Introduction: Cloud City

By

A fun space knitting project...

Step 1: Materials and Tools


Materials
Lion Brand - Alpine Wool - Dark Gray (1 Skein)
Lion Brand - Alpine Wool - Light Gray (1/4 Skein)
Lion Brand - Vanna's Glamor - Sparkly black (Few yards)
Lion Brand - Vanna's Glamor - Sparkly copper (1/2 Skein)
Lion Brand - Fun Fur - White (3 Skeins)
Thread (12 inches)
Material for stuffing (Packing peanuts, plastic grocery bags, etc.)
19" long 1" by 1" pieces of pine (4)
Wood screws (4)
Wire (8 - 12 feet)
Sheets of cloud paper for background (4)
Tape
Wood Glue

Tools
Straight knitting needles (Size 6)
Double pointed knitting needles (Size 8)
Circular knitting needles (Size 8)
Drill
Hole Saw
Screw Driver
Scissors


Step 2: Cloud City - Top


Knit main structure
  • Cast 12 stitches on double pointed knitting needles
  • Pearl 10 rows - +3 stitches/row
  • Switch to circular needles
  • Knit 7 rows + 5 stitches/row
  • Switch to copper yarn
  • Knit 3 rows +10 stitches/row
  • Switch back to gray yarn
  • Knit 2 rows +10 stitches/row
  • Pearl 1 row
  • Knit 4 rows +5 stitches/row
  • Pearl 2 rows
  • Knit 6 rows +5 stitches/row
  • Pearl 3 rows
  • Knit 1 row
  • Switch to copper yarn
  • Knit 6 rows
  • Switch back to gray yarn
  • Pearl 3 rows
  • Knit 16 rows - decreasing by 10 each row
  • Cast off, leaving an open hole in the middle
  • Stuff with packing material until saucer shape is even and sturdy, without stretching yarn too far



Step 3: Cloud City - Base


Create base
  • Drill 1/4" hole in 1" dowel - about 1" deep
  • Cut off 1/2" piece
  • Fit and glue cut off piece to the 1/4" dowel - about a quarter of the way from the top of the dowel
  • Wrap both in gray yarn
  • Glue 1/4" dowel into the 1" dowel
  • Wrap attachment site with gray yarn
Assemble
  • Place base into saucer piece and sew to attach

Step 4: Clouds


Didn't really have much of a plan for the clouds.  Just cast on 5 and increase/decrease as you go...in a cloudy type pattern.

Run wire through edges to allow shaping and flexibility of the pieces.

Step 5: Tie Fighter


Wings
  • Cast on 3
  • Knit increasing by two up to 13
  • Decrease by two until back to three
  • Sew outline
Body
  • Roll yarn into a ball, leaving about 12 inches of yarn
Assemble
  • Using the end of the yarn, thread through ball and attach wings
  • Run wire through wings to retain shape

Step 6: Millennium Falcon


Top
  • Cast on 6, knit 1 row and increase by 2 until 16 stitches.
  • Pearl 3 rows
  • Knit 3 rows of 14
  • Knit 1 row of 12
  • Move 6 stitches to each needle
  • Knit 5 rows and cast off
Bottom
  • Knit a piece identical to the top
Assemble
  • Sew in circle in middle of pearled rows
  • Add outlines
  • Sew both pieces together
  • Stuff
  • Sew together

Step 7: Frame and Final Assembly


Construct frame
  • Attach 4 pieces of pine in a square
  • use hole saw to cut 1" hole in one scrap piece
  • Attach scrap piece to back inside corner of the frame
  • Attach two more scrap pieces inside the frame
  • Cut a circle in the paper to fit around base
  • Tape four sheets of paper to frame and four pieces on the wall behind it
  • Drill small holes for wire - 3 for tie fighters, 1 for Falcon, 4 - 6 for clouds
  • Place/glue wire

Assemble
  • Arrange pieces on wires
  • Hang one tie fighter with thread from bottom of Cloud City structure

Voila! Now you have an odd display in your house.