Thursday 24 March 2016

G.P.O. 1701rm : royal mail and beyond

celebrating 500 years of royal mail 


Galactic Post Office 1701rm  : a royal mail vehicle of the future!



2 versions
A. the impressive one : " royalmail GPO 1701rm "
filled with a die-cast model 
great as a display model 

B. the softie/floppy one : " GPO remember-to-use-the-starcode "
filled with ordinary stuffing
great as a toy






use the pattern here 
or
download a PDF on ravelry for a small fee: all profits to the stroke association, royal mail's charity of the year
https://www.stroke.org.uk/what-we-do/royal-mails-charity-year

materials 

100g red double knitting wool 
(knitted with 2 strands)
oddments orange and blue wool  

set of 4 sock needles  size 4mm (8uk/6us) 

large sewing needle/darning needle

stuffing
version A : a dinky die-cast model of the starship enterprise 
version B : ordinary toy/cushion stuffing 


lettering
yellow thread and embroidery needle 
or printed lettering 
or embroidered lettering

star-box for display
large cardboard box
black fabric
sets of christmas led lights (about 70 leds)



stitches
k= knit
k2=knit 2 stitches
p=purl 
inc = increase (knit twice into next stitch)
dec = decrease ( knit 2 stitches together)
knit front back front = knit 3 times into the same stitch 
p2tog= purl 2 stitches together 
cast on 
cast off 





knitted as 15 separate pieces:-

2 disc pieces (red)
knitted on 4 sock needles

1 edge piece to go round outer edge of disc (red)
icord : knitted flat on 2 double ended needles

body (red)
knitted flat on 2 needles
+ 2 ends (red)
knitted on 4 needles

 2 nacelles (red)

knitted flat on 2 needles
+ 4 ends (2 orange + 2 blue )
knitted on 4 needles 

1 main strut (red)
 knitted flat on 2 needles

2 nacelle struts (red)
 knitted flat on 2 needles

16th piece is a separate shuttlecraft 

disc (knit 2)

 

using 4x 4mm sock needles

knitted from the centre of circle outwards
start using 2 needles

at 10 stitches divide onto 3 needles
4 on 1st. needle, 2 on 2nd. needle, 4 on 3rd
(half as many stitches on one needle)
 
increase in each round to 20 stitches
 then increase 10 stitches on every other round





              
row  1    
row  2    

round  1
round  2
round  3
round  4
round  5
round  6
round  7
round  8
round  9
round 10
round 11
round 12
round 13
round 14
round 15
round 16
round 17
cast on 1 st
knit front back front (into one stitch)
increase 1 k1 increase 1
increase into each stitch
divide onto 3 needles 
(inc1 knit 1) 5 times  
(inc 1 knit 2) 5 times
all knit 
(inc1 knit 1) 10 times  
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 2) 10 times
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 3) 10 times
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 4) 10 times
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 5) 10 times
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 6) 10 times
all knit 
(inc 1 knit 7) 10 times
cast off
no of stitches
3
5
10
4,2,4
15
20
8,4,8
30
12,6,12
40
16,8,16
50
20,10,20
60
24,12,24
70
28,14,28
80
32,16,32
90



edge of disc (i-cord)

 using 2x 4mm double-ended needles 

knit onto right hand needle
then pass needle and knitting back to left hand
so all rows are knit
and always knitted at the front  






                 
row 1
row 2
row 3
..........

cast on 4 stitches
knit 1 row
pass needle with knitting back to left hand
knit 2nd row pulling wool tight behind
continue until long enough to go around disc
cast off 

               
4
4
4
4

 sew one side of i-cord around 1 disc 
join 2 ends of i-cord 
sew 2nd disc to other side
adding stuffing as you go

   

body  

using 2x 4mm needles 




row 1
row 2
row 3
row 4
row 5
row 6
row 7
row 8
row 35
row 36

cast on 22st
knit to end 
purl to end 
knit to end 
purl to end 
knit to end 
purl to end 
knit to end 
purl to end 
continue knit row/ purl row
until 36 rows in total 
knit to end 
purl to end 
cast off

22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22
22


 sew cast-on edge to cast-off edge




body end disc  (knit 2)

using 4x 4mm sock needles









round 1
round 2
round 3
round 4
cast on 1 st
knit front back front (3 times into stitch)
increase 1; k1; increase 1 
divide onto 3 needles 
knit to end 
increase into each stitch
knit to end 
cast off
1
3
5
2,1,2
2,1,2
4,2,4
10



sew 1 to each end of body 
adding stuffing as you go







nacelle (knit 2)

using 2x 4mm needles

row 1
row 2
row 3
row 4
row 5
row 6
row 7
row 8
row 9
row 10
row 11
row 12
row 13
row 14
row 15
row 16
row 17
row 18
row 19
row 20
cast on 17st
knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  increase1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  increase1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  increase1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
knit to end 
purl to end  (top of nacelle)
knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  decrease1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  decrease1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
k1;  decrease1;  knit to end 
purl to end 
knit to end 
cast off 
17
17
17
18
18
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
19
19
18
18
17
17
17



sew cast-on edge to cast-off edge



orange nacelle end (knit 2)

using 4x 4mm needles








round 1

round 2
round 3
round 4

cast on 1 st
knit front back front (3 times into stitch)
increase into each stitch
divide onto 3 needles 
knit 1 row 
(inc1 knit 1) repeat to end  
cast off loosely
1
3
6
2,2,2
6
9
9

sew 1 to the flat end of each nacelle




blue nacelle end (knit 2)

