Lots of Cloths...

When I'm knitting cloths to use for Dishcloths and Facecloths, texture is something I look for. Maybe because texture makes it feel like it could scrub somewhat better? Or that it feels good? I don't know. I do know that when knitting them up, texture makes it less boring? That doesn't sound quite right. Here are a couple of cloths ready to go. The first two are the same cloth, with one exception. It's the Grandmother's favorite that everyone and their mothers have been using since the dawn of time. At least since WorkBook ran the pattern in their knitting magazine back in the 1950's. I got my first one in 1982. My Dad's church was holding it's annual Bazaar, and when Mom found the dishcloths there, she knew I could knit these up quickly. Good Mom that she is...she even sent along the pattern. I however, being knitting snobby at the time, thought....sheeeeeshhhhhhh....knit dishcloths? How ew.....

Boy have those days ever changed now!
My Brother calls my knitting my 'art'. You see, he's a fabulous artist! I remember when he was in Junior High/High school, he could recopy the posters everyone had on their walls onto poster board! BY HAND! Now, he makes latex masks - the kind you see in movies like Freddy Krueger, Planet of the Apes..etc...his talent is amazing. Oh, and did I mention he made his first movie last year? Talent, I tell you...oddles and oddles of talent! When I gave him a knitted beanie for Father's Day last year, it meant a lot to me when he later told me that it was my art. I had never thought of it that way.

When I was laying in bed for 2 years after I got hurt and was knitting beanies for the troops, and other charity knitting, my Dad said it was my Ministry. Again, it took me by surprise to hear him say that. It gave me chills actually to hear that over the phone. To me, it was a way of maintaining sanity in a situation that had NO decent purpose as far as I was concerned. I couldn't get the insurance company or the court system to do what I wanted/needed, but signing up and committing to knitting for the benefit of others gave me some purpose and a timeline. Something that had been missing from my life the moment I had forgotten to 'bounce' in the parking lot. It's amazing what a sense of purpose can do for your psyche.

Today, I knit a lot of dish/facecloths. They're small portable projects. They're relatively inexpensive to make. If you don't like one...no big deal, wash a car with them.! If the garbage disposal doesn't like it? Or rather should I say..when the garbage disposal really likes them....make a few more! If you have to spend your time washing dishes....or you want the kids to claim their laundry in the bathroom...why not use something you can make that costs less and can be personalized? After all....I wish I'd thought of the facecloth idea when my kids were little...you can tell who isn't picking up after themselves if they have their initial or favorite picture on the cloths left behind in a wet pile! Thank you Rhonda for your patterns!http://www.knittingknonsense.com/

Plus, they make nice little gifts for someone's kitchen, or a pick me up post surgery. How about for little additions to a baby gift? Or a shower gift for the bride's new kitchen...or when your kids go off to college, and are going to be in the dorms, make them a little something to remind them from home, that won't be like anyone else's, or for holiday times when they can't be at the family holiday tables. Or, or, or, or, or....

Boy, have I gotten off track (big surprise - huh?) from the first paragraph! What I was going to mention had to do with the difference between the first two. They're the Grandmother's pattern. You know. K3, YO, knit to the end. I like to start mine with 5 stitches, and use 3 stitches on each side. Personal preference here. However, a couple of years ago while making squares for afghans, I wanted to use the pattern without the lacy holes. By changing the increase stitches from a YO, to a M1, and twisting it, you can get a fairly square cloth where fingers won't catch. This pattern works great for afghan squares, you just continue the basic pattern until you reach your desired size.

The third pattern is my own. New Year's Day of 2005 found me looking for something to do. Playing with the needles and yarn I wrote out and knitted up this dishcloth. It's got the amount of texture I like in a cloth, is a very simple pattern and looks cute if I do say so myself. Now that I've got another one made up, I'm thinking that I could start handing out some cloths as thank yous for people I think are doing a great job...little things that really cost about 60 cents to make, depending upon the brand of 100% cotton I use. I'm making them up anyway, keeps my desk top computer from gathering a stack of dishcloths, don't you think? What do you think? If someone gave you a dishcloth as a tip, would you like that?

