Joan De Lurio came up with this knitted Philly Phanatic during the 2008 World Series and is now offering the pattern for free. You can also find the pattern on Ravelry. Go Philly!

I just finished a series of knitted pelts, made from all animal-free materials (cotton, acrylic, wooden frames, etc.). I look up images of particular animal pelts (the one above is a squirrel) and hand-knit the shapes before mounting. They'll be on display at the ASU sculpture show, Flirting with Disaster, this Friday at Bragg's Pie Factory in downtown Phoenix.

Flirting with Disaster
Friday, December 5, 6-9pm
Bragg's Pie Factory
1301 NW Grand Ave, Phoenix (at McKinley)

Knitting striped scarves with two different colors of variegated yarns is big this year! I like that the effect can be as subtle or vivid as you want, depending on the colorways you choose. If you like horizontal stripes, there's the gorgeous Noro Scarf by Brooklyn Tweed.

If you prefer vertical stripes, the Webs people are doing a knit-along and point us to this free pattern download for the Inside Outside Scarf.

Marc @ MAKE found this amazing three-part tutorial about French knitting, the kind done with a loom. It goes over creating your own knitting loom and using it with recycled plastic bags to knit a reusable (and very strong) purse or grocery bag. Be sure to see all three pages!

From the pages of CRAFT:09:

The Green Issue is packed full of recycling projects! Subscribe to CRAFT.

Mochimochi is clearly on a mission to cute-ify the entire world. Her newest offering is this knitted elf pattern showing you how to make a TINY ELF HANGING OUT WITH OTHER, TINIER ELVES. Does it get any better?! The pattern can be snapped up for $5 at the Mochimochiland shop.

If you can't get enough of those colorful holiday helpers, you can also download this free PDF of Mochimochi Elves Gift Tags!

Spotted in the CRAFT Flickr pool: I can't really explain it, but there's just something awesome about the idea of a handknit key cozy. Thanks for uploading these to the pool, Betty Sonics!

This is a wonderful animated short that was shown at the Encounters Short Film Festival. It's called "Don't Let It All Unravel", it was directed by Sarah Cox, and all the action is knitted - or frogged (un-knitted). (Thanks, Melody!)

Fashion designer Sandra Backlund creates these astonishing sculptural knits! Leonora Oppenheim on Cool Hunting writes:

While these wool and alpaca garments may not be practical day wear and we might feel the need to channel Björk or Roisin Murphy's sartorial confidence to walk around in them, we love the ambition and scope that Backlund brings to the humble art of knitting. The combination of taking pleasure in the process of craft and the outcome of dramatically contemporary forms is very exciting. Backlund's work is a great example of how '"slow fashion" can can preserve traditional techniques while embracing new aesthetics.

Photos by John Scarisbrick.

Spotted in the CRAFT Flickr pool: Caffaknitted was commissioned to create this knitted portrait of UK singer/songwriter Jess Lewin for her CD cover. Now Caffaknitted is offering the pattern in her Etsy shop too--it even includes templates for the little felt guitar and eyeballs!

Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne

Buy the book ($19.77)

Mason-Dixon Knitting blog

This isn't your average book of knitting patterns. Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne have wit, insight, and "true confessions" about knitting that makes Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines read more like a sketchbook or journal than a pattern book, and it's a pleasure. Oh, and the projects are nice, too. Take the mystery out of Fair Isle, knit a sweater a kid would actually want to wear, make a lampshade or kitchen duster, and laugh a whole lot in between. A lot of patterns and collections try to ignore the awkwardness and disappointment that accompanies knitting projects, but Kay and Ann embrace those things and manage to worth through them with the reader to not only make the specific projects in the book, but to actually become a better knitter.

Why yes indeed, I do believe these might just be the cutest knitted moccasins for babies I've ever laid eyes on. Pattern available at The Purl Bee.

I'm always looking for weird knits - I love this star-nosed mole named Cris (short for Condyluria cristata)! It's one of Fawn Pea's Free Pattern Friday shares and it looks like a quick knit that would make a great holiday present. Here's a Wikipedia article about star-nosed moles; they can smell underwater, cool!

Vickie Howell shows us how to make these fun Super Mario mushroom wrist warmers via the free pattern on her blog!

The Deputy Dog site has a nice roundup of knitted graffiti pieces (ok, some are crochet), many of which we've seen on here before. Fun!

Sigh...if only I could get my own cat to wear cute outfits, like Craftster user Laura_Anderton did when she knitted this turtleneck sweater for her li'l guy. What?! She swears he liked it!

Spotted in the CRAFT Flickr pool: I think most crafters have seen those creepy knitted ski masks by now, but have you seen one miniaturized for a Blythe doll? No? FiddybobiddyBiddy to the rescue!

It's not really for hamsters, but it's about the right size. Mydogellen made this awesome knitted bike - she made an Instructable that explains her approach and the techniques she used.

Cakeyvoice is at it again with this funny knitted version of Ash, Bruce Campbell's iconic character from The Evil Dead films. Groovy.

Cathy of California just posted these vintage knitted election mascots on her blog. They're just as cute today, 36 years later.

Spotted in the CRAFT Flickr pool: I love the yarn colors used in Gelbemirabellen's striped knit cap, and the swirly stitching and sewn-on felt baubles just make it that much cooler.

Super Eggplant is sharing this pattern for the Puff Daddy scarflet - the pattern itself is fun to read, written by Kay Gardiner of Mason-Dixon Knitting. I think it would make a great cold-weather gift, for a basenji or a human.

Keep your hands nice and cozy this winter with the Purl Bee's pattern for making these super-soft cashmere fingerless gloves.

Learn to knit these teeny-tiny sock ornaments made from Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca. They recommend knitting up 25 of them to use as an advent calendar of sorts--you can fill each one with a chocolate or some other small treat.

Craft Leftovers shows us how to use bits and scraps of yarn to crochet this handy basket, which you can then felt and use for all kinds of storage and display needs.

The Purl Bee shares a pattern for making this insanely cute knitted witch doll. I love her wiry platinum-blonde pigtails!

Spotted in the CRAFT Flickr pool: If your kidlet is a Harry Potter fan (and really, who isn't?), be sure and check out the free knitting pattern on The Hook and I, which will help you make a quick and easy Hogwarts-inspired necktie for your own little Hermione Granger. As the author points out, the tie can double as a scarf once Halloween is over.

Nikol of The Thrifty Knitter has a free pattern to knit these cozy legwarmers.

Things and Ideas has a PDF knitting pattern to make this knit monster head for Halloween.

Get preppy by knitting up this cute Geek Chic Argyle Vest from the new book, Picture Perfect Knits: Step-by-Step Intarsia with More than 50 Inspiring Patterns by Laura Birek. You can also improvise and use the argyle intarsia pattern for other knitting projects as well!

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