using 4x 4mm needles







round 1

round 2
round 3
round 4
cast on 1 st
knit front back front (3 times into stitch)
increase into each stitch
divide onto 3 needles 
knit 1 row 
(inc1 knit 1) repeat to end  
cast off loosely
1
3
6
2,2,2
6
9
9


sew 1 to the shaped end of each nacelle 
adding stuffing as you go





main strut

using 2 x 4mm needles



            
row 1
row 2
row 3
row 4

cast on 15 sts
knit to end
cast on1; p5; p2tog; p1; p2tog; p5
cast on 1; k14
cast on1; p5; p2tog; p1; p2tog; p5
cast off 14 stitches

fold in half and sew outside edge 
stuff 
sew to top of body


sew disc to top


           
15
15
14
15
14



nacelle struts (knit 2)

using 2 x 4mm needles

cast on 10 stitches
row 1  :  knit to end
row 2  :  purl to end
repeat these two rows 4 times more
cast off

stitch sides together
sew one end to body



sew nacelle to other end 







lettering  

"royal mail GPO 1701rm"

and

" GPO remember to use the star-code"

created on a janome 200e embroidery machine
thanks to fablab manchester 
https://manchesterfablab.manufacturinginstitute.co.uk/ 




or 
embroider onto disc using yellow thread 
or
print lettering, cut out and glue to top
and/or
embroider over printed lettering 







shuttle craft

using red wool and 4 double ended needles

cast on 6 stitches
work 2 rounds
k2 inc2 k2 = 8sts
8 rowscast off

stuff and sew up ends





star-box

take a large cardboard box 
cover the inside with black material 
(i knitted it)
use black thread to sew it in place
make holes through the cardboard 
push led lights through the cardboard into the box 










Wednesday 2 March 2016

3D shamrock for st patrick's day (17th march)




size 8" x 8" x1.5"  (20x20x4cm)

 
each leaflet is knitted in the round on 4 double ended sock needles
short rows are used to shape the tops
stalk is also knitted on 4 needles

knitted with 2 strands of  double knitting wool

materials
100g green double knitting wool
 4x4mm needles (uk8, us6)
small amount of stuffing

                         leaf-let (make 3)


 using 4x4mm needles
               

row 1

round 1
round 2
round 3
round 4
round 5
round 6
round 7
round 8
round 9
round 10
round 11
round 12
round 13
round 14
round 15
round 16
round 17
round 18
round 19
round 20
round 21

row  1
row  2
row  3
row  4
row  5
row  6
row  7
row  8
row  9
row 10
row 11


row  1
row  2
row  3
row  4
row  5
row  6
row  7
row  8
row  9
row 10
row 11


row  1
row  2
row  3
row  4
row  5
row  6
row  7
row  8
row  9
row 10
row 11


row  1
row  2
row  3
row  4
row  5
row  6
row  7
row  8
row  9
row 10
row 11
round 22

cast on 1 st
knit front back front (3 times into same stitch)
increase into each stitch
divide onto 3 needles 
( inc1 knit 1 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 2 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 3 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 4 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 5 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 6 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 7 ) 3 times 
( inc1 knit 8 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 9 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 10 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 11 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 12 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 13 ) 3 times 
knit to end
( inc1 knit 14 ) 3 times 
work "short rows" on 12 stitches at a time
(easier to slip rest of stitches onto a circular needle or stitch holder )
k11 wrap & turn
p10 w&t
k9 w&t
p8 w&t
k7 w&t
p6 w&t
k5 w&t
p4 w&t
k3 w&t
p2 w&t
k7 knitting wraps with stitches as you go 
slip these 12 stitches onto the circular needle/ or a stitch holder
work on the second set of 12 stitches 
k11 w&t
p10 w&t
k9 w&t
p8 w&t
k7 w&t
p6 w&t
k5 w&t
p4 w&t
k3 w&t
p2 w&t
k7 knitting wraps with stitches as you go 
slip these 12 stitches onto a separate needle
work on the third set of 12 stitches 
k11 w&t
p10 w&t
k9 w&t
p8 w&t
k7 w&t
p6 w&t
k5 w&t
p4 w&t
k3 w&t
p2 w&t
k7 knitting wraps with stitches as you go 
slip these 12 stitches onto a separate needle
work on the fourth set of 12 stitches 
k11 w&t
p10 w&t
k9 w&t
p8 w&t
k7 w&t
p6 w&t
k5 w&t
p4 w&t
k3 w&t
p2 w&t
k7 knitting wraps with stitches as you go 
knit 1 row knitting wraps with stitches as you go 
cast off 
no of sts 
3
6
2,2,2
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
30
33
33
36
36
39
39
42
42
45
45
48






















































fill with stuffing and sew together at the top 
repeat for 2 more leaflets 


stalk

using 4x4mm needles




round 1
round 2
round 3
round 4
round 5
round 6
round 7
round 8
round 9
round 10
round 11
round 12
round 13
round 14
round 15
round 16
round 17
round 18
round 19
round 20
round 21
round 22
round 23
round 24
round 25
round 26
round 27
round 28

cast on 1 st
knit front back front (3 times into stitch)
increase 1 k1 increase 1 
divide onto 3 needles 
increase into each stitch
( increase 1 k1 ) 5 times   
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
decrease1 k to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
decrease1 k to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
decrease1 k to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
decrease1 k to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
knit to end 
decrease1 k to end 
knit to end 
cast off 
1
3
5
2,1,2
10
15
15
15
15
15
14
14
14
14
14
13
13
13
13
13
12
12
12
12
12
11
11
11
11
11
10
10



stuff and gather at the top


sew 4 pieces together
add safety pin to wear on st patrick's day!