Knit a Round Purple Dish Cloth

Over 10 years ago a friend brought me a pattern for a round, knitted dish cloth, and challenged me to figure it out.  I was already love to the idea of knitted dish clothes so I accepted the challenge.  It took me a while to figure out what the pattern was trying to get me to do.  When the first one was done, it was lovely and I started to make them exclusively.  This pattern is an easy pattern, that works from the center to the outer edge and a seam is sewn to close the circle. Since I already had purple 100% cotton worsted weight yarn, this one will be purple.    So onward to knitting a lovely purple dish cloth.

Supplies:

30 gr. 100% cotton worsted weight yarn
Size 7 knitting needles
Scissors
Yarn needle

Abbreviations:

k – knit
co – cast on
bo – bind off
T – turn
k1f&b – knit one front and back (a form or increase, you end up with 2 stitches from the one stitch)
R – right needle
L– left needle
st – stitch

 

Co 15 st, T, leave a 3 inch tail.

*Row 1 – k15 (from now on all odd numbered rows will be knitting all stitches to the end of the needle), T

Row 2 – k1, k1f&b, k12 (R15, L1 or in other words, your left needle will have 1 st on it and, your right needle will have 15 st on it) T

Row 3 – k15, T

Row4 – k1, k1f&b, k12 (L2, R15) T

Row 5 – k15, T

Row 6 – k1, k1f&b, k12 (L3, R15) T

Row 7 – k15, T

Row 8 – bo3, k1f&b, k9 (L4, R12) T

Row 9 – k12, T

Row 10 – k1, k1f&b, k9 (L5, R12) T

Row 11 – k 12, T

Row 12 – k1, k1f&b, k9 (L6, R12) T

Row 13 – k12, T

Row 14 – bo3, k1f&b, k6 (L7, R 9)T

Row 15 – k9, T

Row 16 – k1, k1f&b, k6 (L8, R 9) T

Row 17 – K9, T

Row 18 – k1, k1f&b, k6 (L9, R 9) T

Row 19 – k9, T

Row 20 – bo3, k14, T*

This is the end of the first section.  Repeat from *-* 6 more times (a total of 7 sections).

Last row – Instead of knitting back the last row, bind off all 15 stitches and leave a long tail.

Thread the long tail into the yarn needle and whip stitch the open edges together, closing up the circle.  Weave the yarn tail in and out around the hole in the center and pull it tight to close the hole.  Tie, what is left of the long tail, to the little tail left from the casting on.  Weave the ends into the knitting to hide them.  Cut off any extra. 

These dish cloths wear well and make great gifts.  Some people have found them so lovely that they treated them like a doily.  Enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is on Its Way!

The winter of 2011-2012 was very mild.  Very little snow and only a week of temperatures below freezing.  This winter would be different, I could feel it in my bones.  The first snow fall was December 24th, and we had one after another since then.  We didn't get as much as some other areas but it was a lot more than the winter before.  The Spring Equinox is March 20th, and my yard is free of snow.  Yesterday I discovered this, my tulips are poking above the mulch.  Spring is really coming! :)

Crochet Cover Your Wire Hangers

I am not crazy about wire hangers, unless they’re covered with yarn.  I really like yarn covered wire hangers because they are really strong and the yarn prevents clothing from slipping off the hanger.  Recently I was told about crocheting the yarn onto the hangers.  Brilliant idea, because my Hubby keeps bringing the wire hangers, that his work clothes come on, home.  I am getting a collection. So this is how to create quick and easy yarn covered hangers.

Supplies:

Wire hangers (at least one, if you want to make them strong enough to hold up a heavy coat,
crochet 2 or 3 of them together)

Scrape yarn (4 play worsted, your choice, or if you yarn is thinner, double it)

Scissors

4.5 mm crochet hook

Masking tape

If you are doing more than one hanger together, use the masking tape to take the hangers together in 3 or 4 different places.  Otherwise the steps are the same for both types of hangers.

Put the end of the yarn onto the end of a piece of tape. 

Wrap the tape around the tip of the hook of the hanger. 

Hold the yarn at the back of the hanger with your left hand.  Take the hook of the crochet hook and swing it down and behind the wire of the hanger and pick up the first loop of yarn.  Then pick up the second loop from the top of the wire.  Pull the second loop through the first loop.  Pull tight

 Again pick up a loop from the bottom of the wire.  This makes two loops.

Pick up another loop from the top and pull it through the two top loops, pull tight.  This is basically single crochet.Keep adding stitches, around the hook or the hanger.   