NYD ’05 Dishcloth Pattern
© Cathy Waldie, January 1, 2005

(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles
100% cotton yarn (sample made with Peaches & Cream

Cast on 34 stitches
K6 rows for bottom border

1) Sl 1, K2, K28, K3
2) Sl 1, K2, P 28, K3
3) Sl 1, K2, *K1, P2* repeat between **’s across row, end K1, K3
4) Sl 1, K2, P 28, K3

Repeat rows 1-4 for a total of 10 pattern repeats.

K 7 rows for the top border, and Bind off in Purl.

Cut yarn. Weave in ends, Wash your dishes.

Now, it's time for the 'mom' comment...all you 'kids' who are away at colleges and universities(students, teachers, co-workers)...stop what you're doing this moment and call your Moms and let them know you're ok...with the recent events on the campus', it would let your Mom breathe again. Trust me, you'll score big brownie points if you call/text/im her RIGHT NOW!

I Love My Kids!

From the kid who said he'd never spend a dime at their bookstore for clothing..

look what the kid finally got to me?

yep...proud mom.....add this to the other two sweatshirts I have...waiting now for the middle daughter to transfer..and complete my set of 4 sweatshirts...ehhehe..no pressure there daughter..none.at.all...I LOVE MY KIDS! (and if you look carefully, he's wearing one, too)

I'm thinking..this summer's gonna hurt.....

Red Wings Baby Surprise Jacket

It's finished and ready to pop into the mail!

The red set began back in March with the posting on the 3rd with a teaser. The AC4C yahoo group for the month of March was making baby layettes to send to the ABC Infant center in Michigan. All kinds of 'themes' were created. Being a Michigan girl with a certain 'fondness' for the Red Wings, I picked this set. The NMCRS Basketweave blanket in Cotton-ease and Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket in Lion Brand's Wool-Ease are my contributions. Placing the white stripes on the cuffs and the bottom of the jacket I hope resembles a Wings' jersey. The red buttons at Joann's weren't enough of a match to the red of the jacket, so black were used to resemble hockey pucks. Sadly, with all the other sports themes in the button department, not a single hockey themed button could be found. But if you want golf buttons? Go to Joann's! Or football, or basketball, or baseball. They've got 'em all!

Taking pictures of a red sweater on red blanket, is a lot of red! The only thing I'm not happy with is the left edge of the white stripe on the bottom. Guess I picked up the stitches on the wrong side and that will be fixed with the next sweaters I make. I'm really happy with this jacket over all. In fact, while searching to find buttons, this little one was made, too! Lickety split and a wee bit smaller.

For the Red Wings BSJ, Gauge: 20.5 sts/42 rows=4"/10 cm in garter stitch, with (US) 6 (4.00 mm) Addi Turbos. Chest size (measured just under the sleeves) 17"/43.2cm, which makes it larger than a newborn size, maybe 3-6 months? I'm guessing. Lion Brand Wool-ease, Ranch Red and White.

The hat is the Umbilical Hat from the first Stitch and Bitch book made with the same Lion Brand Wool-ease. I tend to shorten the I-chord on the top, but I just love the top of this little hat. I used it last weekend for the preemie set adding the pattern stitch to match it to the sweater. It's fast, it's easy, and with the rolled-brim knitted in the round, very soft for a baby's head to wear. Not to mention no sewing up a seam!

The little pink one for the soon to be addition to my cousin's family, was made using Hobby Lobby's Baby Bee-Sweet Delights Prints in Bubblegum. It is some veryyyyyyyyyy soft yarn! It feels so 'cushy' and I can't wait to use some more. I'm thinking that this would be a very soft yarn to use with preemie blankets? After the past week of preemie knitting, it's been on my mind a lot. Not having a Hobby Lobby in California, I'm going to have gather up a bit more next trip home. Dad's asking when I can come back again. I'm thinking possibly in June. Hopefully he'll be up to some company by then. AND.NO.MORE.SURGERIES! But, I digress.

