knit art

was cruising the galleries this weekend & found a business card for an artist who makes dolls (creepy dolls). the doll on the business card was wearing what looked to be a crocheted dress & got me thinking of knitting as an art form.

there was a 'radical lace & subversive knitting' exhibit at the museum of art and design in new york January 25 - June 17, 2007. (this is the date on the website but my sister went a few days ago and it was still up-March 28th)

and a similar show in london in 2005: knit 2 together at the crafts council gallery

there is something interesting in juxtaposing a craft traditionally associated with stodgy old ladies & appropriating it for political or social expression...i'm also interested in why youth culture's recently glommed onto it as a hipster thing to do.

Knit your own purse grenade:

Abbreviations

k = knit, p = purl, st(s) = stitch(es), inc = increase, dec = decrease, rep = repeat, slp = slip onto needle without knitting, tog = together, nxt = next, yrn = yarn, fwd = forward, cont = continue, pat = pattern, ss = stocking stitch: one row k, one row p

Materials

Should be knitted in chunky army green and gunmetal grey on 4mm needles. Grenade is fastened with a kilt pin and keyring.

Grenade body

Cast on 40 sts and work in box stitch for 32 rows.

1st row. k4, p4, to end.

2nd row. k4, p4 to end.

3rd row. k4, p4 to end.

4th row. k4, p4 to end.

5th row. p4, k4 to end.

6th row. p4, k4 to end.

7th row. p4, k4 to end.

8th row. p4, k4 to end.

Rep rows 1-8, 4 times.

33rd row. k.

34th row. k1, *yrn fwd, k2tog. Rep from *to end.

35th row. k4 more rows.

Cast off.

The Top

Pick up 30 sts along the 32nd row of the grenade body. Do this by starting and finishing 5sts in.

Commence in gunmetal grey.

1st row k.

2nd row p.

Rep these rows 3 times, dec 1 st at each end of p row.

9th row k.

10th row p.

Rep these rows 3 times, inc 1 st at each end of p row.

Cast off.

Press, fold along shortest row, and hem into 32nd row of body.

The trigger

Cast on 4 sts.

1st row k, inc1st at each end of row.

2nd row p.

3rd row as 1st row.

4th row p.

Cont in ss for 16 rows.

Then dec 1st at each end of every p row until 2sts remain.

K2tog (1 st remains), now make pin loop as follows:

1st row. Cast on 1st.

2nd row. Cast off 1st.

3rd row. Cast on 1st.

4th row. Cast off 1st.

Rep this until loop measures 4cm.

Cast off, and st into a loop.

To finish

St up side of grenade body.

Gather the bottom of the grenade by running stitches through row 1 of body and pulling tight.

Fold trigger in half lengthwise, press, and st on to side seam of body, leaving loop at the top.

Gather opening of grenade by threading ribbon through holes made by row 34.

Put pin through top and loop, and then back through top.

You are now ready to throw your grenade.