Kidneys As mentioned on “Jeopardy!" Jan. 18, 2012 AmyStephenson
A non-knitter friend of mine who is a survivor of reproductive cancer asked me to knit her the Womb from Knitty. A few months after I'd done so, her father was diagnosed with renal cancer. So my friend asked if I could knit him a set of kidneys. I made up the pattern below and knitted it using scrap yarn in the appropriate colors. Despite having lost a significant amount of tissue, he ultimately made a full recovery, has appeared on local TV with the kidneys, and as of this writing has been in remission and cancer-free for X years. I can't prove my kidneys are the secret to his recovery, but that didn't stop me from telling Alex Trebek all about it when I was on "Jeopardy!" on Jan. 18, 2012. Alex thought it was a little weird.
Materials
scrap yarn in brown, red, blue and yellow, worsted weight (or different weight as you choose to scale the project) size 7 needles (or size up or down as needed to get a satisfactory gauge: a solid but flexible fabric, neither too tight nor too loose); for the I-cord you will need DPNS ? darning needle cotton or polyester batting
Directions
Kidneys The kidneys consist of four pieces, each curving to produce a kidney shape. Knit two of each piece and pair them together for two symmetrical kidneys. Arcing left Knit two of these. Using the brown yarn, CO 6 stitches. Proceed Row 1 (RS): K6 Row 2 (WS): P1, M1, P4, M1, P1: 8 stitches Row 3: K1, M1, K6, M1, K1: 10 stitches Row 4: P1, M1, P8, M1, P1: 12 stitches Row 5: K11, M1, K1: 13 stitches Row 6: P1, M1, P12: 14 stitchess Row 7: K2tog, K12: 13 stitches Row 8: P13 Row 9: K12, M1, M1: 14 stitches Row 10: P12, P2tog: 13 stitches Row 11: K12, M1, K1: 14 stitches Row 12: P12, P2tog: 13 stitches Row 13: K13 Row 14: P13 Row 15: K13 Row 16:P13 Row 17: K1, M1, K12: 14 stitches Row 18: P14 Row 19: K1, M1, K13: 15 stitches Row 20: P14, M1, P1: 16 stitches Row 21: K14, K2tog: 15 stitches Row 22:P15 Row 23: K13, K2tog: 14 stitches Row 24: P12, P2tog: 13 stitches Row 25: K1, K2tog, K7, K2tog, K1: 11 stitches Row 26: P1, P2tog, P5, P2tog, P1: 9 stitches Row 27: K1, K2tog, K3, K2tog, K1: 7 stitches BO loosely. Arcing right Knit two of these. Using the brown yarn, CO 6 stitches. Proceed as follows: Row 1 (WS): P6 Row 2 (RS): K1, M1 K4, M1, K1: 8 stitches Row 3: P1, M1, P6, M1, P1: 10 stitches Row 4: K1, M1, K8, M1, K1: 12 stitches Row 5: P11, M1, P1: 13 stitches Row 6: K1, M1, K12: 14 stitches Row 7: P2tog, P12: 13 stitches Row 8: K13 Row 9: P12, M1, P1: 14 stitches Row 10: K12, K2tog: 13 stitches Row 11: P12, M1, P1: 14 stitches Row 12: K12, K2tog: 13 stitches Row 13: P13 Row 14: K13 Row 15: P13 Row 16: K13 Row 17: P1, M1, P12: 14 stitches Row 18: K14 Row 19: P1, M1, P13: 15 stitches Row 20: K14, M1, K1: 16 stitches Row 21: P14, P2tog: 15 stitches Row 22: K15 Row 23: P13, P2tog: 14 stitches Row 24: K12, K2tog: 13 stitches Row 25: P1, P2tog, P7, P2tog, P1: 11 stitches Row 26: K1, K2tog, K5, K2tog, K1: 9 stitches Row 27: P1, P2tog, P3, P2tog, P1:7 stitches Bind off loosely. Ureters Knit two of these. Using yellow yarn and DPNs, make I-cord: CO3stitches. Knit those stitches. Without turning your work, move the needle holding the stitches to your left hand and the empty needle to your right hand. Pull the yarn from the left and knit the stitches. Repeat until you have a tube of about 4 or 5 inches, or as long as you want the ureters to be. Bind off loosely. Arteries Using red yarn and DPNs, make I-cord: CO 3 stitches. Knit those stitches. Without turning your work, move the needle holding the stitches to your left hand and the empty needle to your right hand. Pull the yarn from the left and knit the stitches. Repeat until you have a tube of about 4 inches (or as far apart as you want the kidneys to sit). Bind off loosely. In the middle of the tube, pick up three stitches along the side and knit 3 inches of lcord. Bind off loosely. Veins Using blue yarn and DPNs, make I-cord: CO3 stitches. Knit those stitches. Without turning your work, move the needle holding the stitches to your left hand and the empty needle to your right hand. Pull the yarn from the left and knit the stitches. Repeat until you have a tube of about 4 inches (or as far apart as you want the kidneys to sit). Bind off loosely. In the middle of the tube, pick up three stitches along the side and knit 3 inches of Icord. Bind off loosely. Assembly Seam andstuff thekidneys Pair the complementary pieces of the kidneys. Starting at the concave side, seam together, pausing with 1-2 inches left to join. Stuff the kidney with batting until it is plump but not strained. Finish seaming together. Work in edges. Attachtheureters On the inner side of each kidney, near the bottom, seam the top end of one ureter tube. Attachthe arteries Near the top of the concave curve of each kidney, attach one end of the long tube of the artery, with the additional tube pointing up. Attachtheveins Near the bottom of the concave curve of each kidney, attach one end of the long tube of the vein, with the additional tube hanging down.