The Sweet Delights - Prints is a blend of 60% Acrylic, 40% polyamide. 115 gms/4 oz, 345 m/ 377 yards. It's label says it's a bulky weight. Hmmm, I disagree. It says 20 sts/36 r for 6" x 6"/15.2 cm using a (US) 10 (6.00mm) needle. To make this little BJS, I used a (US) 4 (3.5 mm) Boye Balene ll circular. I think I'm sticking to my Addis from now on. While the tips of the Balenes were nice and pointed and the flexibility of the needles was ok, the plastic cable about drove me nuts. I used the hot water method to straighten it out 3 times and it wouldn't stay straight. How does the saying go? You can put a man on the moon, but.... Again, I digress...

The finished sweater ended up with a 15"/38.1 cm chest which is perfect for the typical newborn size. In garter stitch my gauge ended up at 24 stitches/49 rows = 4"/10 cm. Yep, I really like this yarn and this size for a newborn baby gift. The buttons are little pink flowers from La Petite brand during our Hancock Fabrics store closing sale. Perfect color match if I do say so myself. Almost makes you want to have more babies.....NOT. I'll just keep knitting for others...they can have the teething/potty training 'experience'. I like having the 19, 21, 24, 26 year old experience of children!

Just My Size for Little Miss 'R'-UPDATED

Little Miss "R's" knitting, is finished. Not having time to waste, I picked the 5-hour type sweater that I've been making for many years. I liked this one because it doesn't have buttons. For such a little one, I wanted the sweater to be all soft. Back in the mid 1980's, a lady from my church shared this pattern with me that she made for NMCRS(Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society). At the time the group was knitting a sweater for each baby born in the Navy hospital and on the bases to the sailors and Marines. Today, our Naval hospital has been replaced by a movie theater, Michael's, Sam's Club, Pet center, and lots of other retail stores.

The full sized sweater that I have here in purple, fits a 6-9 month full term baby. It uses either two strands of a sportweight/dk yarn (which I did with the purple sweater) or a single strand of worsted. I used a single strand of Bernat's Softee Baby yarn for Miss R. Rather than the written size of 10.5 needles, I used a (US) 4, (3.5 mm) addi turbo circular. With a gauge of 24 sts/33.5 rows for 4"/10cm., it gave me a 13 .5"/34cm chest. I didn't change a thing in the pattern other than the weight of the yarn and size of the needles. It's very obvious how different the sizes turn out.

This one will probably be large on Miss R, but I did that on purpose, At the time of her birth, she was 3 pounds, 15 ounces. That's nearly 4 pounds. Years ago babies didn't go home until they were 5 pounds. I'm guessing since everything seems to going well for her, she'll probably go home a bit sooner. You know how insurance companies are...they'll boot you out the door every chance they get! Even my dad went home last week before we thought he should have.

When it's time for Little Miss "R" to go home, I hope she's wrapped in lots of softness as her Mommy and Daddy start the real work of bringing her into the world. Yes, labor is only the beginning. The real fun starts post labor..the laughter, the smiles, the giggles, and then...a few years down the road...the phone calls from the boys, the prom dresses...the shoes, the nails, the hair, the limo..the. the. the....oh never mind. We'll let Mom and Dad learn that part down the road!

UPDATE 4/11/07: in reference to Shelly's question in the comments: This pattern is a variation on the 5-hour baby sweater called the Jiffy Knit Baby Sweater. This particular pattern came to me from NMCRS back in the 1980's. I don't have the copywrite, so at this point I can't post the exact pattern. However, if you google 5 hour baby sweater, some of the many takes on the pattern can be found here: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/kp3.html , http://www.fibergypsy.com/patterns/5hrpatt.shtml , and http://www.woolworks.org/patterns/5-hour.txt . There are a lot of different varieties. The main difference in mine: cast on of 43 stitches, rather than 33 or 34, eyelets around the neck (k2tog, yo) to thread ribbon, crochet chain stitch, or i-chord through instead of buttons and button holes, and the texture pattern is repeated 4 times at the bottom of the sweater to match the yoke. I hope this helps. Until I can get permission to repost the pattern, this is the best I can do.

