On The Needles - November 29, 2013

For the month of November I chose to knit the "Checker-Square Garter Dishcloth" designed by Kala K.  If you are interested in the pattern, I found it Here.  

This pattern has a total of 24 rows which are repeated 4 times.  I'm using size size 7US dpns and 100% cotton yarn in two colors - white and psychedelic (by Sugar 'n Cream).  I absolutely love the bright variegated yarn in contrast to the white.  

Presently I'm on my last pattern repeat with only about ten rows to go.  The pattern says it finishes at about 10-1/2" square, but mine will be slightly larger.  

I'm also still working on finishing up the Holden Shawlette.  I chose to do the picot bindoff which takes a lot longer to do.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Check out Patchwork Times for more On The Needles links.  

Happy Knitting,
     ~Diane

On The Needles - lace shawlette

Progress is being made on the lace shawl I'm knitting.  Only seven more rows to go.

I really like this yarn (merino wool, superfine alpaca and nylon blend).  Unfortunately I've had to un-knit several rows which got pretty discouraging.  At one point I wasn't sure I wanted to continue with this pattern.

I think that I figured out the problem.  Some of my stitches cross over each other and appear to be one stitch so essentially I'd knit two stitches as one (decrease) and that throws the pattern off.  Now I'm very attentive and use my left thumb nail to separate the stitches as I go.  I've also incorporated the use of stitch markers to give me a starting point for the pattern repeats.

Thanks for stopping by.  Check out Judy's blog for links to other On The Needles posts.

    ~Diane

On The Needles - November 7, 2013

In my quest for dishcloth/washcloth patterns to try I stumbled upon the Yahoo Group - "Monthly Dishcloths".  I've only been a member for a couple of weeks, so I haven't had a chance to look at all the member photo albums.  What I have seen so far is awesome.

Each month members get the pattern clues for two KAL's (Knit-A-Longs), one at the first of the month and the second one starting around mid-month.

Soon after getting the clues for Day 1, I got out my yarn (Sugar N Cream 100% cotton yarn......White and Blue Jeans) and size 6US needles and began knitting up the November 1st KAL.  There were a total of six daily clues and each one covered about 10 rows.

Here's what it looks like from the front side.  Pretty unassuming, Huh?

Looking at it from a different angle, the design magically appears.....

I think the snowflake would show up better had I used a darker blue.

Here's what it looks like from the wrong side.

This was a very simple pattern for work with only two different stitches - knits and purls.

If you haven't done this kind of knitting, I suggest you do.  My friend liked it so much I decided to give it to her so now I have to make another one to keep for myself.  These would be great little gifts for special friends.  I'm thinking I'd like to do this pattern with a different contrasting color.....perhaps red or green for the holidays.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Knitting,

          ~Diane

On The Needles - November 1, 2013

Last night, while waiting for the kiddies to trick-or-treat our house, I finished the picot bind-off on the Holden Shawlette.  


Because I wasn't sure I'd be able to work this lace pattern I used some fingering weight acrylic yarn from my stash.  It's not likely that I'll be able to properly block this because of the yarn I used, but I'll give it a try anyway.

Here's a pic of what it looks like from the back.

There are a couple of other easy lace shawl patterns I'd like to try next.

What's on your needles today?

Happy Knitting,
   
          ~Diane

On The Needles - October 18, 2013

It's a Finish!!!   The "Just Like Honey Dishcloth", the pattern I chose to knit this month, is done.

My gauge must be really off, because the finished size is supposed to be approximately 8-inch square and mine turned out 11-inch square.  That's O.K. because I have big hands.  The pattern was easy to do.  I like the thickness to the fabric, it's heavier and denser than most of the other patterns I've made.  For more information about this washcloth see my previous blog post Here.  

I've also made some progress on the test shawl I'm knitting.  I still have about 15 more rows of stockinette stitch to go before I start the actual lace rows.

So, what's On Your Needles today?  I'm linked up with Patchwork Times.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Knitting!!!
             ~Diane

On The Needles - October 11, 2013

I've been wanting to knit a lace shawl and I think I found just the pattern to try.

The Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes is a free pattern download on Ravelry.  You can find it Here.  

I'm using size 6US circular needles and white Spring Song 100% Acrylic yarn from my stash.  This yarn was purchased at least 25 years ago at Super Yarn Mart.  It seems to be the right weight for this project so I'll use it to work out the pattern before I get some really nice luscious yarn.

I'm linked up with On The Needles over at Patchwork Times.

What's on your needles?

      ~Diane

On The Needles - October 4, 2013

For this month's washcloth I'm making the "Just Like Honey Dishcloth" pattern by One Crafty Mama.  I found the pattern Here.

As you can see I'm using Sugar 'N Cream yellow 100% cotton yarn and size 6US needles.  Actually, I'm using a 16-inch circular double-pointed needle, but slipped the stitches onto a straight needle to take this pic.  The straight needles make the work lie flatter for the camera, but I prefer using the circular needles for this kind of project.  I've been using circulars for so long now that when on occasion I use straights it feels like I'm knitting with broomsticks.

So far, I like the fabric this pattern is creating.  It's thick and tight so it should be great for dishes.  The pattern is easy to follow and only requires knit, purl and slip stitches.  If you're looking for a new dishcloth to knit, try this one.

Thanks for stopping by.  I'm linked up with Patchwork Times and this week's On The Needles postings.

Happy Knitting!

       ~Diane

On The Needles, Sept 6, 2013

After last week's honeycomb scrubby I found this dishcloth pattern online at Little House In The Suburbs.  The stitching that creates the honeycomb effect is different so I thought I'd try it.  I used size 7US needles and Sugar'n Cream Blue Jeans 100% cotton yarn.  The finished cloth measures 7-1/2" x 7".

Recently I watched a YouTube video on the Buterfly stitch which helped me out when I came to row 6 in the instructions.  I hope that I did it right.....looks like to me.   

I'm linked up with On the Needles over at Patchwork Times.  

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Knitting!

         ~Diane

On The Needles, August 30, 2013

While on the hunt for new (to me) knit washcloth patterns to try, I found "The Hive" by Jill Swensen.  You can find her pattern Here.

I jumped right in and began knitting before I realized that this pattern is a smaller, "Scrubby" size.  My finished cloth measures 5-1/2" square.  I used US size 7 needles and Peaches & Creme variegated Lilac Ombre 100% cotton yarn.  I'm not unhappy with the size because I can always use a small cloth and it gave me a chance to try out the pattern.   I think I've figured out how to make it bigger.

Have you knitted this pattern before?

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Be sure to check out Patchwork Times for more "On the Needles" blog post links.  There are some awesome knitters out there!

Happy Knitting,
     ~Diane

On The Needles, August 9, 2013

It’s getting harder to find new washcloth patterns that I like.  There are a lot of really creative washcloths to be found on the web, but I tend to prefer the square or rectangular styles instead of fruit or vegetable shapes.  Recently I saw a video produce by knitpurlhunter.com that looked interesting.

The stitch pattern is called the Closed Star Stitch and looks similar to another one that I tried and failed at producing.  This pattern is a four-row repeat and uses two contrasting yarn colors.

I used size 7 circular needle and Peaches & Crème 100% cotton yarn.  The pattern is a multiple of three stitches +2 so I cast on 38 stitches which is yielding a width of just slightly over 8”.
I really like the look of the stars.

But I also like the pattern that is created on the reverse side.  It looks like cross stitch.

I’m not sure which side I like best. 

I'm linked up with Patchwork Times, On The Needles.

Thanks for stopping by.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and ideas.  Happy Knitting,
     ~Diane

On The Needles - Jun 21, 2013

For the month of June I chose to knit the Sanquar Check Washcloth.   Recently I purchased a 14 ounce ball of Peaches & Creme variegated cotton yarn that I thought would work well for this pattern.  The background yarn is white.  I don't think the design shows up as well as it could, so in future I would probably use a dark, solid color yarn to achieve a better contrast.  

