DROP STITCHES NOT BOMBS!

Every few years, my knitted hand granade gets thrown around and makes it's point somewhere new. This time I am delighted to see it next to my heroin Vivienne Westwood, at Museums Sheffield. It was also image of the week in the Times Knowledge last Saturday.  To celebrate, I would like to share the pattern. Please Drop Stitches not Bombs. Thank you. 

Materials - Should be knitted in chunky army green and gun metal grey on 4mm needles. Grenade is fastened with a kilt pin and a key ring.

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. k 4 more rows.

Cast Off.

THE TOP

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

Commence in gun metal 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 4sts.

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

2nd row. p.

3rd row. as 1st row.

4th row. p.

cont. in stocking st. for 16 rows.

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

k2tog.( 1 sts. remains) now make pin loop as follows.

1st row. Cast on 1 st.

2nd row. Cast off 1 st.

3rd row. Cast on 1 st.

4th row. Cast off 1 st. 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. onto 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 top, and now you are ready to throw your grenade!

FLEUR'S PLACEMATS.

Congratulations to Fleur Emery, who has made these fabulously pop place mats.  Fleur had the simple and effective idea of knitting in roving and felting to make it thicker, fluffier, with lovely rounded corners. 

Fleur makes delicious porridge which can be found at www.grasshopper.co.uk 

Fleur's porridge is designed for those of us who find the mornings difficult, and I'm sure I'd leap out of bed to rest my breakfast on one of these mats. 

Roving 80p/10g most colours.

BEACH COMBING ON THE STREETS OF LONDON.

I'm sure any spinner will tell you, that once you get going, and start dreaming, you can end up sitting anywhere. If we sit outside the shop and concentrate, it is possible to turn the noise of passing traffic, into the sound of waves at the seaside. Today I spun plastic bags for our "Rubbish  Collection" and pretended we combed them from the beach.