Just My Size

The Just My Size Basketweave Preemie Baby Blanket is ready. Here are a few ideas about preemie blankets now that this one is finished. Little fingers get caught in lace patterns. For preemies especially, it's best to have a denser fabric. Working for time and using the same size (US) 10 (8.00 mm) needles with this blanket that I used on the full sized baby blanket, I should have probably used a smaller needle. I'm happy with the look and the speed in which this blanket was finished, but it could have been better. I'm thinking a size (US)7 - 8 (4.5 - 5.00 mm) needle with a DK /sport weight yarn might have beeen a better choice. Looks like my 'to do' list just got longer. It's also dawned on me that being a knitting Mom of four 'adult' children who have many friends, having a couple of preemie sized blankets premade wouldn't be a bad idea. Trying to get something made up in a hurry for an immediate need means speed rather than detail as the priority. Statistics suggest it would be time well spent.

Just to give you all some perspective, here is the Just My Size blanket on top of the full sized blanket that I'd finished from my March 16th post.

Again, here are the two blankets all folded up. I generally fold my blankets in thirds, two times, before wrapping them up. And little Miss "R", isn't the smallest of babies born! I have to say, having these sit side by side really made me stop in my tracks. I know that I made the blanket larger than I originally planned, and it still struck me as quite small.

Now, I'm onto the task of picking which sweater to make for this little bundle. Oh, and the ends of the F & F Rainbow blanket.

Just My Size Basketweave Preemie Baby Blanket
© Cathy Waldie, April 5, 2007

1 1/2 skeins Red Heart Lustre yarn [Label: 18 sts/24 r = 4"/10 cm, worsted weight, 3 ply, 5 oz, 140 g, 253 yd/231 m]
(US) 8 (5.0 mm) and (US) 10 (8.0 mm) 29" circular needles (blanket is knit flat, circular needles are used to hold the stitches in your lap, keeping the stress off of your wrists)
Chibi needle
Finished size: 20" x 21" (50.8 cm x 53.5 cm)
Gauge in pattern on larger needles: 15 sts/24 r = 4"/ 10 cm

*slip the first stitch of each row as if to knit

Using the smaller needles, Cast on 76 stitches.

1-6: Knit

Switch to larger needles

7: and all odd rows, Knit

8, 10, 12, 14, 16: K5, P6, (K6, P6) 5 times, K5

18, 20, 22, 24, 26: K5, K6, (P6, K6) 5 times, K5

27 - 126: Repeat rows (7-26) 5 more times for a total of 6 pattern repeats.

Switch back to the smaller needles.

127-133) Knit

134) Bind off in Purl.

Cut yarn, weave ends, wrap gently around baby and lavish with love.

Just Her Size

Back when my youngest daughter was in elementary school, being the youngest of four, she generally took the smallest of anything she got to pick out. She said it was JUST HER SIZE. Maybe that's why today she's a size puny..and I'm not. ha.

Over the weekend, there was a tiny, but adorable baby who entered this world. She is the soon to be recipient of the Feather and Fan Rainbow Baby Blanket from a week or so ago. Yes, I still have to finish the ends...which will take a slight back seat..why? Cuz adorable baby "R" came into the world at 3 pounds, 15 ounces, 15 3/4" long! That's not much longer than a ruler! And since the Feather and Fan pattern is lace, I'm reworking the Basketweave pattern tonight in a pretty pink yarn down to a 'JUST MY SIZE' size. If I play my cards correctly, I'll get a sweater done too before little Miss "R" has gained enough weight to go home next week.

I had to go in search of size information for the little one. My kids were 7# 13 1/2 oz, 7# 15 ozs, 8# 10 ozx, and 7 # 15 ozs. I can't fathom one who came into the world under 4#'s! But, I will knit for her!

Oh, her Daddy works with my middle daughter, the one who loves the Rainbow blankets. And yes, she's now requested a total of four of them! Why? Because another co-worker's wife is pregnant! SHE'S.NOT.ALLOWED.TO.DRINK.THE.WATER!!!

And I forgot to put up last weekend's picture....

A Little Bit of Cable

Last Christmas my niece wanted some wrist warmers. Actually she was using some make-shift ones last summer while visiting with Grandma. I decided that she needed something 'proper' and she'd get them from her Aunt Cathy.

