Thanksgiving Knitting

The day after Thanksgiving and I'm not out shopping and not intending to shop. Instead, I enjoyed sitting comfortably in my pjs reading through the blogs and seeing how others spent their Thanksgiving. It is a bountiful world out there in blogland and we are all most fortunate. I realize that not everyone was blessed with such warmth, abundance, and goodwill.

I'm thankful, too, for the relaxation and pleasure that learning to knit has brought me and the fun friends that blogging has introduced.

I knew there would be some sitting-around time after the big meal yesterday and I went prepared with a ball of cheap kitchen cotton and made myself two new holiday dishcloths.

I started with the old standby, Grandmother's Favorite, which is absolutely brainless and can be knitted in company and in between bites of pie even without fear of losing your place or getting off pattern.

Later in the day I turned to the Horizontal Dash and liked how the colors played out and how the purled dashes added some texture.

I may have still been on a pie buzz, but I think there are some errors in the Horizontal Dash pattern. I like my dishcloths on the small side. The pattern says to CO 42 or multiples of 10 plus 6. Thanks to the sugar rush, I didn't even realize that 42 is not a multiple of 10 plus 6! I started with 36 and when the main rows 1 and 5 didn't work out, I naturally assumed user error and returned several times to my computer screen to check and see if I jotted it down correctly.
In the end I just went with something that worked out for me. If you try this one, you may want to stick with 42 for the cast on OR correct it to be multiples of 10 plus TWO.

Monster Mash

I was working in the lab late one night
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight
For my monster from his slab began to rise
And suddenly to my surprise

He did the mash
He did the monster mash
The monster mash
It was a graveyard smash

Frankenstein's Monster Cloth was FUN to work. As soon as I stumbled upon the free pattern I had to get my hands on some acid green yarn (Hot Green Sugar 'n Cream) and try it out.

To: me From: me

Here it is Christmas and I was using an old, faded and stained (and ugly, I think you'll agree) dishcloth. Time to STOP the gift knitting, and START knitting something for me!

Ahh! That's better. Now I can go back to churning out mini mittens.

[I love the new one; Waffle Knit Dishcloth found here.]

Fall back

When the weather is as perfect as it is today, who wouldn't want a whole extra hour of it?!

We have really been having some lovely fall weather.

Throughout the month of October Kay was busily knitting more cotton washcloths. She may have mentioned her project and I knew she was working on a new batch but little did I know one would find it's way to my door knob. AND with some really yummy blackberry soap to boot. Thanks, Kay!

I spent my extra hour putting a few more nupps into the Estonian shawl. How did you spend yours?

Just to cleanse the palate

It wasn't long after I finished the Estonian Garden shawl that I was itching to start another. So I did.

I'm trying some yarn that I may end up sorry I bought - Jojoland Harmony (color HC06). I thought it might work if the pattern was simple so I'm trying Fiber Trends Easy Lace Scarves & Wrap (AC-87)

Trouble is the yarn is dark which makes it less than fun to knit in the evenings. I needed a little something to perk me up. Also shawls take a long time to knit. (Well for me anyway.) I wanted some instant results. What is more instant than a dishcloth?

Isn't the color wonderful? Guess what it's called. Country Stripes. Does it look like Country Stripes to you? Not to me. Sure it stripes, but call it Oceania, call it Tidepool, or Tropic Stripes.

Oh, well. I like it. This dishcloth is Friendship Chain-2. I liked it a bit better than the Free Pattern! that came with the label. What to know what it was? Cast on 37 and knit every row then bind off. Some pattern. I'm sure glad it was free!

Rx for Serenity

The week has been a little stressful and by late Wednesday evening I needed something simple but interesting. Garter stitch dishcloth to the rescue! Kay gave me a ball of this really bright, really fun Sugar 'n Cream. The color name is Summer Splash and she also tucked in a printout of the free pattern.

I love how the colors stripe on their own with this pattern. I knitted with size 6 so it wouldn't be super loose. Who am I kidding? I knitted with size 6 because they were out and the size 7 were not within arms reach!

I did an awful job sewing it together. I would love to have someone show me the correct way to do this. It's pretty much all guesswork. But it will be serviceable, bright, and cheerful regardless.

The brightly-colored string worked its magic. You see I didn't even open the chocolate!

Wash on Monday

Some time back I found the Little Houses dishcloth pattern and loved it so much I decided to make a complete set in all solid colors. By the time I had collected more solid colors and knit the second one, I decided it would be more fun to make them using different patterns.

Then I decided to make seven, one for each day of the week, for a new bride. I'm not kidding myself. I seriously doubt she'll be that thrilled to receive them. I rather fear she'll hate them and hardly know how to seem thankful. Still I think they are quite useful, so who knows?

Would you like to make some, too?

Red and blue ones on each end: Little Houses

Bright green: Checkered

Cream: Lacey Squares Cloth

Eye-searing Orange: Lacy Mock Cable Cloth

Tan: Harry Potter Golden Snitch (she's a big Harry Potter fan!)

Yellow: Alex's Cloth

"Wash on Monday, Iron on Tuesday, Mend on Wednesday, Churn on Thursday,

Clean on Friday, Bake on Saturday, Rest on Sunday"

Gee! When did they knit??

Putting the 'play' back in stringplay

If this group won't put the play back in stringplay, I don't know what would! Aren't these colors great?!

I decided that part of my problems with the lace stole was inability to concentrate. It is January after all; my busiest and most hectic time at work.

Now why these little dishcloth patterns - essentially still lace - are easier is a puzzle, but that's the case. I did one of the Little House ones in October and immediately wanted more colorful string. By the time I acquired it, the itch was gone and I had moved on to another project. But pulling it all out and starting some more was just what I need right now.

That orange one ("Sunburst" according to the label) is so warm. It may be my favorite. The pattern is Lacy Mock Cable and would make a very nice scarf I think. In fact......with a few more repeats it might make a very nice lace shawl!

Need More String!

Somehow this picture does not convey the wonderfulness of this dishcloth. I just love how these Little Houses turned out. I want to make a set in bright primary colors. I want to do it now. But what have I got? Multi-colored string. : (

Guess I'll have to return to my 'real' lace until I can get to the store. But the store is close, so I'm guessing I'll be back in the dishcloth business soon!