Barcode Knit Complete

Music-themed scarf/iPod cozy.

Vital stats:

Needle size: 2, one set straight, one set double pointed
Yarn: sock weight
Gauge: 6 stitche per inch, 8 rows per inch
Total number of stitches in project, 13,382, (31 stitches per round)


Here is what I learned.

Barcode is truly a machine language. I took the name "bellflur" (after the band) and used an online converter to translate it into Code 128. It looks really good on paper. Great visual, nice stripes. I enlarged the printout so I could see and count each row of pixels. Very simple. Stripes are easy to knit?

WRONG.

In barcode, each number translates into rows of pixels. The number 1 is a single row, the number 3 is three rows. Code 128 does the same for letters. This allows a lot of information to be printed in a small amount of space, such as a label.

In knitting, this greatly expands the project. If you look at the photo of the scarf, you will see that the letters take up less space than the stripes of the code. In addition, in knitting there is the issue of color changes and weaving in ends. I carried the yarn up the sides to avoid having over 100 loose ends to weave. A final consideration with knitting is changing colors on odd or even numbers of rows. In flat knitting, it is easiest to change colors every two rows. Originally, I tried to expand the barcode so that one row of pixels equalled a two-row stripe. That gave me a pattern repeat in the range of 250-300 rows. Eventually, I chose to knit the scarf in the round, to facillitate frequent colr changes of one-row stripes. I knit the scarf as a closed-end, double knit tube to make it more interesting for myself. After knitting about 6 inches of the pattern, I decided to use the tube to hold my iPod or cellphone, leaving an opening that was later bordered in 1x1 ribbing.

After the barcode portion was completed, I knit the remainder of the scarf in plain black. This portion was knit on double pointed needles and I just knit until I used up nearly all of the black yarn. The final length is 55 inches, which is rather short for a winter scarf, but just right for holding my ipod at a comfortable level.

The last step in the main scarf was to duplicate stitch the name "bellflur" on the solid portion of the scarf. I used chart that I made some time ago. The chart was made from the band's logo that I charted using KnitPro and then altered to get the effect I wanted. I found it frustrating to duplicate stitch black yarn, at a small gauge, in a long, narrow, tube.

The final steps were to bind off the knitting and add fringe. The loose ends were tucked inside the scarf.

I am SO glad this thing is done. This project had an idea that I loved. I hated the execution. If I do another barcode project, I will choose a different yarn and perhaps knit it using a knitting machine, flat. I will definitely do it at a much larger guage. I fit the project to use the yarn I had available in black and white. I may try another version of barcode, called AZTEC next because it appears to be graphically intersting.

Barcode Section Knit- Update Bellflur

Confession....I have been "socializing" on Facebook and not knitting. Anyway, I'm back to the knit at least for a while. Bellflur is hitting the road for their summer season AND they will finally be releasing new songs. I want to get this project finished before the EP and Album are released.

This project started out as a simple barcode experiment. Along the way, I realized that I could use this narrow scarf/stole to hold my iPod. The barcode portion was knit in tubular double knitting. The remainder of the scarf will be knit in plain black until it is long enough, or I run out of yarn. I am finishing it on double point needles because knitting on black yarn in dim light made for some .......unravelling. Now I can just knit on circular auto pilot.

The last step will probably be to embroider the title "Bellflur" on the black portion.

If you look carefully at the iPod, you can see the cover of the first Bellflur CD.

Wind Whistling Between His Ears

This hat needs to contact the head on the far right ASAP. It's clear to me that he's gone without for too long. A regular, disciplined, stretch in a recording studio, followed by hot chocolate and a vegetarian diet would be appropriate.

While this Bellflur member was out pillaging the South, I was at home knitting furiously. The result was this most excellent beanie which suits those who like chocolate, caffeine, and organic chemistry in one fell swoop. The guitarist gets the beanie as long as I get photos.

This wayward group of musicians has been a source of inspiration for my knitting, as previous posts will show. Currently, they inspire my vegetarian leanings.

Needs a New Hat

I've been sitting on this for a while. I got a message from Tom, who plays bass and guitar for bellflur, that he needed a new hat. Over the summer, I made prototypes, for a similar project that did not suit. Recently, I saw that he was cutting down on caffeine and I remembered the Heterocyclic Hat Pattern. Tom wears a brown hat, so I'm making a version using the molecular structures for caffeine (in coffee) and theobromine (in chocolate). It's in the final knit stages.

Over and Out of My Hands

I finished this and turned it over to the recipient. I remembered to get a photo before it left my possession. It is up to the recipient to figure out the message. He knows what should be there but must figure out the exact order.

It's nice to get this done. It felt so good in my hands that I have a bit of the same yarn to make something smaller for myself.

I always worry that my work isn't good enough. In this case, the model started stroking the scarf and commented how nice it was. I think the recipient liked it too.

I'm ready for something new.

In Binary

Very relaxing this is. (channeling Yoda today) I've knit a long scarf out of Paton's Chunky Shetland Tweed. It's 6'4" long and about 12" wide. I'm adding a message in binary code to the body of the scarf. Finally, the scarf will be folded lengthwise and seamed up the back to hide the inner workings. The text is being done in brown with flashes of yellow (initial characters) and variegated greens. The text in the chart does not correspond to what is shown on the scarf, but it is a broad hint. The knit feels so good that I set aside a small portion of the yarn for myself. Otherwise this would be an 8' long scarf. No, I can't buy more, already bought out the entire store supply in that color. Got some green too. Holding this yarn puts me in a catlike state.... I'm purring on the inside.