Make it!

I'll pop patterns and ideas for making things in here - feel free to share and pass on!

Knitted dishcloths - easy patterns


I'm back on the knitted dishcloths again - my drawer needs refilling. They last well, though, I haven't needed any for a while. These are two of the easiest ones. I do mine in double knti cotton, usually got from charity shops, etc; any colour, or stripes to use up the bits and pieces.
The first one is garter stitch, so all plain knitting:

Using 4 or 5mm needles, cast on 44 stitches and work in garter stitch until you've produced a square, or however long you want it, then cast off and sew in the tails.
The next one is easy too, if you can do purl as well, it's a basket weave stitch.

Here's the stitch detail:

Again, 4 or 5mm needles, cast on 44 stitches.
Row 1: knit 4, purl 4 to end of row, ending on knit 4
Row 2: purl 4, knit 4 to end of row, ending on purl 4
Row 3: as row 1
Row 4: as row 2
Row 5: purl 4, knit 4 to end of row, ending on purl 4
Row 6: knit 4, purl 4 to end of row, ending on knit 4
Row 7: as row 5
Row 8: as row 6.
Continue as set, until desired length, ending on a 4th or 8th row to complete pattern. Cast off and sew in the tails.

There are hundreds of lovely patterns freely available on the net, a lot of them from America - it would take more than a lifetime to knit them all, and even I'm not going to try that! LOL
They make lovely presents too, much nicer to use than anything shop bought, and can be popped in and out of the washing machine with impunity. When too worse for wear, they go on the compost heap.
Knitted in soft cotton, they make very nice facecloths in place of bought flannels :)

This one from Sue Caissey, via the Down to Earth forum; turkish faggotting dishcloth:
50gms cotton yarn, 8ply/dk and size 5mm/UK6 needles.

Cast on 42 stitches and knit 2 rows.
Begin pattern........k1, "yarn forward, k2 together" repeat to last stitch, k1.
Work 6 rows of pattern.
Knit 6 rows.
Work 30 rows of pattern.
Knit 6 rows.
Pattern 6 rows.
K 2 rows then cast/bind off!

The pattern is called Turkish faggotting and makes a lovely open knit



Little crochet hair wraps

Having my hair quite long at the moment, I usually keep it tied back. I buy the covered elastic bands, but to be honest, they're not too exciting, are they? I saw a way to cover them somewhere online (I can't remember the name of the site it was on, shout if anyone knows!), and this is my version of it.


Take a covered elastic band, and crochet into it as when you're making a granny square; I use half trebles for this.


Keep going until the circle is complete, and join to the first half treble/stitch with a slip stitch.


For the next round, do two half trebles/chosen stitch into each space between previous stitches; continue around, and join as before. Fasten off and darn in ends.
The finished wrap, the double stitches giving a nice gently wavy edging.

This is a good idea for using up little ends/scraps of gorgeous wool and yarn, not big enough for much else. You could make them to match a jumper just knitted too, with the leftovers. I want to try with other materials too - ribbon, narrow fabric strips, recycled sari yearn, cotton, etc.
Would make a lovely small present too, I think. The elastic bands can be picked up quite cheaply with cards of 10 or 20 available, in differing thicknesses and colours.
Much more interesting, to my mind:)