Thursday, 19 March 2020

knit your own coronavirus

covid-19 corona virus


use the pattern here 
or
download a PDF on ravelry for a small fee: all profits to MSF
visit their site
https://www.msf.org/



main part central ball/sphere represents the
viral envelope 
knitted on 2 needles using short rows
and two colours of wool twisted together 

4 types of protein : each knitted separately and sewn on 
S spike glycoprotein  (red/purple)  : i-cord tube with flared top
HE hemagglutinin esterase dimer (blue) : flat disc
M viral matrix protein (green) :   bobble
E-protein (yellow)  :   bobble

optional (hidden inside)
RNA and N-protein  : white chain  


materials 
50g ball each of red and purple double knitting wool
oddments of  green blue and yellow dk wool
small ball of white  wool 
2 4mm needles for sphere  (uk size 8 / us 6)
4 double-ended sock needles for surface proteins  (uk size 8 / us 6)
stuffing
tapestry needle to finish
crochet hook for loose end
scissors 

size
finished ball measures approx 5" diameter (13cm)
finished virus is 7" across (18cm)


pattern

viral envelope / sphere  
using 4mm needles
2 strands of dk wool 1 purple & 1 red

cast on 31 stitches
row  1 :  slip 1 purlwise;   k28;   wrap next stitch and turn  (1 stitch not worked this row)
row  2 :  s1pw;  p26;     w&t;  (1 st )
row  3 :  s1pw;  k24;     w&t;  (3 st )
row  4 :  s1pw;  p22;     w&t;  (3 st )
row  5 :  s1pw;  k20;     w&t;  (5 st )
row  6 :  s1pw;  p18;     w&t;  (5 st )
row  7 :  s1pw;  k16;     w&t;  (7 st )
row  8 :  s1pw;  p14;     w&t;  (7 st )
row  9 :  s1pw;  k11;     w&t;  (10 st )
row 10 :  s1pw;  p8;       w&t;  (10 st )
row 11 :  s1pw;  k  to end
row 12 :  s1pw;  p  to end
rows 13-96 : repeat these 12 rows 7 more times
cast off 


 


S spikes  (approx 60)
using 2 double-ended 4mm needles
red and purple wool












for each spike
cast on 4 stitches
work as i-cord till 1" (2.5cm) long
change to purple wool
k4 stitches
kfb 4 times (8sts)
turn work
pfb p1 4 times (12sts)
cast off





join sides of purple
add stitches at centre of sides to divide into three
attach to sphere















HE dimers
using 4 double-ended 4mm needles
blue wool







cast on 3sts 
row  1  :  kfb 3 times ( 6sts )
slip onto 3 needles and continue in the round
round 1  :  kfb k 3 times ( 9sts )
row  2  :  kfb  k2  kfb  k1 kfb kfb kfb k1( 14sts )
cast off
embroider dark stitch in middle











M proteins (attach as pairs)
using 2 double-ended 4mm needles
green wool




make loop on needle
work 7 times into this stitch : kfbfbfbf  (7sts)
turn work  p7
turn work cast off 7 stitches
tie 2 loose ends together














E proteins 
using 2 double-ended 4mm needles
yellow wool






make loop on needle
work 7 times into this stitch : kfbfbfbf  (7sts)
turn work  p7
turn work cast off 7 stitches
tie 2 loose ends together


finishing



use tapestry needle or crochet hook to pull spikes through stitches
using picture above as guide
when satisfied with arrangement : sew into position

add green M-proteins in pairs between spikes
add blue HEs using single stitch in centre
add single yellow E-proteins

keep some to cover the seam

optional : make a chain 65" long in white
to represent the RNA and N-protein

use a needle to thread through the stitches on one edge (row-ends)
draw tight and fasten off thread

repeat for the other edge

stuff the sphere with fibre-fill or kapok and the RNA + N-protein

graft or sew the cast-on stitches to the cast-off


make it your own
any colour will do 
proteins too fiddly? cut out of felt and/or use beads/buttons
make the spikes on a spool-knitter/icord-mill and use 3 beads for the tops


further reading   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus

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