Dishcloth Pattern and Framed Quaker Tapestry

A big welcome to my new followers and thank you all very much for the lovely comments on my blanket and dishcloth. Here's the pattern for making the dishcloth. It could be used for a washcloth too. I'm sure it could be used for many types of items. The fabric this stitch produces is solid but lovely and drapey. I think it would be good for a cardigan or jumper.

So, anyway, let's get on with the pattern. I used King Cole Bamboo Cotton yarn and a 50g ball made a good big dishcloth. The second one I made a little smaller than the first so I had a bit left over; just enough to do a final round on a washcloth or something like that.

Also, I used a 4 mm hook. You can use whatever yarn you like best and a hook size that is suitable for that yarn.

Make a chain with an odd number of stitches. To use most of a 50g ball of yarn and make a good-sized cloth, make the chain about 55 stitches. It will depend on your tension, of course. So you might prefer 53 or 57. It doesn't matter so long as it is an odd number.

I'm writing this using UK terminology. For US readers, where it says double crochet (dc) use a single crochet (sc) and where is says treble (tr) use a double crochet (dc).

Foundation Row:

Work a double crochet into the 3rd chain from the hook.

* Work a treble into the next chain.

Work a double crochet into the next chain. **

Repeat from * to ** until you reach the end.

Pattern Row:

Make 2 chain and turn.

* Work a double crochet into the next treble.

Work a treble into the next double crochet. **

Repeat from * to ** until you work the treble into the last double crochet.

Now work a double crochet into the top of the starting chain-2 of the previous row.

Repeat the pattern row until you have made a square. Then fasten off and sew in the ends.

It's extremely easy!

Do you remember me showing you my Quaker tapestry a while ago? Well, I am very pleased to say that it has now been framed.

Oh dear, it was impossible to get a picture without the reflection.

No reflection this time though it's a bit far away to see any detail.

Not only has the tapestry finally been finished and finally been framed, it has finally been hung on the living room wall. I'm very pleased with it!

Crochet Progress and Using Wool Warehouse Bags

It's hard to believe, but it's over a year since I started my king size crocheted cotton blanket. In fact, details about the yarn I'm using were in my very first post. There have been some updates on the progress since then, from the first squares at the end of this post, a whole row done at the end of this post, some more here (at the end) and great progress made here.

Of course, I've taken breaks from my blanket since it was started. Many breaks! To make lots of other things. Some big some small. Now, at last, the blanket end is in sight. It has never been a project that made me feel under pressure to get it finished. I have enjoyed working on it and then putting it away while I did something else. Now that is is nearing completion I'm really feeling the impetus to get it finished. How do you think it is looking?

More has been done since this picture was taken. I have nine more squares to crochet and that will make a total of 132 squares! Now, if you crochet (or knit), you will know that finishing the last square is not finishing the blanket. There are hundreds of ends to be sewn in. In fact, it's likely there are more than a thousand ends to sew in! There's also a border to be done; something which I still haven't decided on.

Do any of you order yarn from Wool Warehouse? If you do then you are bound to have noticed the way they now package the yarn in these lovely bags. I thought they were bound to be useful for something once the yarn had been used. So, I removed the Wool Warehouse ribbons and substituted some of my own for pulling the bag closed. You could use very colourful ribbons or ribbons with a message printed on them (like Happy Birthday or Hand Made with Love; you know the sort of thing). A very useful bag for all sorts of things. I have used some already to pack items I've made to give to someone else.

I might as well let you see one of the little makes that has kept me from blanket. This is a dishcloth made using King Cole Bamboo Cotton yarn. It's lovely to work with; very soft although a little bit splitty. It's 50% bamboo and 50% cotton so ideal for using to make washcloths and dishcloths. I used the full 50g ball for this dishcloth so it's a good, generous size. My dad was impressed with it! 

If anyone would like to know how the dishcloth is made I can write it up for you; there's not much to it. It's so easy I've made another one in blue.

Best wishes to all of you for now. I'm sorry that I haven't had much time for reading other blogs this week and for leaving comments. I've had technology problems but really it's just a case of not enough time.

Washcloth Pattern

Some of you, after reading about my washcloths, were interested in having the pattern. So here it is. I hope you will enjoy making your own washcloths. Don't hesitate to ask if you're having any problems with the pattern.

Here's a picture of the washcloth again so you know what I'm talking about.

For the pattern I'm using UK terminology throughout. US readers simply replace double crochet with single crochet.

 

The yarn I used was King Cole Bamboo Cotton DK but any similar yarn would do just as well. One 100g ball was enough to make two washcloths but only just! I used a 4mm hook.

 

The neatest way to make the washcloth is what I'll give you details for first. However, if you find it too difficult to work the split stitch into the foundation chain then read on for a simpler method.

Foundation Row:  Work 43 chain.

Row 1: 
Into the 4th chain from the hook work a split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into chain and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next chain and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.

*Now, working into the same chain where the second leg of the last split stitch was made, make a split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into chain and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next chain and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.

Continue from * until the last chain is used for the second leg of the 39th split stitch (counting the beginning 3 chain you have 40 stitches in this first row).

Chain 1 and turn.

Row 2: 

Work a double crochet (dc) into the top of each split stitch and a double crochet into the top of the beginning chain-3 of the previous row (40 dc – the chain-1 doesn’t count as a stitch).