This was not a hard pattern to make and I'm glad I tried something new.  

Be sure to visit Patchwork Times for links to other On The Needles blog posts.
Thanks for stopping by and Happy Knitting!

                 ~Diane

Got It Done-–May 2013

In keeping with Judy L’s Getting It Done challenge of posting a list of goals each month and also posting a progress report, I am presenting my list of completions for the month of May.

Here is my original goal list:

May Baby Quilt top

“Boy It’s Spring” is the name I gave this quilt top.  It measures 37” square. 

This was a fun and easy quilt top to piece.  I like the combination of bright and pastels.

For more information about this quilt, check out my blog post.

Craftsy BOM

This month’s block is called “Strippy Spools”.
I chose to make mine with patriotic fabrics in honor of Memorial Day. 
The block measures 8-1/2” but I it to 7-1/2” as instructed.  This would be a good block to use for Quilts of Valor.

May Washcloth

The pattern I chose to knit for this month is called the Bee Stitch Cloth.  I blogged about it here.

I used a light blue variegated 100% cotton yarn.  The finished size is 9”x10”. 

QOV Quilt Top

Not done yet.  I still have some red star blocks to make and then sew the rows and columns together.  I may have to put this on my list for June.

Bonus Completion:

Thrifty Washcloth

This washcloth is made homemade variegated yarn.  My blog post of May 24 gives all the details.

Get It Done – June 2013 goals

Here is my list for next month. 

On The Needles --May 31, 2013

This week I tried something new (to me).  I've always been intrigued with the look of Entrelac knitting.  First I went online and found several good YouTube videos demonstrating the technique.  There is also a course on Craftsy.com.  I learned a lot from the videos presented by Sapphires-n-Purls and I downloaded the instructions, too.

For my practice sample I used US size 9 needles and 100% cotton yarn by Sugar-N-Cream (White and Blue Jeans).

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Patchwork Times for links to more On The Needles blog posts.

          ~Diane

On The Needles–May 24, 2013

Since I started knitting wash clothes several months ago, I’ve accumulated lots of leftover bits and pieces of yarn. 

Recently I stumbled upon a YouTube video on making a Magic Knot to join yarn ends.  I know a lot of knitters don’t/won’t knit with knots in the yarn, but I thought this project would be a good test. 

First, I got out all my scraps of 100% cotton yarn and cut lengths about 20” to 30” inches long and stacked them in piles.  Then I began joining one color of yarn to another making sure to get a good mix.  I used a couple different variegated yarns with solid colors….so I made my own variegated yarn.  I wound it all into a ball as I added more strands until the ball was about 3 inches in diameter. 

The pattern I used for this wash cloth was the “Infamous” Darrell Waltrip Cloth by Rhonda K. White based on a stitch pattern from the “365 Knit Stitches a Year: A Perpetual Calendar”.  The stitch is actually called the “Double Woven Stitch” and it incorporates slipped stitches (“sl 2 wyif”), knit and purl. 

The knot technique I used worked really well and even though the knots appeared as I knitted them, you can hardly tell they are there.  The finished cloth looks and feels like it was made using a regular variegated yarn.  I still have leftovers so I’m sure I will be making more “Thrifty Washcloths” in the future.

Happy Knitting!
                              ~Diane

On The Needles–May 10, 2013

The knitted wash cloth pattern I chose for this month is called the Bee Stitch Cloth.  This is the first time I’ve knitted a pattern using the “k1 in the stitch below”.  Things are going well so far.  I'm liking the density of the cloth.  However I did discover that, while watching an exciting movie, I got off one row.  This pattern has a right and wrong side so I will try to incorporate this new “pattern” again when I get close to the end so that it looks intentional.
 
I’m using size 7 needles with Sugar ‘n Cream Faded Denim (variegated) 100% cotton yarn.

I'm linked up with Patchwork Times.  Be sure to visit Judy's blog for links to other On The Needles blog posts.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Knitting!
    ~Diane

Off The Needles - April 12, 2013

This month's washcloth is done!

