Tag Archives: single crochet

Spring Is In The Air Dishcloth Pattern

Posted in 2023, April 2023 by


Somehow the birds chirping, the bright blue sky, the showers, warmer days, new leaves on trees and the vibrant Spring flowers refresh and lighten my mood. I get motivated to declutter, clean and of course start new knitting projects appropriate for Spring and Summer. As the weather gets warmer, I start knitting more with cotton yarn. Spring is in the Air Dishcloth reflects this cheerfulness that comes with warm weather. The dishcloth was knit in the linen stitch pattern with two different colors of cotton worsted yarn. It was knit in the round moving towards the center through a series of decreases every other round. The knitting technique for this dishcloth is similar to The Toward Center Mitered Dishcloth but was knit alternating two different colors of the cotton worsted yarn in each round.

Spring Is In The Air Dishcloth Pattern (text and images for personal use only)

Yarn: Any Cotton Worsted Yarn in 2 different colorways – I used some Lily Sugar’n Cream yarn in White (Colorway 2) and Yellow (Colorway 1)
Knitting Needles: US #10 for cast on and US #9 circular needles to knit the dishcloth
Crochet hook: US size H- 8 or 5.0 mm crochet hook
Tapestry Needle to weave in ends
Gauge: 4 stitches/inch but is not needed for this project
Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • P: Purl
  • K2tog: Knit the first two stitches on the left needle together
  • pm: place marker
  • sm: slip marker
  • BOR: beginning of round
  • wyib: with working yarn in the back
  • wyif: with working yarn in front
  • *…*: pattern repeats within a section
  • […]: repeat pattern for each of the 4 sections within brackets

With US #10 knitting needles cast on 140 stitches with Colorway 2 (White) yarn using the long tail cast on or the thumb method.
Transfer all stitches to a 16 inch US #9 circular needles, place a BOR marker and join round to knit the following making sure the stitches are not twisted. 

  • Round 1: With Colorway 1 yarn (Yellow): [slip 1 stitch wyib, pm, K2tog, (*K1, slip1 wyif* repeat *…* 15 more times), K2tog, pm] repeat […] 2 more times, slip 1 stitch wyib, pm, K2tog, (*K1, slip1 wyif* repeat *…* 15 more times), K2tog, slip BOR marker
  • Round 2: With Colorway 2 yarn (White): [K1, sm, *K1, slip 1 wyif* repeat *…* till marker, sm] repeat […] 2 more times, K1, sm, *K1, slip 1 wyif* repeat *…* till BOR marker, slip BOR marker  
  • Round 3: With Colorway 1 yarn (Yellow): [slip 1 stitch wyib, sm, K2tog, *slip1 wyif, K1* repeat *…* till 2 stitches before marker, K2tog, sm] repeat […] 2 more times, slip 1 stitch wyib, pm, K2tog, *slip 1 wyif, K1* repeat *…* till 2 stitches before BOR marker, K2tog, slip BOR marker 
  • Round 4: With Colorway 2 yarn (White): [K1, sm, *slip 1 wyif, K1* repeat *…* till marker, sm] repeat […] 2 more times, K1, sm, *slip 1 wyif, K1* repeat *…* till BOR marker, slip BOR marker 
  • Round 5: With Colorway 1 yarn (Yellow): [slip 1 stitch wyib, sm, K2tog, *K1, slip 1 wyif* repeat *…* till 2 stitches before marker, K2tog, sm] repeat […] 2 more times, slip 1 stitch wyib, pm, K2tog, *K1, slip 1 wyif* repeat *…* till 2 stitches before BOR marker, K2tog, slip BOR marker 
  • Round 6: With Colorway 2 yarn (White): [K1, sm, *K1, slip1 wyif* repeat *…* till marker, sm] repeat […] 2 more times, K1, sm, *K1, slip 1 wyif* repeat *…* till BOR marker, slip BOR marker 

Repeat Rounds 3 – 6, six more times. There are 20 stitches left on the needles after these repeats.

  • Round 31: Colorway 1 (Yellow): [slip 1 stitch wyib, sm K2tog, K2tog, sm], repeat […] 2 more times, slip 1 stitch wyib, sm K2tog, K2tog, slip BOR marker 
  • Round 32: Colorway 2 (White): [K1, sm, slip 1 wyif, K1, sm], repeat […] 2 more times, K1, sm, slip1 wyif, K1, slip BOR marker
  • Round 33: Colorway 1 (Yellow) : [slip 1 stitch wyib, sm, K2tog, sm], repeat […] 2 more times, slip 1 stitch wyib, sm, K2tog, slip BOR marker
  • Round 34: Colorway 2 (White): Knit all stitches removing all markers except the BOR marker (8 stitches remaining)

Cut the working yarn and pull it through a tapestry needle. Insert the tapestry needle through the remaining eight stitches and pull them tight to close the gap. Secure yarn on the reverse side of the dishcloth.