 

Once you reach the place where the legs of the hanger divide, start working around the top leg. 

 Keep going.   

Keep going all the way around the hanger.  

Pull the yarn through the last loop, cut off a tail and tie a knot.  Since I was using doubled yarn I was able to tie a bow.  

Done!  Enjoy!

Crocheted Scrubby

I love a good scrubby for scrubbing pots and pans and I just learned that more than one of my friends appreciate good scrubbies too.  So this last Christmas, more than one of my friends received my handmade scrubbies as a gift.  I have other friends who will be receiving some as birthday gifts.  They are easy, quick and inexpensive to make.  So here is how I crochet a scrubby.

Supplies:

½  yard (.46m) of net fabric ( +/- $1.00 per yard (.92m))
Size I (5.5 mm) crochet hook
Scissors
Cutting mat
Metal ruler
Rotary cutter

Here is the net fabric.  It is bought by the yard (in the US) and is 72 inches (2 yards) wide.  I folded the net and placed it on the cutting mat so that the cut edge is even with the end of the markings on the mat.  I placed the metal ruler on the net, 2 inches (5 cm) from the end,

 and used the rotary cutter to cut along that line.  I cut 9 – 2 inch wide x72 inch long strips of net. 

Then I took one end of two pieces of net and made them even and then tied a slip knot, tying the two pieces together. 

Repeat with the other 7 pieces until you have all 9 pieces of net tied into one long piece of net.  This is the “yarn” for the scrubby. 

I learned quickly that is it much better to roll the net “yarn” into a little ball.  It makes everything neat and easy to work with.

Leaving a 3-4 inch (7.5-10cm) tail, chain 3 stitches,

 

 then slip stitch the into the first chain making a small ring. 



Sc8 into the center of the ring.  You will not be counting rows or rounds, what you will be counting is each section of net between each knot.  Also, as you reach each knot you will need to make sure each knot is on the inside of the scrubby. You have 9 sections and 8 knots.

 Next, 2 sc into each stitch until you reach the 2nd knot (or the start of the 3 strip). 

Now 1sc into each stitch until you reach the 8^th knot.



When you reach this point you will notice that all the knots are inside the scrubby and the outside is knot free.  Using the last strip of net, you will *(sc into a stich, skip a stitch), repeat until the top is closed. 



When you have closed the top, tie off the last stitch.

Reach the crochet hook into the center hole in the top, through to the center hole in the bottom and pull the tail up through the top. 



Tie a square knot into the two tails. 



Then use your crochet hook to pull last knot on top into the center of the scrubby. 
Looks good.

Enjoy!

Ruffled Scarf

I suppose you have seen these wonderful ruffled scarves around.  I just discovered how really easy they are to make.  You can either crochet or knit them.  This tutorial is about the crochet method.  The secret is in the yarn.

To make one scarf you need:
1 skein Red Heart Boutique Sashay yarn ($5-$10 per skein depending on where you buy it)
Size K Crochet Hook
2 stitch markers (you may use safety pins)

When you start unwinding the yarn from the skein you will need to stretch it out to its full width.  Notice that one side of the width has some sparkly yarn woven in, this is the bottom edge,and the opposite side looks like train tracks, with net in between.  We will be crocheting on the train tracks end or the top edge.

Step 1:  Fold in the raw edge.

Step 2.  Stick your crochet hook in through the first hole in the second row of hole from the top.  (you do this so that you will have a sturdy edge to crochet with.



Step 3:  Skip the next hole and pick up yarn in the next hole and chain.  Repeat this 3 more time until you have 4 chain stitches.  Use the stitch marker to mark the first stitch of the chain.  Chain one more and turn.

Step 4:  Single crochet in the last stitch of the chain 4.  Mark that stitch with the stitch marker as the first stitch of the next row and single crochet the next 3 stitches, chain one turn.  Move the stitch marker to the first stitch of the next row.  Repeat until you have finished off the yarn.

Here is a short video of how you do this.  Please forgive my photographer for deciding to change the focus in the middle, but I think you will get the idea.  When you reach the end of the yarn, pull the end of the yarn through the last chain and pull as hard as you can to make a knot. Done!

I have made several of these for lady friends for Christmas.  Easy to make (the first one took 2 hours) and each one was easier and faster than the last.  If you just don't want to spend the money on this yarn.  You can go to Snowcatchers blog and take a look at her  Contrary Mary scarf pattern.  She has taught me a lot about crocheting.  Have a good day!