridge, which links the Isle of Skye with the mainland, in knitting. Contributions of knitting are welcome until September 2009 - more info on the dimensions of knitting pieces required and how to get involved can be found on the Knit the Skye Bridge website.

SockPixie has created the cutest baby hat called Clochette. Her inspiration was the little buds of the Lilly of the Valley. What a great project for spring babies!

Thanks Lisa!

I didn't get to make it to CHA this year so I missed watching the Lion Brand Fashion Show. Zontee of Lion Brand just featured the fashion show post on their blog with links to available knit and crochet patterns.

I want to make this knit corrugated scarf, which was also featured recently on Martha Stewart's knitting episode. It actually can be worn also scrunched down like a scarf. Looks really cozy!

You can also see my write up from last year's fashion show here.

Wow, this "fluid sculpture" by Casual Profanity is really mesmirizing. It uses a nifty knitter to knit up a section of surgical tubing, through which colored liquid is pumped, creating really interesting patterns. I can't stop watching! Via Pixelsumo.

More:

Blood scarf by Laura Splan

Lee from Do Stuff! has had some great knit hat and cuff patterns in the past, but her latest design, based on 35mm film, has even me (knitaphobe) considering trying to pick up the needles.

Jennifer writes:

I've noticed the wonderful jeans/pants mending tutorials you guys have posted this week. They're useful and informative, but here's my conundrum: My jeans always wear out in the, uhm, crotch area first. (One of the less-discussed perils of being a bit overweight is ones legs rubbing together) The jeans are always in great condition otherwise, but these holes make them unwearable. Any tips or techniques for making repairs before I recycle these jeans into purses and bags?

I've had crotch holes in jeans before, and it really stinks! I tried zigzagging over the tear with similar color thread, but ended up with an uncomfortable build up of thread that just hurt when I wore them. It's a delicate operation for sure, but I'd say that now that I have plenty of other types of patching experience, that a reverse-applique technique with knit jersey is probably the best approach. Using thread that's the same color as your denim, you can recycle an old blue t-shirt or buy some knit jersey from the fabric store. Use Goli's reverse applique tutorial, and look at my "stylish stitches" jeans patching tutorial, and make a compromise between the two. You can hand stitch the patch to avoid an uncomfortable build up of thread. Take pictures and let us know how it works out!

Kristy writes:

Your mending theme has got me thinking about items I've been meaning to repair. Top on this list is a lovely hand knit skirt my father's grandmother made as a teenager in the mid-1930's. It is starting to develop holes, and I'm afraid that it will simply unravel if I wear it in this state. I can darn and patch with the best of them, but I was wondering if there is a better way to repair hand knit and hand crochet pieces? Can you splice in to repair the actual stitches somehow?

What I worry about with this skirt is that if it's developing holes in multiple places, the delicate yarn must be disintegrating because it's so old. To patch the holes, you can use a grafting stitch (also called a kitchener stitch) with a small tapestry needle to sew in the path the yarn should take. It's essentially the same as a duplicate stitch, except you won't be duplicating right inside the hole, you'll be placing new yarn there. I would follow the path of the yarn all around the area of the hole including through the hole itself. In my research I also came across the term "Swiss Darning" for this technique. The larger problem still needs to be addressed, though. If I had such a skirt, I would definitely want to show it off, but wouldn't want to damage it further by wearing it around town. Maybe you could sew a fabric lining to which you could carefully affix the skirt? If you sew the knitting to this fabric base in various places (down the sides, along the waistband and hem, for example), the knitting wouldn't hang with as much weight, but rather rest on the strong fabric substrate, thereby alleviating strain on the fibers. I hope that helps! We definitely want to see pictures, so send 'em over or add them to the CRAFT Flickr pool.

If you have a crafty question, please email it to me at becky@craftzine.com. You can also make a video of your question, send me pictures along with your question, or even send us an @ reply on Twitter to ask!

I get weak in the knees over doggies and can't get over how adorable little Buca is posing in the picture above. Machelle at Chopped Tomatoes Design Kitchen has a free knitting pattern for her Bucalicious Pet Sweater so you can make one for your little BFF too.

Oh my! Buy this Paper Dolls knit sweater pattern (£3.50) by Kate Davies of Needled. The pattern covers 10 sizes from kids to women sizes. Check out all the great photos of this adorable sweater too! [ via Whip Up ]

CRAFT reader Callie informed us that the the Spring issue of Knitty is up with new and awesome patterns! I'm loving this Hanne vest, pictured above.