Summer Dishcloth Swap Project

I decided to participate in an online dishcloth swap - So I needed to step it up a notch and make something unusual...

I once again decided on using the 'Almost Lost' pattern.  It's such a mindless pattern that I find I can easily watch TV or have a conversation while I knit... it always turns out pretty, but I needed to make it somehow different.

I decided that I could make the center area very flowery looking by holding a small strand of ombre crochet cotton alongside the worsted cotton for the main knitting, then dropping it for the stitches outside the yarn over.  The two yarns I used are easily seen in this photo (click it for larger image)

Finished cloth - I think they turned out great!!  I'm thinking I will use this technique again and make some red and green cloths for gifts at Christmas (stay tuned)

Co-knitting in church

My daughter was home from college and she took up knitting with me at church today.

I normally like to have at least 3 rows completed on any project I plan to knit during the service.  It makes it less distracting if I already have a foundation and pattern started and I don't have to mess with casting on or counting.  This was not the case today so I had to quickly cast something on and start it before the service started.  My fault for lack of preparation.  It's a good thing I have so many small patterns stuck in my head and can get one on the needles quickly.

I was sort of surprised that my daughter wanted to join me in this activity.  We had a truly peaceful time sitting and knitting and enjoying each other this morning.  I think she's hooked on it now.

Today's knitting for me was The Almost Lost Washcloth, which is a very simple and lovely pattern I have made several times in the past.  I got a good start on mine but didn't get very far today.

This pattern works up a very nice, round cloth, garter stitched short rows with no wrapping.  It's easy to memorize and keep track of but there is a fair amount of turning involved.  Even then, I consider this pattern to be quite portable.  I don't know if I would knit this pattern again at church, but it is a great pattern for other kinds of public knitting like the bus or a waiting room.  The finished cloth is very cute... Everyone I've given them to has loved them.

My daughter worked on and FINISHED her little seed stitch cloth she brought in her bag... very cute.  No pattern required, she just cast on 25 and worked it until it was square.  Perfect for church knitting.  It can be worked without even looking down.  I'm not sure anyone even realized she was knitting.

We had an interesting conversation on the way home about knitting in Victorian times.  It was considered quite a refined art and part of a well-bred lady's skills. In that era, most of the upper class ladies were knitting and carried their knitting with them to social gatherings and sat and knit in groups with their family members and friends.  So, I have no guilt at all in striving to bring this beautiful tradition back.

Tonight I started a sample of a lace cloth that I plan on finishing while we have a girls movie night and the boys are out sitting around the bonfire in the yard. 

Happy Memorial day!!

Squishy Feather Dishcloth / Hot Pad (two ways)

Many years ago, my Aunt Sherry made me this potholder as a wedding (or anniversary?) gift.  It was designed to be folded in half around a hot handle or pan and it works great for that.  It's thick and soft and totally reversible.  It's my go-to pad for when I need something under a hot dish at the table.  It has been washed hundred+ times and it's still fat and squishy and looks good.  (note - the yarn used in this pad in this seems heavier and more firmly wound than the cotton yarn I have used in past years - this may have made a difference in the wear and tear factor - time will tell)

I wanted to make one for my daughter's apartment warming party, so I cornered my aunt one day and asked her for the pattern.  She told me it was a standard Feather & Fan pattern and she couldn't remember it, nor did she have it written down.  She thinks maybe she was just swatching ideas for an afghan and ended up with that potholder, but she never made it again... (sigh)

So I hunted and hunted and hunted for the pattern, but I have not found anything like it online or in a book.  I found dozens of different versions of F&F and Old Shale, nothing seems "standard", and for sure I didn't find anything really reversible like this one is... So I got out my magnifier and my needles and worked the stitch pattern out on my own.

The two following patterns are the results of my playing with this... I have a three fan version and a four fan version and an example of a two color version.  

THIS PATTERN IS SUPER SIMPLE TO MEMORIZE so it is ideal for public, group and portable knitting situations... Spoiler = I also am working on making a version of into a floofy scarf pattern, so watch for that next!! :)

PATTERNS BELOW

(PDF download link available under each pattern)

K = knit

P = Purl

K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together

YO = Yarn over

[repeat] = repeat the previous shaping stitches that are in brackets

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SQUISHY FEATHER HOT PAD (w three fans)

Yarn is worsted 100% Cotton - Lily Sugar'n Cream, Peaches'n Cream, Knit Picks Dishie, Lion Kitchen Cotton - anything like these

Needle size - US 8 (5.0mm) .. The reason for this is because you want a loose knit.. but use what you have, 6,7 or 8 all give good results.

