Gnomes, of the knitted variety

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Seagull

Settler
Jul 16, 2004
902
108
Gåskrikki North Lincs
I think that is about the most humorous effect that it's possible to get from a few thousand rib-stitches .
....' I'm needing a cross word or two with that Barber of mine'...
Ceeg
 
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SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
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I think that is about the most humorous effect that it's possible to get from a few thousand rib-stitches .
....' I'm needing a cross word or two with that Barber of mine'...
Ceeg
I once calculated how many stitches it took to knit my favourite pair of socks. Stupidest idea ever! It was over 26 000 stitches for the pair.
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
I think that is about the most humorous effect that it's possible to get from a few thousand rib-stitches .
....' I'm needing a cross word or two with that Barber of mine'...
Ceeg
I once calculated how many stitches it took to knit my favourite pair of socks. Stupidest idea ever! It was over 26 000 stitches for the pair.
 

Seagull

Settler
Jul 16, 2004
902
108
Gåskrikki North Lincs
Coincidently, I came across something similar in appearance to the Gnome, though it isn't knitted. They're called Sauna Elves.
Have a look at the latest from Mikko Snelleman, a very well thought of Finnish knot tyer. Rgds
Ceeg
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
Coincidently, I came across something similar in appearance to the Gnome, though it isn't knitted. They're called Sauna Elves.
Have a look at the latest from Mikko Snelleman, a very well thought of Finnish knot tyer. Rgds
Ceeg
That is very interesting! I didn't know they had those in Finland, but it doesn't surprise me. It does simultaneously remind me of tea pets used in gong fu style tea brewing and the Swedish 'hustomte' (small, grumpy, secrative and long-lived humanoid creatures that live on farms and make sure that the humans look after the place and the livestock properly).
 

Seagull

Settler
Jul 16, 2004
902
108
Gåskrikki North Lincs
I hadn't noticed before but that's an eight-strand square sennet that spirals up his hat....theres no way to knit in something like that, surely it was made separately and hitched on.

It isn't so well known, that the 8 strand square, (of Hemp ?), well waxed with graphite grease, was sold by the coil, by ship chandlers specifically for the purpose of gland packing....valves and seals.

IIRC, Ships Chandlers sold all the similar types of packing under Hindi names...I think the graphite one was called "Serang" or perhaps "Cassab"

Regards All
Ceeg
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
I hadn't noticed before but that's an eight-strand square sennet that spirals up his hat....theres no way to knit in something like that, surely it was made separately and hitched on.

It isn't so well known, that the 8 strand square, (of Hemp ?), well waxed with graphite grease, was sold by the coil, by ship chandlers specifically for the purpose of gland packing....valves and seals.

IIRC, Ships Chandlers sold all the similar types of packing under Hindi names...I think the graphite one was called "Serang" or perhaps "Cassab"

Regards All
Ceeg
The spiralling bit of cord is a knitted i-cord that was knitted from the top of the hat until about 45 cm long and then sewn in place using a hidden running stitch.

I-cords are super simple to make! Cast on the desired number of stitches on double-pointed needles (DPNs, easiest) and knit all stitches. Then don’t turn the work, just slide the stitches to the other end of the DPNs and knit all stitches again. Keep doing this over and over, never turning the work. The working yarn will be carried across horizontally on the back, but as you keep working the knitted fabric will form a tube and the horziontal bar will be hidden inside the tube. At the end, give it a tug and roll it between your hands and it will be a smooth knitted tube.

The spiral for the hat was worked over 3 sts, the arms were worked as 6-stitch i-cords and the tiny decorations on the hat were made from tiny 2-, 3- and 4-stitch i-cord pieces tied into circles /doughnuts.
 
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Seagull

Settler
Jul 16, 2004
902
108
Gåskrikki North Lincs
The spiralling bit of cord is a knitted i-cord that was knitted from the top of the hat until about 45 cm long and then sewn in place using a hidden running stitch.

I-cords are super simple to make! Cast on the desired number of stitches on double-pointed needles (DPNs, easiest) and knit all stitches. Then don’t turn the work, just slide the stitches to the other end of the DPNs and knit all stitches again. Keep doing this over and over, never turning the work. The working yarn will be carried across horizontally on the back, but as you keep working the knitted fabric will form a tube and the horziontal bar will be hidden inside the tube. At the end, give it a tug and roll it between your hands and it will be a smooth knitted tube.

The spiral for the hat was worked over 3 sts, the arms were worked as 6-stitch i-cords and the tiny decorations on the had were made from tiny 2-, 3- and 4-stitch i-cord pieces tied into circles /doughnuts.
Wow, and here's me thinking that the sequence for a lonnng, chevron style Turk Head was complicated . I really don't know the half of it! But I don't see myself swapping any of my tame marline spikes any time soon.
On the other hand, I have often thought of directing my canvas sewing skills in the direction
... lost the connection... of making a waistcoat, in 8 ounce canvas. always had a thing about weskits.

Ceeg
 
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SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
Wow, and here's me thinking that the sequence for a lonnng, chevron style Turk Head was complicated . I really don't know the half of it! But I don't see myself swapping any of my tame marline spikes any time soon.
On the other hand, I have often thought of directing my canvas sewing skills in the direction
... lost the connection... of making a waistcoat, in 8 ounce canvas. always had a thing about weskits.

Ceeg
If you know how to knit, it's very simple, but if you're not a knitter it's obviously not as easy.

You can do the same thing by finger knitting. We used to make reams of finger knitted rope in middle school. That was before fidget spinners and the like, but same thing only more productive. :D
 

SaraR

Full Member
Mar 25, 2017
1,631
1,177
Ceredigion
Great job and very skilful! Makes a nice change change from the usual cutlery, boots and olive drab etc. ;)
Thanks! It's perhaps not the most suitable from a bushcraft point of view, but small projects like this are good for learning new skills. Plus it's fun and doesn't take that long. :)
 

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