Single Crochet Edging and hanging loop:

  • Crochet edging: Starting at the cast on edge to the right of the center knit stitch (see picture below), pick up and single crochet with H-8 (5.0 mm) crochet hook all around the dishcloth edge with Colorway 1 (yellow) yarn. Slip stitch into the first single crochet border stitch and crochet 12 to 15 chain stitches. Slip stitch into the single crochet stitch on the other side of the center knit stitch.

crochetborder

  • Weave in the ends
  • Wash and block the dishcloth

Enjoy your knitting this Spring!
~coffeeteaknits

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Winterland Cowl

Posted in 2022, January 2022 by

Hello folks hope your new year has begun smoothly. My family and I had a rough start to the new year. The first couple weeks were spent with illness and the rest of the month trying to get better. During those weeks, knitting the Winterland Cowl gave me a sense of calm and rest. The soothing colors, the warmth and soft fuzziness of the yarn reminded me of the coziness of the winter season, the beauty of the snow covered trees, and the quietness of nature. It’s a time when nature slows down and rests. I am grateful knitting, crocheting and weaving helped me slow down and heal this month.

The yarn is a blend of acrylic and alpaca that I purchased several years ago. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued but recommendations for other yarns that can be substituted for it can be found on Yarn Sub. Winterland Cowl is knit flat and in a rectangle with 2 different strands of yarn held together. It’s knit mainly in the stockinette knit stitch pattern and can be knit longer or shorter to preferred length or width. The bind off edge is then joined to the left border of the cast on edge with a zig-zag crochet join method. The Winterland Cowl is then finished with a few rounds of single crochet border at the neck and bottom edge.

Yarn: Premier Yarn Alpaca Dance in the Soft White and Silver Fog colorways
Knitting Needles: US #8 and US #10 (for cast on and bind off) 
Gauge: 4.5 stitches / 6.5 rows per inch in stockinette stitch with US #8 knitting needles
Crochet hook: US size 7 or 4.5 mm crochet hook
Abbreviations:
K: Knit
P: Purl
RS: right side
WS: wrong side
pm: place marker
rm: remove marker
sm: slip marker
wyif S1: bring working yarn to the front before slipping the next stitch purlwise

The Winterland Cowl Pattern*

With 2 strands of yarn held together (one in each colorway) cast on 32 stitches with US #10 knitting needles

With US #8 knitting needles knit:

  • Row 1 (RS): K2, pm, knit to 2 stitches before marker, pm, K1, wyif S1
  • Row 2 (WS): K2, sm, purl to marker, sm, K1, wyif S1
  • Row 3 (RS): K2, sm, knit to marker, sm, K1, wyif S1
  • Row 4 (WS): K2, sm, purl to marker, sm, K1 wyif S1

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 till length of the knitted piece is about 32 inches (or preferred length) ending with the WS row.

Bind off (RS row): Bind off using US #10 knitting needles

With 2 strands of the Silver Fog colorway held together join the bind off edge with a zig zag crochet join method (several tutorials available for this method on Youtube) to the left side of the cast on edge as shown in the image above. 

With 2 strands of the Silver Fog colorway held together, add 5 rounds of single crochet border to the neck and bottom edge of the cowl with a US size 7 crochet hook. 

Hand wash and dry flat. Weave in the ends to finish the Winterland Cowl.

* text and images for personal use only
~coffeeteaknits

Knitting a seed stitch mitered dishcloth

Posted in July 2020 by

A Seed Stitch Mitered Dishcloth


In between large and lingering knitting projects (blankets, sweaters etc.), I find knitting dishcloths both appealing and interesting. I can explore and learn different stitch patterns using a particular knitting technique without spending too much time to finish the project. Dishcloths, of course, are useful to have around the kitchen and they also make great gifts. During one such in between period I knit this seed stitch mitered dishcloth (see a previous blog post “To knit a mitered square” for more information about this knitting technique). Below with photos and text (for personal use only), is the knitting progression of this mitered dishcloth in a seed stitch pattern.