Makes appx 9.5 inch cloth (depending on gauge)

Cast on 42 stitches, loosely

Row 1: K2, [YO, K4, K2tog, K2tog, K4, YO], K1, [repeat], K1, [repeat], K2 

(do yourself a favor and occasionally count your stitches after doing Row 1 to make sure you still have 42)

Row 2: K2, P38, K2

Row 3: K all

Repeat this three row pattern until you have a cloth that is reasonably square.

Bind off and weave in the ends....  Ta-Da!!  So soft! 

If you decide to give this cloth as a gift PLEASE take the time to gently block it and make it look pretty

Download and print - Squishy Feather Hotpad PDF

Ravelry page - Squishy Feathers Hot Pad (w three fans)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SQUISHY FEATHER DISHCLOTH (w four fans)

Yarn is worsted 100% Cotton - Lily Sugar'n Cream, Peaches'n Cream, Knit Picks Dishie, Lion Kitchen Cotton - anything like these

Needle size - US 6 (4.0mm) .. You want a loose but firm knit.  Larger needles will give a bigger than average cloth... but use what you have, 6,7 or 8 all give good results.

Makes appx 10 inch cloth (depending on gauge)

Cast on 47 stitches, loosely

Row 1: K2, [YO, K3, K2tog, K2tog, K3, YO], K1, [repeat], K1, [repeat], K1, [repeat], K2 

(do yourself a favor and occasionally count your stitches after doing Row 1 to make sure you still have 47)

Row 2: K2, P43, K2

Row 3: K all

Repeat this three row pattern until you have a cloth that is reasonably square.

Bind off and weave in the ends....  Ta-Da!!  Beautiful!

If you decide to give this cloth as a gift PLEASE take the time to gently block it and make it look pretty

Download and print - Squishy Feathers Dishcloth PDF

Ravelry page - Squishy Feathers Dishcloth (w four fans)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The size difference between the two cloths is not really so much, maybe an inch, not as much as you might imagine them to be.  As you can see, they are pretty similar, but the three fan version is much squishier and thicker.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Experiment #3 --- Two colors

My son wanted me to make a cloth for him that matched his dishes and this is what I came up with.  I started out by doing 3 rows of black and three rows of the white/black speckle, but ended up with too many ends to weave in and I hate that, so that project was scrapped even though the shadow effect was very pretty... 

My second attempt was 6 rows black and 6 rows white speckle with the yarn carried neatly up the side.  The front of the cloth is stunning, but the back leaves a lot to be desired.  I won't be making any two color variations again. (BTW - these photos are not black and white even though they look that way.  That yarn is really that color and it is quite pretty made up - my bad for wearing grey pants)

Grandma's Makeup Remover pads

My daughters and I are trying to go as natural as possible, so I have been making assorted reusable and "green" hygiene items for quite awhile. We use these makeup remover pads all the time. 

To use, we store them wet and ready to use in a lidded, airtight container with a small amount of alcohol free witch hazel (alcohol free is IMPORTANT! Get the best brand you can).  You can also add things like pure aloe gel or olive oil to your mix - There are plenty of DIY remover recipes available online. I have had the best luck with plain old witch hazel.

After these pads get used/ dirty, we collect them into a mesh lingerie bag I have hanging near the tub.  This is so none get lost in the wash.

I can get 11-12 pads made from one ball of the solid yarn. I normally make white or ecru, but my daughters prefer the colors. These can be made from dishcloth leftover yarn bits and are a great portable project.

They also make a great gift for environmentally conscience friends. 

Pattern as follows.. 

(PDF download is at the bottom of the post)

This pattern is modified from the traditional Grandmothers Favorite Dishcloth - It makes a 2.5 to 3 inch square pad that fits very nicely in a snap-lock container… Your results may vary depending on how tight you knit and what size needles you use.

Yarn is worsted 100% Cotton - Lily Sugar'n Cream, Peaches'n Cream, Knit Picks Dishie, Lion Kitchen Cotton - anything like these

Needle size - US 6 (4.0mm) .. Note: I have made lots of these pads and I wouldn't substitute needles any larger than US 8 or smaller than US 6 if you want good results

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Grandma's Favorite Makeup Remover Pads

Long Tail Cast on 4 stitches

Row 1: Knit 2, YO, knit across
Repeat this increase row until you have 18 stitches on your needle

(I have also made these with 16 stitches.. I think those are too small for my use, but if you want a tinier cloth, try that)

Row 2: Knit 1, K2 tog, YO, K2 tog, knit across
Repeat this decrease row until you have 4 stitches on the needle
Bind off and weave in the ends

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Please WASH your little pads before you use them for the first time!!  These pads can handle a very hot, sanitizing wash.  Expect them to shrink up a bit and give a nice, square, scrubby surface.

Find on Ravelry - Grandma's Makeup Remover Pads (opens new window)

Download PDF file - Makeup remover pads PDF