Thursday, February 17, 2011

Search for Bicycle Knits

Last year I searched for car related knitting patterns, and came up with very little that was available for free. Living in the city, most of my friends do not have cars, but instead bike around the city.

Almost everyone I know around Boston who bikes has been hit by a car. I grew up biking on Mackinac Island, where there are no cars and the bike is the fastest mode of transportation, so I do no bike in the city. Unfortunately, this does not keep me from being hit by cars because I was once hit in a crosswalk outside of work. Stupid Massachusetts drivers!

I have separated this post into some categories. Charts (which I may stop adding pattern so quickly if I find a million of them), Accessories (thinks that cyclists wear or that you put on your bike) and Toys.

Accessories
Many people have pattens out there that are called "Bicycle socks" but I am looking for more direct references to this theme.
  • Bike Helmet Ear Warmers - Keith would stop biking in the winter when the roads became too icy, but it also became difficult when it was too cold outside. These ear warmers fit under your helmet (safety is important!) and should really stick down around your ears well. You attache these to the helmet directly. You will need to create a free Ravelry account to view and download this pattern.
  • Bike Helmet Earmuffs - These earmuffs are connected by a strap that goes over your head, under the helmet. You can slip the straps of the helmet through these earmuffs, which is how they stay over your ears.
  • Earwarmers for a Cyclist - These are two separate pieces that fit over the helmet straps. You will need to create a free Ravelry account to view and download this pattern.
  • Antifreeze - This was designed for a snowboarding helmet, but the concept should work well with a biking helmet. With this garment, you keep your entire face (except for eyes) covered. There is a hole where you can fit the straps for the helmet under your chin, through the mask.
  • Helmet Liner - This face mask has an opening that is wide enough so you can pull it up to cover your nose or down to have your face exposed without needing to remove the mask. There is no photo on the pattern page.
  • Double Knit Bicycle Hat - Reversible because of the technique, this hat should also be pretty warm. The bicycle chart fills a good portion of the side of the hat.
  • Lobster Claw Bicycle Mittens - Halfway between mittens and gloves, these hand warmers have a split between your middle and ring fingers so you can brake without removing your hand off of the handle.
  • Registers Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) Mittens - Four bicycles run up and down the back of your hand in these cute mittens. You will need to create a free Ravelry account to view and download this pattern.
  • Cycle Gauntlet Liner - Form fitted, meant to fit under motorcycle gloves, these fingerless mittens have separate finger holes. You will need to create a free Ravelry account to view and download this pattern.
  • Knitted Flower for Bike Helmet - You could adapt many patterns to do something similar. The idea is petty cute. Unfortunately, there is no photo on the pattern page.
  • Bicycle Cozy - This Wonder Woman knit a cozy for her bike... but unfortunately does not provide a pattern. I thought that it could provide some inspiration. (Or you could contact her requesting the pattern, since she assumed no one would ever want that!)

Toys


  • Bike Love - Yes this is a knit bicycle. This isn't a pattern per se, as the designer did not use one. She shaped wire in to a bicycle shape (using her bike as a model) and then knit Icords to cover the wire.
  • There are many fun pictures of similar knit/crocheted bikes, but I have not located any patterns.

Charts


Wow, I was expecting to find many more patterns than I have...

This post was written as a Happy Birthday to my biking friends with February Birthdays. Happy Birthday!