Saturday, April 21, 2007

Happy Green Day

Many years ago, I took my kids to an Earth Day celebration here in town. We learned about saving the planet. To be honest, it was the first time I'd heard the term, Earth Day. The dignitaries of the day made it seem very important we all take the knowledge and put it to good use. They ended the day having everyone gather at the podium and a group picture was taken to hang in city hall to mark the day.

We started using canvas bags for grocery shopping. We limited the temperature on the water heater, we turned off lights we weren't using. Hey, I lived on a tight budget, so it wasn't hard pressed to incorporate these things, it was going to save us money, too. Down the road the city came out with recycling bins where we put all recycling materials into the 100 gallon bins and didn't have to sort things apart like back home.

I had a research paper in college on the topic of recycling. Triple packaging had to go! I said. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Combine multiple trips into one with the car. Don't throw it away..find a new use for it.

So, where does that lead us today? Well, in addition to the other things we've been doing, I have a timer on my heating for the house, I use those expensive light bulbs to save energy (it does save money on your electric bill!), we recycle everything possible, and this past month when my daughter decided we needed to 'spring clean' the garage...rather than throwing out old acrylic yarn...we've boxed it up into an old TV box ...and are donating it to the local senior center...

Oh, that picture from the Earth Day celebrations years ago? The one they made such a big deal over being so important? Not a single person from the city hall ever heard of the picture. Nice huh?

Therefore, since apparently I am more GREEN than the city I live in is, I bring you another
dishcloth pattern. It's a 'reused' pattern. How so? So glad you asked. I have the 365 Knitting Stitches a Year Perpetual Calendar book of stitch patterns. And I love it. Last year, my oldest daughter was an attendant in many of her friends' (from high school and college) weddings. Some of these girls I've gotten to know well. One I called my 'extra daughter', one was my knitting prodigy. (want a fast learner to teach to knit? Teach a Math teacher!) Since they all know me as a knitter, it seemed logical to knit up some dishcloths for their new kitchens. Flipping through my 365 book, I found a pretty lace stitch to use. Since the first recipients were all brides, I named this pattern the Bridal Shower Lace Dishcloth. If you look at my flicker photos on the left side of the blog...you'll see several examples of this cloth in 2006 and 2007. Other than the obvious white cloth, I really like how this one shows the pattern in the purple. Sorry, I guess I should have one in green for today's posting.
Notes for this pattern:
*I would suggest using a solid color for this pattern. A multi color would detract from the pattern in my opinion.
*When making the P2 tog TBL, it means to Purl Two Stitches through the back loop. I found it helpful to insert your right needle into the 2 stitches on your left needle from the right hand side of the stitches and wiggle in some 'extra' room into the stitches, then pull out the right hand needle and continue with the stitches. It makes it easier to manipulate your stitches that way. You will have to twist your wrist to 'turn' the stitches as you are using two stitches at the same time when purling them from the back of the loop. But with the extra space in them, it makes it easier. It's one of those things, you have to have faith that it would work, and go with the directions. I makes a nice twist in the pattern when done correctly.

Bridal Shower Lace Cloth
© July 30, 2006 Cathy Waldie


Lion cotton, (US) 7, (4.5 mm) needles
Size preblocked: 8.5” x 8.5”

Sl 1 = Slip one stitch
Tog = together
Tbl= through back loop
PSSO= Pass Slipped Stitch Over
YO= Yarn Over
* * = repeat directions between *’s the number of times given

Cast on 36 stitches

Knit 4 rows for lower border

Begin pattern

1) Sl 1, K2, K3 *K2tog, YO, K5* 3 times; end last 9 sts: K2tog, YO, K4, K3

2) Sl 1, K2, P2, *P2tog tbl, YO, P1, YO, P2tog, P2 * 4 times; end last 3 sts: K3

3) Sl 1, K2, K1, *K2tog, YO, K3, YO, Sl 1, K1 PSSO, *4 times: end last 4 sts: K1, K3

4) Sl 1, K2, P30, K3

5) Sl 1, K2, K1, *YO, Sl 1, K1, PSSO, K5* 4 times; end last 4 sts: K1, K3

6) Sl 1, K2, *P1, YO, P2tog, P2, P2tog tbl, YO* 4 times; end last 5 sts: P2, K3

7) Sl 1, K2, *K3, YO, Sl1, K1, PSSO, K2tog, YO* 4 times; end last 5 sts: K2, K3

8) Sl 1, K2, P30, K3

Repeat Rows 1 – 8 for a total of 6 pattern repeats.

