Knitting

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Knit Dishcloths: A Great Choice for Summer

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knit the firefly dishcloth from knit picksIf you live somewhere where it gets hot in the summer and you still want to be able to knit comfortably (maybe even outside), knitting washcloths and dishcloths is a great way to spend some of your summer knitting time. These small, portable projects are really useful and make great housewarming or hostess gifts, and they’re a great way to play with patterns on a small scale.

It’s been a while since I checked in on Knit Picks’ 52 Weeks of Dishcloths, but if you’re keeping score it’s week 24, apparently. You can see all of the projects on their website; some are for crochet.

I really like the Firefly Dishcloth, which uses what in my head has always been butterfly stitch to make a fun textured pattern on the front.

Another fun one is the Quadrant, a great stash buster once you’ve knit a few other projects.

Do you knit washcloths or dishcloths? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Knit Picks.]

Why use dishcloths? Dishcloths are re-useable and save on kitchen waste. Most dishcloths are made using cotton yarn and can be thrown into the washing machine when dirty. This makes them very hygienic, especially when compared to kitchen sponges, which sit on the sinks for days if not weeks.  Another great thing about dishcloths is when it comes to knitting the knit up quickly and are great for gift giving. Everyone needs a dishcloth.  For gifting, It’s not something that has to be in fashion or a certain colour for the recipient to like it, though there are so many great dishcloth pattern designs out there.

Looking to knit more dishcloth patterns ? Check out these dishcloth patterns on Etsy 

Comments

  1. I knit them for my daughter to clean my grandson’s face and hands after eating. The soft but nubbly texture sweeps away the mess.

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.