Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Review: Learn-a-Stitch Knit Dishcloths

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Not too long ago I shared a collection of washcloth knitting patterns and noted that washcloths are great projects for learning new stitches and techniques because they are small and don’t have to come out perfect (they’ll still wash things even if they don’t come out perfectly square).

It turns out I’m not the only person to think this way, and Annie’s has produced a little booklet called Learn-a-Stitch Knit Dishcloths with six different stitch patterns that might teach you something.

The projects are designed by Lena Skvageron, and the booklet is nothing but the patterns and a little bit of technique instruction in the back of the book (long-tail cast on, knit, purl, binding off in knit and purl, and different increase and decreases, many of which are not used in this book).

The patterns are as follows:

  • Herringbone dishcloth using slipped stitches to make a pattern of vs on the surface of a knit purl fabric
  • Blooming dishcloth, which has multiple yarn overs and knits worked into the same stitch, resulting in equally large decreases like knit 4 together and slip 3, knit 1, pass 3 slipped stitches over
  • Golden Coins, a basic cable knitting pattern
  • Basketweave Waves, a knit and purl pattern that features wavy bands of texture
  • Reversible Texture dishcloth, another one that’s just knits and purls and a bit more like the simple basketweave you might have worked in alternating blocks of knits and purls
  • Tree of Life, which uses slipped stitches and tiny cables to make the tree design

All of the patterns are rated easy (even that one that asks you to knit four together in cotton yarn!) and all but the first one include a chart as well as written instructions.

With this handful of patterns you can learn some basic knit and purl patterns, use slipped stitches decoratively, make some cables and play with lace (though, again, not sure that should be your first lace experience because those decreases are not the easiest). Still, this is a fun little book for someone who likes to knit dishcloths or washcloths and wants to try some new things.

About the book: 18 pages, paperback (or PDF), 6 patterns. Published 2022 by Annie’s, suggested retail price $9.99 ($7.99 for PDF linked at Annie’s).

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Golden Peak Media Acquires CreativeBug

Throughout the saga of the closing of Joann, I’ve been wondering what would happen to CreativeBug, the subscription-based online craft learning platform that Joann acquired in 2017. 

Golden Peak Media has announced its acquisition of the company in a media release. 

Golden Peak is “one of the largest media and education companies serving art and craft enthusiasts in the United States,” according the release, and includes in its portfolio brands like Interweave, Sew Daily, and nine print magazines including Love of Quilting and Interweave Knits. They have daily newsletters, magazines, digital patterns, on-demand classes and host live events.

David Saabye, CEO of Golden Peak, calls the purchase a “very natural fit” supporting crafters in their lifelong learning journeys. 

CreativeBug general manager Liana Allday will stay on and the company will retain its headquarters in Berkeley, Calif. 

Abby Glassenberg of the Craft Industry Alliance collected reactions from some CreativeBug instructors and others with a history at the company, and heard lots of optimism about the news. Ursula Morgan, who was CEO of CreativeBug when the company was acquired by Joann, said Golden Peak is a “perfect home” for CreativeBug as they’re getting an owner that “deeply understands the craft consumer.” 

I, too, am relieved to see that this platform will be able to continue. I’ve been a subscriber for years and I love that it has solid instruction in a wide range of crafts (including knitting, of course!) and is always adding new content to keep the platform interesting. It’s also a great service that CreativeBug is available to many for free through their local libraries, so be sure to check on that where you live if you don’t already subscribe. 

This feels like the last piece of the puzzle in the story of Joann that’s going on all year, along with the announcement that Michaels had purchased Joann’s intellectual property so its private label brands can live on, but of course I’ll keep watching to see if there’s more to come.