The seed stitch pattern:
Row 1 (RS): *K1, P1*; repeat from *…* to end of the row
Row 2 (WS): *P1, K1*; repeat  from *…* to end of the row
Knit in seed stitch pattern: Knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches

Yarn: PREMIER HOME® COTTON CONE YARN Colorway: Jelly Dots
Knitting Needles: US #10 and US #7
Crochet hook: US size 7 or 4.5 mm crochet hook
Gauge: Not needed for this project
Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • P: Purl
  • K2tog: Knit two stitches together
  • ssk: slip slip knit (slip 2 stitches to right hand needle then insert the left needle in front of the two slipped stitches and knit them together.
  • rm: remove marker
  • sm: slip marker
  • wyif: with yarn in front
  • RS: right side
  • WS: wrong side

1. Cast on 64 stitches with US #10 size knitting needles and place a removable stitch marker after 32 stitches.

2. Switch to a US #7 needle and start knitting the dishcloth as follows:

  • Setup Row 1 (RS): K1, *K1, P1* (repeat from*…* 14 times), K1, K2tog, sm, ssk, *K1, P1* (repeat from *…*14 times), K1, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.

  • Setup Row 2 (WS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm, P1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.

  • Row 3 (RS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 2 stitches before maker, K2tog, sm, ssk, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.
  • Row 4 (WS): K1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before marker, P1, sm, P1, knit in seed stitch pattern till 1 stitch before last, wyif slip the last stitch purlwise.
  • Repeat the last 2 rows till 4 stitches are left on the needle.

  • Bind off row (RS): K2, pass the first stitch over the second stitch on the right hand needle, rm, *K1, pass the first stitch on the right hand needle over the second stitch*; repeat from *…* once more and one stitch is left on the needle.

  • Insert a 4.5 mm ( US 7) crochet hook into the remaining stitch and single crochet along the edge of the dishcloth.

  • To get a more curved corner edge on the two non mitered corners, single crochet twice into the same corner edge stitch.

  • Single crochet all around ending at the first bind off stitch. Crochet 15 chain stitches.

  • Slip stitch into the first single crochet stitch.

  • Weave in the ends, wash and block the dishcloth.

  • The finished dishcloth.

Enjoy!
  ~coffeeteaknits

 

When one craft leads to another craft

Posted in July 2019 by

For me one craft has certainly led to other crafts I didn’t think I would ever be interested in learning. About nine years ago I took up the craft of knitting as a hobby and since then have knitted several scarves, blankets, cardigans, pullovers, dishcloths etc. Last year, to give the knitted dishcloths a more decorative edging I learnt how to single crochet. Then to practice more crocheting, I went ahead and completed some single crochet dishcloths and also a two-color single crochet blanket shown below.

And recently, to reduce the time it takes to complete a yarn project and also to use up the yarn I already have, I’ve started rigid heddle loom weaving (see my June 2019 post). Although I still have quite a bit to learn about loom weaving, I can’t help but wonder what other craft weaving will lead me to!

July Hat for the #WNHyearofhatsKAL2019

Pattern used was Brioche Hat by Lise Bøgevald

Yarn used: Cascade 220 Superwash® Merino and Premier® Serenity Sock™  Yarn

I knit the hat with two strands of yarn held together and also added a pom pom.

2018 and the year-long knit-along

Posted in December 2018 by

My blanket for the #21 Square of the Month KAL Afghan by Hannah Wallace

Knit-along Blanket

The yarn: Lion Brand® Vanna’s Choice.*

My knit-along experience:
I enjoyed exploring many new knit stitch patterns this year. The knitted squares were joined using the flat single crochet method (a tutorial by ChemKnits). Since I made the blanket twice as big as the knit-along pattern, the blanket fits a queen size bed lengthwise but could be a little wider for a better side drape. I may add additional squares to increase the width or add more rounds to the single crochet edging.

The things I would do differently was to make sure I had all the yarn I needed before modifying the knit-along pattern and joining the knitted squares earlier rather than waiting for all of them to be completed. Knitting a square or two a month with yarn I already have is doable and great for exploring and learning many knit stitch patterns. At the end of the year there’s a completed blanket. This year was a year I learnt new stitch patterns, learnt a new joining method, tried different knitting and crocheting techniques, and took part in a year-long knit-along.

Thanks to all knitters and non knitters who read this blog.
∼Coffeeteaknits

*Click here to read about how this yarn supports the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.