Top border: Knit 5 rows.

Bind off in Purl.

Based on April, 12, ‘Lattice Lace’, 365 Knitting Stitches a Year book.


11 comments:

Rae said...

Peaches & Cream was the first yarn I ever used, and I knit dishcloths that my beloved grandmother taught me to knit. I still knit those dishcloths (k2, yo, k to end), but love variations with ribs. I agree on the texture -- you need those nubs for scrubbing (saves your fingernails).

Do you use a different yarn for face cloths and for presents? I like peaches & cream for me, but the yarn seems ... not nice enough for gifts. Do you disagree?

(I've often thought of giving a stack of dishcloths as presents, but they seem so humble and meager, even though I *adore* dishcloths)

Cathy said...

Peaches and Cream and Lion Brand's kitchen Cotton are the two brands I use the most for coths. I generally prefer Lion Brand's Kitchen cotton, but their colors are limited. That's when I go to another brand. (Hey, the garbage disposal thinks they're one in the same. ha ha.)
I use the same for face cloths as with dishcloths. I find that tossing them into the wash with the regualar towels, make them soften up after knitting. I don't wash the kitchen towels with the bath towels.

For the bridal showers last summer/fall, I knit up a bunch of dishcloths and the hanging towel that's in the pattern list. They were well received! I got some of the nicest thank you notes from the girls. And my mom loves 'em..(and I'm not in 3rd grade anymore, when she HAD to love'em)...I use mine all the time and frequently give them for housewarming gifts.

Why not put them in a basket with some special soap/dishsoap type of things for gifts? Ahhh....bath and body works..loves me! If the gift receiver knows the time you've put into knitting, they'll never think of them as meager. Especially if they match their kitchen colors.

hakucho said...

Your bridal shower lace cloth looks almost like the cloth I just finished for the Monthly Dishcloth KAL. I haven't posted the picture, yet, but I like yours much better...my border doesn't look very good...kind of wonky :( Very similar colors though !! Yours is beautiful :)

happy knitting :)

g-girl said...

wow--what a great looking cloth!! hakucho linked to you and I just had to check it out. :) I will be adding it to my collection! thanks!

Coming Unravelled said...

I am so glad I found your blog. (Thanks hakucho) You have some lovely patterns. I can't wait to try them! But 2 hours on the Columns Dishcloth??? Wow you are a fast knitter! The Basketweave premie blanket is adorable!

Have a nice spring weekend.~

sarah said...

awesome pattern! i've been looking for new stitches to try out, this seems cool :)

Mokumegane said...

I'm going to make this, I think... it has a nice pattern! I make Christmas presents every year. Last year was a maille bracelet, four felted scarves (two looked like cherry tree branches with a few blossoms on them and two looked like scarves with a skull at each end)two wristlets (all knitted, except the bracelet) a bookmark (cross-stitched and sewn onto leather... omg, deer leather is so soft) umm... I forget the rest. This year, it's kitchen baskets, a few hats, some arm warmers and they're all going to be knitted! The kitchen baskets will have a dishcloth or so, potholders and drink coasters (those two are sewn by my mom so she can have a hand in it) and a dish scrubber knitted from cut strips of tulle. Just a garter stitch works great with those! No one will have the same dish cloth, though...

Cathy said...

Now that's my kind of Christmas gift!

Mokumegane said...

Yeah ^.^ I have to make a few hats, too. One will be fulled and the others... one is that one style that's kind of like a snood, one is a "chrome dome" cover and one is a nearly-full head cover.

Anonymous said...

Cathy, thanks for this pattern. I'm making it as a scarf in Lamb's Pride Bulky and blogging about it. In my blog post I listed the pattern title and your name and linked to this post of yours. Let me know if that's groovy or not. --jane

ladygray said...

Beautiful pattern!! But I like a slightly smaller cloth. How many should we cast on for a smaller cloth?