I used the Voodo Wrist Warmers pattern by Bonne Marie Burns found here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/PATTvoodoo.html. Since they worked up so quickly, I had plenty of time to add a scarf and hat. As I started to make the scarf nice and thick by using two strands of yarn at once, it looked a little plain. Since I'm a cable girl, I threw in a couple, but not for the whole scarf. After all, it's the ends that are going to show as the scarf is worn. Why make cables that are going to be hidden behind the neck or under long hair?

A Little Bit of Cable Scarf
© Cathy Waldie, December 15, 2006

3 skeins Lion Brand Wool-Ease, worsted weight (~600 yards/ 540 m) (9 ozs/255 g) – used double stranded
(US) 11 ((8.00 mm) needles
crochet hook for fringe
chibi needle
gauge in ribbing: 21 ½ sts/16 rows = 4”/ 10cm (unstretched)
Finished length: 7” x 68” without fringe.
Cable needle

Before you begin the scarf, cut the strands for your fringe and set aside (120 pieces 11” in length)
If you wish to have a different length scarf, shorten or lengthen the number of rows between the two cable sections.

*C6B = slip 3 stitches from your left needle onto your cable needle, and hold your Cable needle (CN) behind your work. Knit the next 3 stitches from your left knitting needle. Knit the 3 stitches in order from your CN. Continue with pattern using the stitches on your left knitting needle.
**C6F = slip 3 stitches from your left needle onto your CN, and hold your CN in front of your work. Knit the next 3 stitches from your left knitting needle. Knit the 3 stitches in order from your CN. Continue with pattern using the stitches on your left knitting needle.

Cast on 30 stitches.
The majority of this scarf is a rib-knit scarf.

Row 1 and most odd rows: K4, K2, (P2, K2) 5 times, K4
Row 2 and all even rows: K4, P2, (K2, P2) 5 times, K4

Repeat these two rows for the scarf, with the exception of the following rows:

21) K4, C6B*, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
31) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
41) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
51) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
61) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
71) K4, C6B, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6B, K4
191) K4, C6F**, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
201) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
211) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
221) K4, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, (P2, K2) 2 times, K4
231) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
241) K4, C6F, P2, (K2, P2) 2 times, C6F, K4
243-262) repeat rows 1 and 2
263) Bind off in pattern. Cut and weave in ends.

In groups of 4, add 15 sets of fringe on each end. Trim.

A Second Helping of...

Last night while knitting up a new 'copy' of Mom's Broken Rib Dishcloth I realized that my knitting has changed since I wrote that pattern. This cloth felt loose to me. It was originally made with the smaller size Mom likes for washing her dishes. After I finished it I knit up a second one with smaller needles and a few more stitches. I like this newer version better. Can you see the difference in size?

Just a few extra stitches, a couple of more pattern repeats, and the drape feels much better. See the back?

I like the texture here, too. It's great for scrubbing dishes. Yep, I use my dishcloths and so does Mom.

Mom's Broken Rib Dishcloth, Take Two!
© Cathy Waldie, March 30, 2007

(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles
100 % cotton yarn
Finished size: 8” x 8 ¼ "

C/O 35 sts
K6 rows (slip the first stitch of all rows, then beg pattern)

1: Sl 1, K across
2: Sl 1, K3 (edge stitches), P 1, (K1, P1) 13 times, end K4 (edge stitches)

Repeat rows (1 and 2) 19 more times (total of 20 pattern repeats).
K7 rows, B/O in purl.

My daughter got her Second Sparkly Hat (SSS Hat) this week and was very pleased with it's fit. You can bet I'll be making her a few more very soon! In fact, I have both brown and camel colored Encore skeins waiting to hit the needles with her name written all over them. It's fun to think that I've made enough hats over the past several years and can now custom fit hats and beanies for the kids in just their preferred sizes. She likes the way the edges fit snugger (smaller needles for the cuff) than the main body of the hat and the way it comes down just below her ears. The older ones she had were 'just that much' too short. In my opinion it's easier to figure out how to make a hat fit when you have the daughter in town to try on hats and measure her head. I'm just sayin'....