This was an easy pattern to make.  There are twelve rows that are repeated several times.  For more information about the pattern and materials I used, check out this link.

Soon after I finished weaving in the bits of yarn ends and taking these pics to share with you I dunked this cloth in hot water.  I wanted to see how well it held up when being used.  It did not stretch out much at all like some do.  This should be a good one.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to visit Judy's blog, Patchwork Times, for more On The Needles blog posts.

Happy Knitting,
      ~Diane

On The Needles–Apr 5, 2013

The pattern I chose to make for this month’s washcloth/dishcloth is called “Ball Band Dishcloth” by Peaches and Crème.  You can find the pattern here.  The name of this pattern is not very creative.  I believe it has been printed on the back of the band of their yarn for years and the style appears to be old-fashioned. 

I’m using size 7 US needles and two different colors of 100% cotton yarn – white and the  purple/teal/brown leftover from the circular washcloth I made last month.




Things are going well so far.  The pattern is easy enough, but I don’t LOVE it.  Perhaps I’ll feel better about it once I get it wet and use it. 

I did some more internet searching for washcloth patterns and found a couple that I want make in the coming months. 
So, what’s on your needles?  Be sure to visit Patchwork Times for links to other blog posts.

Happy Knitting! 
         ~Diane

On The Needles–Mar 29, 2013

I promised myself that I’d make a new pair of “Duffers” to replace the pair I wore out.  I did some darning on the old pair, but they’re too far gone and I want a pretty new pair.
I’m using a ball of Patons Classic Wool, plum heather color and US size 11 needles. 

The pattern can be found at mindie.wordpress.com.   These slippers knit up quickly, having only 19 rows.  I’m making the original which is knit flat and sewn down the heel and bottom of the foot.  After I’ve completed the second slipper, I will felt them in the washing machine.  Can’t wait to get these on my feet.

What’s on your needles?  Check out the links at Patchwork Times to see what other’s are knitting this week.
             ~Diane

On The Needles - March 8, 2013

I've been wanting to make this round dishcloth since I saw a dear friend making one several months ago.  I believe the pattern is one that has been handed-down and passed around for decades.  There are seven sections and each section consists of twelve rows.  No fancy stitches...just knit and an occasional yarn over.

I've never actually used a round cloth before but the size seems perfect for my hands.  As you can see, I used the Bronze Blue colorway of Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn and I think the multicolor yarn works well for this design.  As usual I used my favorite 16-inch circular size 8 plastic needles but straight needles would work just fine for this pattern.  I just like those needles because they're easy to handle.  The washcloth measures a little over 9" diameter.  

Another recent finish for me is the One Row washcloth that I blogged about a few weeks ago.  I have some commercially made dishcloths that are rectangular so I made this one longer instead of square and added some contrasting yarn for interest.  It measures 11-1/2" x 9".  

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to check out what others have on their needles this week at Patchwork Times.

          ~Diane

On The Needles - Feb 22, 2013

And then there was ONE (sock)!  

After screwing up my third attempt at making the heel on just one of these socks, I frogged out the WHOLE sock.  There it is on the right in the pic above.  All wound up.  That's how I felt when I tried to frog out just the heel portion and pick up the stitches.  I'd done it several times so far and the yarn was splitting and hard to get back onto the needle.  So I did what seemed best at the time.  I don't regret it and will probably do the same to the other sock.  I'm thinking that I might just start over completely and not do the ribbing pattern on the instep.  In the meantime these two will hang out in the bag and console one another while I consider their fate.

One Row Washcloth

Meanwhile, I worked a little on the One Row washcloth that I started last week.  This is the kind of project I like to have handy to work on while watching t.v.  But, sometimes I just want to veg and stare at the tube and let my hands rest idly.  

Front side of the One Row Washcloth

I have some left over cream colored cotton yarn so I've added a couple of stripes.  

Back/Reverse side of the One Row Washcloth

I haven't decided how big I want this cloth to be so I'll just keep going until it feels right.

Thanks for stopping by.  Be sure to visit Patchwork Times for links to other On The Needles posts.

Happy Knitting,
    ~Diane