SailingKnitter

Poor Cheryl and Karen of the s/v Interlude have had a terrible time trying to make the binnacle (aluminum stand) for their compass and steering wheel look nice. Paint just won’t adhere to it and chips off in a short time. Their boat is otherwise freshly varnished and spotlessly kept. What are a couple of sailing gals to do?

Ask a knitting friend to knit them a Binnacle Bra that's what! Sure, it probably was initially a little joke, but one should never tease a rabid knitter who likes a challenge like that. Hmmm...let's see, what type of yarn? How should the construction be worked out so that the finished bra whould stay in place?


YARN: "Esprit" from elann.com came in the right sea green color to match the rest of the boat's canvas and it is a cotton yarn with a touch of elastic. The binnacle is inside the cockpit and out of the sun so cotton will be fine. The stretchy elastic will allow for a good fit.

Then came the measuring, gauge swatch, and lots of math. Because the fabric will be flexible (as knit fabric always is) and then the addition of the elastic, I didn't have to be spot-on, but of course I wanted it to fit correctly. The plan was finished and the knitting began.


STRUCTURE:
1) Casing on bottom with bungie cord to fit the lower lip.
2) Swirl decreases on skirt to inside pole
3) Casing at base of stand between skirt and stand with a cord to pull tight to hold the bottom to the binnacle.
4) Heart Strings cable motif just for some nautical and friendship fun!
5) Casing at top with cord to tie tight
6) Overlap flap for velcro for vertical closure

Ta-da! All the knitting is now done - and none too soon. Karen & Cheryl just left this morning to begin another big adventure...first out to the island of Roatan, then heading down to Panama and out towards the South Pacific. Sometime in the next few weeks, Karen they will have the time to fit the bra, add the velcro, adjust the ties, and take a photo to share with us. Bon voyage ladies!