Playing with Lace

I tend to write out designs that never get made or see the light of day...

On a whim I decided to sign up for a one on one dishcloth swap on Ravelry.  I had planned on sending my partner one of my multitude of already finished cloths, but when she told me her family had allergies I knew I had to buy new yarn, make a new cloth and keep the kitties out of my lap while I made it.  This time I chose 'Creme de la Creme' by Coats.  I've never used it before, but I will use it again.  It's very tightly spun and has way better stitch definition than 'Peaches 'n Cream' or 'Sugar 'n Cream'.  The colors are very crisp and non-muddy.  It knits up a nice firm cloth.

I went hunting through all my notes and patterns in search of something different, when I discovered this doodle page... I had wanted to make an easy to memorize lace pattern (which is what this blog is all about after all!!) that could be made into a small scarf or cowl.  I decided to test knit my design onto a dishcloth for the swap.... On paper it reminded me of snow, made up, it looks more like trees.

So far, I'm liking the rhythm of the design and the look of it.  We'll see how it blocks out and it I take it to the next step and turn it into a real pattern.  So far it's a 'good knit in public' pattern, easy to memorize and keep track of.... Caveat is there is plenty of purling rows.  Even that top garter edge is purled (but it had to be for continuity of design).

This finished (unblocked) cloth looks very much like a watermelon to me.  Very summery and happy.  I like it!

I decided to actually wet block it with wires and pins instead of just laying it out on a towel and patting it a bit like I usually do for gift cloths.  It really defines the lace nicely.

Truth is that I rarely block dishcloths.  I normally just weave the ends in and that's good enough, but I really wanted to see how this pattern looked opened up.

Another test knit?

Just so you don't think I only make dishrags and garter stitch - LOL
Sometimes I do sit on my couch and do fiddly knitting too!

My first foray into test knitting for somebody besides a friend has turned out really great and I had fun doing it (even though it was a mindless car knit pattern).  Last weekend I was a little stressed so I decided to search out something else I might like on the Ravelry forum.  If I am knitting, people leave me alone and that's exactly what I wanted.

I chose another cowl and this one is really pretty... I'm very pleased.  It's called Rose Vines Cowl.  It's a 15x12 repeat that looks cabled, but it's just increases and decreases.

Of course I have to reign in my artsy-fartsy creative side and try not to make major changes to the designers vision.  This is difficult for me and I did make some decisions on this one.  I went with a tonal hand-paint that is the exact same color as my cat!!  Fabulous!!  This yarn is a beautiful "Sweet Georgia Toughlove Sock" in color-way Ginger.

I blocked this very aggressively to open up the lace.  I do wish I had made it narrower and longer.  I may make it again, but who knows.

This week I have to FINISH my Dunes de Sable cloths and get them sent off for the swap... deadline approaching fast.

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

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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

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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