Notes on the SSS Hat: I made the hat identical to the first one with the exception of making the cuff flat- not turned up, using the same wool-ease yarn. The pattern should look very familiar.

Steph's Second Sparkly Hat (SSS Hat)
© Cathy Waldie, March 19, 2007

size adult small
1 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease worsted weight, white multi, label [2 1/2 ozs/70 g, 162 yds/146 m, 78% acrylic, 19% wool, 3% polyester, 18 sts/24rows on (us) 8 (5.0mm)]

(US)5 (3.75mm) and (US)6 (4.0mm) 16” / 40cm circular needles
(US) 6 (4.0mm) 24”/60 cm circular needle
Chibi needle
Stitch marker

Twisted rib stitch = Round one, *K2, P2* repeat aroundRound two=*K1 in the back of the loop, K1 in the back of the loop, P2* repeat around.Repeat rounds one and two for desired length.

Using size (US) 5 (3.75mm) needle, cast on 100 sts. Be careful not to twist the stitches. Join to knit in the round and place marker.

Knit in K2, P2 twisted rib for 12 rounds.On the last row...decrease 1 stitch (99 sts)

Switching to (US) 6 (4.0mm) needles st. st for 25 rounds.

Begin decrease rounds:

1: *K7, K2 tog* around (88 sts)
2: K around
3: *K6, K2 tog* around (77 sts)
4: K around
5: *K5, k2 tog* around (66 sts)
6: K around
7: *K4, K2 tog* around (55 sts)
8: Knit around
9: *K3, K2 tog* around (44 sts)
10: Knit around
11: *K2, K2tog* around (33 sts)
12: Knit around
13: *K1, K2 tog* around (22 sts)
14: Knit around
15: *K2 tog* around (11 sts)
16: *K2 tog* around (6 sts)

Cut yarn to approximately 18". Weave through stitches (twice), pull tight, and fasten off.Weave in tails.

In other news around the family, the KBB Blanket was made for my cousin's baby due in August. I was so sure that they would be having a boy. Guess what? She's not a boy! She's going to be a girl...and that's making her Grandpa very happy! He's always wanted a daughter. Now, after two sons, and a Grandson, he's getting a girl! I'm guessing this will be one very spoiled Granddaughter! Since none of my daughters (or my son) knit, (they were taught, but have learned to say, "Mom, I need this and this by this date, can you make it up for me?") I have offered to let them pick out something for me to knit for this little one yet to join the family. Middle daughter picked another Feather and Fan Rainbow Baby Blanket. I saw that coming! Waiting for the rest of the pickings to be, well, picked. That makes it a second helping of knitting a blanket for my cousin, and a third helping of F and F Rainbow blankets.

Dad is still in the hospital. Post surgery he was doing well enough that they gave him a round of chemo. A few hours later he started with a few issues that's kept him admitted rather than going home last Thursday. He's now looking at Monday for a possible release date.

The kids and I decided to send him this, even though it will arrive after the tournament has finished. The kids thought it was a perfect choice for the Grandpa of two UCLA graduates. Not to mention it was time to add to Grandpa's hat collection. Maybe we can convince him that his hat collection is a better hobby than surgeries and hospital stays? I keep suggesting knitting as a hobby to substitute, but he just laughs it off and declines the lessons. OY! Parents!

Ribs: Dad's, Cloth and Scarf

A couple of years ago, my dad started on a series of surgeries by accident. Literally. He was up on his step stool putting books away in his study when he fell. He broke one rib and displaced another one and at the time we thought that was the extent of the damage. A few months later, thinking he had a tumor in his stomach, while undergoing exploratory surgery,the surgeon slipped beginning a 10 day stay in the heart unit and many weeks in surgical rehab. It was something that could/should have killed a weaker man. Or woman. The heart doc said had Dad not had a daily ritual of walking 5 miles at the mall, his heart wouldn't have been strong enough to pull him through.

