Tuesday, July 21, 2009

All Knitted Up: Circle & Chinese Waves Dishcloths


Summer is a time for knitting dishcloths for me. They are a perfectly portable project and can be whipped up from all of the scraps of yarn that I have leftover from past projects. They give me an opportunity to play with pattern without being committed to a large project. Best of all, they are completely useful and make a fantastic gift.

My dishcloths are threadbare and looking pretty worse for wear. I decided to replace them with my little homemade ones and it has been a welcome distraction between knitting baby blankets for friends.




Circle Dishcloth

Pattern: Circle Cloth Pattern (this links to the free PDF version)

Needle Size: US 7 Needles

Yarn: Peaches & Creme in various leftover colors

Notes: I don't know if I will ever knit another type of dishcloth again after making these. This dishcloth is so pretty that I don't think I even want to use it.

After seeing the pattern on Ravelry, I knew that I had to try it, just to figure out how it was done. The cloth is almost three dimensional and looks as though you are knitting in two layers. It really is just slipped stitches that keeping moving on the needles to make the impressive circles on top.

I almost want to make a scarf out of this and am already thinking what a great little hostess gift these would make for the holidays in festive colors.

I flipped them over so you can see what it looks like on the back. Obviously, the front of the cloth is the pretty side, but I love seeing how smooth the pattern looks on the back despite the intricate front.

This pattern is still easy enough for beginners, you just need to know how to slip stitches and how to switch colors. I will provide a You Tube video below for switching colors below!



Chinese Waves Dishcloth

Pattern: Chinese Waves Dishcloth (this links to the free PDF version)

Needle Size: US 7 Needles

Yarn: Peaches & Creme in various leftover colors

Notes: These little dishcloths knit up so fast and have a cool little wave texture to them. The only stitch that you need to know for this one is how to knit and how to slip stitches. There is no purling so you don't even need to know that! The slipped stitches make a nubby texture to help get your dishes clean and they also add a little bit of thickness and softness to the dishcloth.

If you are looking for a project that will knit up quickly, these are super fast and fun to make!

How to Switch Color (A Fantastic Tutorial):

Labels:

ENJOYED THIS POST? SHARE IT WITH OTHERS:

Click to share on StumbleUpon STUMBLE This Click to share on kirtsy Add to KiRTSY Click to share on Mixx Add to MIXX Click to share on DeliciousIt's DELICIOUS

12Comments:

Blogger Musings of a Housewife
"Those are just precious. I wish I knitted! WHERE do you find the TIME, is what I wanna know. :-)"

at 8:07 AM  

Blogger Amy
"Ha! This is stuff I do when I am sitting around watching television or outside with the kids playing. I need to keep my hands busy so stuff like this keeps me entertained :) Thanks for peeking, JoLynne!"

at 8:14 AM  

Blogger Ali
"I LOVE those dishcloths. I would come and do dishes at your house if you let me use one! Well, ok, maybe not but it'd be tempting. It would be interesting if you could make the circles with some kind of yarn that was kinda scrubby and then you would have a soft side and a scrubby side to the cloth just like those Scotchbrite sponges. I think I might learn the slipped stitch just so I can do this."

at 9:17 AM  

Blogger Amy
"Ali- I tried to find a tutorial on slipping stitches, but they were for more complex things than you needed. Slipping a stitch is just moving it from one needle to the other needle without knitting it in. You just slip it over to your needle. I slipped the stitches purl-wise- just slipping them over as if I was purling. The pattern will usually tell you which one. If it doesn't, I usually slip purl-wise.

It would be great if you could find a scrubby type of yarn too. This definitely makes a more scrubbable cloth with the pattern-side.

If anyone can find a good tutorial, please let me know!!"

at 9:23 AM  

Blogger Michaela
"Those are adorable (and I never thought I would say that about dish cloths!)
I'm a beginning knitter, but I think I will give them a try."

at 9:55 AM  

Blogger Mrs. Mordecai
"Those might just be the cutest dishcloths I've ever seen."

at 10:57 AM  

Blogger Ann
"These dishclothes are adorable!

I think I could make one. I think. I've tried to make scarves and my girls are the sweetest for wearing them (at least once ;-> ).

I'm going to do it. I'm going to give this a try. I'm excited!"

at 11:08 AM  

Blogger Nancy
"How cute are those? They'd make a cute addition to anyone's kitchen. Wish I was a knitter."

at 11:26 AM  

Blogger Hoosier Homemade
"How fun! You did a great job!
Thanks for sharing!
~Liz"

at 2:27 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous
"Those are darling!!
Pam, South Bend"

at 4:07 PM  

Blogger hakucho
"Glad you liked the circle cloth pattern :) Great color choice!
happy knitting...and dish washing :)"

at 4:13 PM  

Anonymous Diane
"How pretty!
My dish cloths are so boring I'm going to have to try these."

at 9:38 PM