Chain 3 and turn.

Row 3:

Work first split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into first stitch and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.

*Now, working into the same stitch in which the second leg of the last split stitch was made, make a split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into stitch and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.

Continue from * until the last stitch is used for the second leg of the 39th split stitch (counting the beginning 3 chain you have 40 stitches in this row).

Chain 1 and turn.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until a total of 14 rows of split stitch have been worked.

Final Row:

Work a dc into the top of each split stitch,
work 3 dc into the top of the beginning chain-3 of the previous row,
work 2 dc into the end of each split stitch row and 1 dc into the end of each dc row of the first side,
work 2 dc into the corner,
work 1 dc into the remaining loop of each chain in the foundation row,
work 2 dc into the corner,  work 2 dc into the end of each split stitch row and 1 dc into the end of each dc row on the second side,
work 2 dc into the corner,
join with a slip stitch to the chain-1 at the start of the row and finish off.

Sew in ends and block.


For some reason my square turned out to be skewed but it was easliy pulled into shape and, after a really good blocking, it came out as a true square.

Here's a couple of close-up pictures of how split stitch looks.

If you find it too difficult to work the split stitch into the foundation chain then here’s a slightly different way to make the washcloth that is a bit simpler to do.

Foundation Row:

Work 41 chain.

Row 1:

Starting at the 2nd chain from hook, work a double crochet (dc) each chain (40 dc – don’t count initial chain-1 as a stitch)

Row 2:

Work first split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into first stitch and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.

*Now, working into the same stitch in which the second leg of the last split stitch was made, make a split stitch as follows:

yarn over hook, insert hook into stitch and draw yarn through (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook, insert hook into next stitch and draw yarn through (5 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 4 loops (leaves 2 loops),
yarn over hook and draw through remaining 2 loops.


Continue from * until the last stitch is used for the second leg of the 39th split stitch (counting the beginning 3 chain you have 40 stitches in this row).

Chain 1 and turn.

Row 3:

Work a double crochet (dc) into the top of each split stitch and a double crochet into the top of the beginning chain-3 of the previous row (40 dc – the chain-1 doesn’t count as a stitch).

Chain 3 and turn.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until a total of 14 rows of split stitch have been worked.

Final Row:

You will already have worked a dc into the top of each split stitch and a dc into the top of the beginning chain-3 of the previous row. Continue as follows:

work another 2 dc into the top of the beginning chain-3 of the previous row,
work 2 dc into the end of each split stitch row and 1 dc into the end of each dc row of the first side,
work 2 dc into the corner,
join with a slip stitch to the last dc of the first row and finish off.

Join yarn at the starting chain-1 of first row and work 2 dc into this corner,
work 2 dc into the end of each split stitch row and 1 dc into the end of each dc row on the second side,
work 2 dc into the corner,
join with a slip stitch to the chain-1 at the start of the row and finish off.

Sew in ends and block.


Enjoy crocheting. Don't forget to let me know if you have any problems.

Small Gifts

Before going any further I want to thank you all for your kind and very thoughtful comments about my experience with the car. I am truly thankful. Just as I am truly thankful that the situation didn't end up being much worse. Thanks, too, for the comments on my hedgehogs. They were fun to make and I can't wait to get at least one owl made. I'm being put off making an owl by the fact that I now only have green tinsel yarn and I just can't imagine a green owl. Maybe I need to pay a visit to the yarn shop and buy some more of the tinsel yarn; white or silver would be nice, methinks.

Anyway, to get back to the post in hand. This is about some little gifts I've made for Christmas. When I was on holiday recently on the Isle of Skye (you can read about it here, here, here and here) I bought some hand crafted soap from the Isle of Skye Soap Company in Portree. I thought it would be nice to make some washcloths to go with the soaps and use as Christmas gifts. The yarn I chose is King Cole Bamboo Cotton DK which is made from 100% natural fibres making it a good choice for delicate skin. For two of the cloths I used the Ice colour.

There are plenty of patterns about for washcloths but, not wanting to actually get off my seat and go to look for my pattern book, I just decided to make it up. I made a chain as wide as I thought was necessary and then worked one row split stitch and one row double crochet until it was long enough to make a square. Then I worked a row of double crochet right round the edge. The split stitch gives it a nice texture. Look, here they are again with one of the leaves I've been making.

Now I had some more of this bamboo cotton yarn in my stash; Green and Dusty Pink (at least, I think those are the colours - I've thrown out the ball bands). Not enough of either colour to do another washcloth so I used both colours and made this ...

The middle is about three quarters the width of the Ice washcloths. I worked until the piece was square and then did a row of double crochet right round. Next I did a row of split stitch and a row of double crochet in the Green, repeated that with the Dusty Pink and then did a final row of Green shells.

Don't forget I'm using UK crochet terminology so read single crochet instead of double crochet if you use US terminology.

Maybe I should write up the pattern for you in another post. What do you think?

That's enough for now, I think. I have some more gifts to show you another time. The snowflakes will have their own post and so will the other Christmas decorations. I'm really enjoying making them all! All the best for now and please feel free to leave me a comment.

Nearly forgot! Before I go, have a look at some of the roses in my garden. Some are starting to look a bit sad, what with all the rain we've been having.

Some are just perfect still!

This one was only planted in the summer.

There's just something special about a perfect rose, isn't there?