The good part of the story? He didn't have a tumor in his stomach, rather it was a hiatal hernia which was fixable. It got fixed...the bad part of the story...while it got fixed, he ended up with peritonitis from the surgeon's slip. Today he's having another surgery. He has bladder cancer now. They are taking out his second tumor today while I'm writing this. This is the latest in the continuing 'effects' I believe stem from that 'incident'. Hang in there DAD!
(camera phone, good color, fuzzy picture-sorry)
Prior to the original fall and broken rib saga, I'd begun an afghan for my dad using his favorite maroon/burgundy/cranberry color. I used a Red Heart pattern from one of their little books you can pick up from any department type store that still has knitting/yarn stuff. I used Paton's Decor in their cranberry color. AND I LOVED IT! I loved the 75/25% wool blend, the sheen to it, and the way it felt in my hands. Like it would last a long time without pilling and fuzzing up and didn't break the bank. It was very warm as I worked away on nearly 300 stitches laying in my lap. It was a pattern that needed complete concentration. Needless to say, it wasn't a project that got worked on very steadily.

(35mm film, good picture, light colors)

Since I had also been 'sidelined' with injuries myself, after the surgery, I got to thinking I might want to finish it quickly and get it up to him, certainly I now had the time to finish it. I wanted him to be able to have it on his bed while he was in the hospital recovering as my way of sending him daily 'hugs' via the afghan. It got done, he went to surgical rehab, I fed-exed the afghan, and the nurses said..he can't keep it there. It was at risk of being stolen. ulg! He did get a lot of use out of it when he went home and had to sleep in the recliner. Even though I understood the reason, I was not a happy camper that they wouldn't let him keep it while he was there. I couldn't go back and I wanted him to know that I was wrapping him up in prayers, hugs, and love while he needed to get better.

(35mm camera, good long lens, not much detail)

Anyway. As I was packing up the afghan, I wanted to send something for Mom, too. She'd been driving back and forth every day, many days more than once between their apartment, the hospital and the surgical rehab the whole time. Sometimes she didn't get home until 3am, but she was always there in the am to give him his shave and his care, help with his meals, etc...Grandma would have been very proud of her, she had been a nurse. I think Mom would have been an excellent nurse, too.

Getting back to the story, I flipped through my 365 stitches calendar and found a pattern that by the name alone I knew I'd found what I was looking for. I decided to make a dishcloth for mom that she could keep in the kitchen. The title of the stitch? Broken rib. Perfect, no? I also decided to make Dad a scarf with the left over yarn from his afghan. With that, I attached notes telling them both that from this day forward, these are the only two things for the rest of their lives, that are allowed to have broken ribs in and around the two of them! Period. Forever!

Mom’s Broken Rib Dishcloth

(US) 8 (5.0mm) needles
100 % cotton yarn
Finished size: 7 ¼” x 7 ¾”

C/O 29 sts
k4 rows *slip the first stitch of all rows, then beg pattern:
1: sl 1, k across
2: sl 1, k2 (edge stitches), p 1, (k1, p1) 11 times, end k3 (edge stitches)
Repeat rows (1 and 2) 17 more times (total of 18 pattern repeats).
K5 rows, B/O in purl.

© Cathy Waldie, February 13, 2005

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Dad’s Broken Rib Scarf

(US) 4 (3.5mm) needles
(US) 7 (4.5mm) needles
2 skeins Paton’s Décor claret #1657 (or color of your choice)(add more if longer length is desired)
Gauge in patt: 20 sts/27 rows = 4"/10cm, unblocked
Finished size : 6” x 56 ½”

C/O=Cast On
K=knit
P=purl
B/O=Bind off
Kfb=knit into the front and the back of the same stitch
Sl 1=slip the first stitch as if to knit

Using smaller sized needles, C/O 29 sts and K 5 rows (slipping the first stitch of each row).
6: sl 1, k6, kfb in next stitch, k4, kfb in next st, k3, kfb in next st, k4, kfb in next st, k7 (33 sts)

Switch to larger needles
7: sl 1, k across
8: sl 1, k2(edge stitches), p 1, (k1, p1) 13 times, end k3 (edge stitches)

Repeat rows (7 and 8) 170 more times (171 pattern repeats total) or until desired length, switch back to smaller needles

Next row:

sl 1, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k7.
K4 rows (slipping the first stitch of each row)
B/O in purl.

Weave in ends.
© Cathy Waldie, January 22, 2005