Digestive System Knitalong: Part Five, Stomach!

[katmajic]

is that a knitting term or a digestive one? and how do I make it?

[determinedimprovisation]

it's a knitting term, short for idiot cord, because you make it without turning the piece.  on your dpn's, knit a row, slide it to the end and keep knitting on the same side.

[arrmatie]

 Thanks for clarifying that for me, determinedimprovisa tion.

Here's part Four, no pictures this time because it's relatively straightforward.  Let me know if anything needs further explanation.

Small Intestine:

Remove the waste yarn from the last segment of the large intestine and place these six sts on two size 10.5 dpns (if there isn't enough slack put the stitches on a smaller pair of needles and knit the next row with the 10.5s).
Using the bulky yellow-pink yarn, knit across one needle, rotate the work 180 degrees and knit across the other needle.  Rotate 180 degees again (if you're smart you'll rotate it the opposite direction so that you untwist the twist you made with the last rotation.  If you can't manage this you'll just need to untwist your work every dozen or so rows.) and knit across the first needle.  This technique is a cross between I-cord and working on four dpns.  I find it very suitable as trying to make I-cord with six stitches (rather than the usual three or four)  leaves a ladder up one side of the tube, and trying to work with four dpns leaves you with two stitches per needle, an invitation for slipping needles and dropped stitches, at least if you're me.  The two parallel needles are also very easy to hold on to, so that knitting this way requires less coordination and concentration, making it simpler to work while paying attention to something else.

Knit until the small intestine measures 21 feet (yes, the human small intestine is 7 yards long.  You don't have to make yours quite this long, trust me no one's going to measure, but you need at least 15 feet of innards for them to look authentic and the more the better).  This takes me close enough to 1 skein of Red Heart Baby Clouds that I just knit to the end of the skein.

Some Tips:
21 feet may seem daunting, I find it helps to set myself a quota, say 5 feet a night or 2 feet per movie.  Depending on how much TV you watch this is very doable.
It only took me about 8 hours each time to knit this section.  It's very mindless work and after the first couple of feet your hands will know what to do and you won't need your eyes.  Just pick up the knitting whenever you're watching TV, or your kids playing, or your dinner burning and you should be done in just a few days.
(And if you start to feel yourself cursing me for writing this pattern, just remember that I've made three of these so far, that's 63 feet on six stitches and some very calloused fingers.)

[Akcolon]

I love the knitted digestive system.  I wish I would have had one while I was in nursing school oh so long ago.  Any way I am going to try and make one for work.  I think it will work great for teaching our patients! 
I am a little confused on the small intestine.   How do I knit using 2dpn? I tried to cheat and put my stitches on 2 dpn (with the 3rd free) while knitting socks.  It didn't work. I couldn't get my fingers where they needed to go.  A dpn was always in the way. The sock had a 64 stitch hole. I can't fathom a 6 stitch hole being easier. I haven't tried it yet, but keep seeing  myself struggling for 21 feet trying to make a tubish intestine.
My grandma always says "don't get your bowels in a flutter" (when we are having a spaz).  While I think my bowels will be a flutter if I try to knit them on 2 dpns. Am I over reacting?  akcolon

[arrmatie]

First, let me say that I've tried "cheating" and using only 2 dpns on larger tubes like socks and, you're right, it doesn't work.  When working with only 3 dpns, the important factor isn't the hole in the middle of the tube because with the stitches on two parallel needles, there isn't one.  What allows you to get the third needle in between the two needles holding stitches is the ability to twist the needles relative to each other.  With more stitches the needles are held together more, so there is less ability to twist.  Fewer stitches (I wouldn't try many more than three per needle) allows a lot of freedom for the needles to twist and gives you a place to fit that third needle.  Also I can say that I HAVE done this, three times.  It is possible

Thanks for voicing your concern.  I think I'll work on some explanatory pictures, if you think this is a worry other knitters might have.

[green.eyez]

please, please, please put up lesson 5.
i am starting the 6- stitch 21 foot i- cord this morning-
should be done by tonight.

green.eyez

[arrmatie]

Stomach:

With Stomach pink and size 6 dpns, knit into the front and back of each stitch, place marker (12 sts).  Redistribute the stitches onto three needles and knit one row. 
KF&B, K2 across (18 sts)
Knit 5 rows plain.
K2tog, K3 across (12 sts)
K2 tog, K4 across (10 sts)
Knit 1 row
KF&B across (20 sts)
Knit 1 row
KF&B, K1 across (30 sts)
K 16 rows
K11, wrap and turn, P10, w&t, K across
Knit 2 rows
K11, w&t, P10, w&t, K across
Knit 1 row
K5, M1, K2, M1, K across (32 sts)
K13, w&t, P12, w&t, K across
Knit 1 row
K1, M1, K3, M1, K6, M1, K3, M1, K across (36 sts)
K17, w&t, P16, w&t, K across
Knit 1 row
K5, M1, K2, M1, K4, M1, K2, M1, K across (40 sts)
K21, w&t, P20, w&t, K across
Knit 4 rows
K9, SSK, K2tog, K across (38 sts)
Knit 1 row
K8, SSK, K2tog, K across (36 sts)
Knit 1 row
K 8, w&t, P13, w&t.  The next section is worked only on these 15 sts.  Place the next 6 sts on a stitch holder or waste yarn and leave the remaining 15 sts on a spare dpn.
K12, w&t, P11, w&t, K10, w&t, P9, w&t, K7, w&t, P5, w&t.
(We will now work this same section in reverse, picking up the wrapped stitches.  This is just like working the toe of a sock.)
K5, w&t, P5, w&t, K7 (picking up the two wraps when knitting the wrapped stitch), w&t, P9, w&t, K10, w&t, P11, w&t, K12, w&t, P13, w&t, K14.  Cut the yarn, leaving a tail a couple of feet long.  At this point you may wish to place a few lumps of stuffing in the stomach to represent partially digested food. Weave stitches together.

The "toe" of the stomach, about to be woven -


The finished stomach.


Thank you for your patience and, as usual, please alert me to any typos or mistakes.

[becdane]

Maybe I'll only knit the colon and give it to the doctor who did my colonoscopy for Christmas.  Guess I should personalize it and show where the polyps were..........

[ziza]

If I make it, I'm definitely customizing it with some ulcers in the small intestine.

[green.eyez]

HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! could you please post a photo of the pancreas.
i am having a problem working the pattern on only 8 stitches,
and a visual aid would help a lot. am i possibly misreading the pattern?
should i have more than 8 stitches?

HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!!