Naughty Skew!

Look what my Skew socks did to the inside of my sneakers!

This is AFTER the socks have been washed several times! I find it amusing that you can see the stripes.

Washcloth Fever!

Every once in a while, I get bit by the washcloth knitting bug. All I can think about is knitting washcloths. All I want to do is knit washcloths. I have a fever, and the only cure is more washcloths...you get the idea.

I also love to stash bust and find new ways to use up every last scrap of yarn. In that vein, I started knitting these fun stash busting washcloths that use up your leftover bits and always end up looking fun and funky. I knit two this week, and I thought I'd share with you my methodology so you can try your hand at them, if you want.

One of my favourite stitches to use for a washcloth is the Linen Stitch.

You get an interesting woven look. The front is flat, which is great for both washing your face or your dinner plates. The back is bumpy, which is perfect when you (or your frying pan) need a good scrub.

And the slipped stitches really blend the different colours together.

So, first, dig down deep into the bottom of your stash and find three coordinating bits of kitchen cotton. They don't have to be enough for a whole washcloth. You just have to like how they look together.

I like to have at least one solid colour.

Then, add in a few more complimentary colours until you know you have enough for a whole washcloth.

Now you are ready to begin!

Pick out your first three colours. We will call them A, B and C.

With yarn A, cast on an even number of stitches. In the example above, I cast on 50.
Attach colour B
Row 1: K1, s1 wyif-repeat to end.
Attach colour C
Row 2: P1, s1 wyib-repeat to end

Repeat these two rows rotating through the three colours until washcloth is as long as it is wide, then bind off. When you run out of a colour, simply attach a new one and keep going.

If you stop and pick it up again, you always start on the side with the two strands of yarn and you always pick up the strand on the bottom.

And voila! You've used up some yarn scraps and have a fun new washcloth all in one go.

Another stitch I like is the Woven Stitch.

It is similar to the Linen Stitch, with a flat front and a scrubby back and has a nice slipped stitch pattern that works well to blend multiple yarns.

Using the same method as the Linen Stitch, cast an an odd number of stitches with colour A.
Attach colour B
Row 1: K1, s1 wyif-repeat to last 2 stitches, k2.
Attach colour C
Row 2: purl
Pick up colour A
Row 3: k2, [s1 wyif, k1]-repeat to end.
Pick up colour B
Row 4: Purl

Repeat until the washcloth is as long as it is wide. Bind off!

TADA!

If you do try one of these, or if you have other favourite patterns for stashbusting washcloths, I would love to see them!!

Lady in Red

My newest colourway: Padma!

Just in Time for St. Patrick's Day!

Wore them out today, too! They fit great.

Did you have any green knitwear on for St. Patrick's Day?

Meet Lavender

Another new colourway. This one is particularly yummy!

I Knit, Therefore I Am

Knitting may start out as a hobby, but if often quickly becomes a compulsion. We want to knit ALL THE THINGS, ALL THE TIME. We pity the people sitting in the waiting room or on the bus who don’t have knitting in their hands. How bored they must be! We roll our eyes at the person who thinks that we can’t knit and listen to them at the same time. Instead of complaining about the long line at the bank, we rejoice at the opportunity to “get in a few rows”. I can’t speak for every knitter, but I never EVER leave the house without knitting because you never know when you’ll need it. A quick pop around the corner to the post office turns into a 15 minute wait because some little old lady is trying to ship something overseas. A car trip to run errands turns into a 20 minute knitting break when a train blocks all traffic. If you’ve ever been somewhere and thought “I wish I had my knitting!” you know to be prepared in the future. There is always some quick little project on my needles that I can shove in a pocket or in a bag and take with me as I run out of the door. I keep an emergency stash of yarn and needles at my desk at work, just in case. I’d do the same in my car, except my trunk is full of charity knitting yarn and donated needles, so I’m good there. I used to feel weird about knitting in public, but boredom soon took away any inhibitions I might have had. I’ve knit in bars, at parties, on the bus, at conferences and lectures, in line at the grocery store, in line at the bank, Target, the craft store-pretty much in any kind of line, really. I knit in between dances, I knit during the fireworks on the 4th of July. If I’m sitting or standing still, I’m either knitting or wishing I was knitting. If I’m not knitting, I’m probably fidgeting or getting into mischief. It’s best you let me knit.

It might seem obsessive, and it probably is, but it’s how things get made. Knitters are busy people. We have jobs and raise families and volunteer and do many, many other things besides knit. The next time you receive a hand-knit gift, think about all the hours it took to make it and remember that it was probably knit while watching TV, in line at the bank, in the passenger seat of the car, at any spare moment that person found to make your gift. Before you’ve even put on that new hat or scarf, it’s already had an adventure of its own while it was being made!

Meet Xenophilius

I can't remember the last sunny day we had here in snowy, rainy, snowy (it seems to alternate days) Buffalo and I was feeling the winter blues. The best way to combat that? Dye a bit of sunshine!

Introducing my newest colourway: Xenophilius

Xenophilius, and all my colourways, can be found at our Etsy shop here.

Enjoy!

Sereknitty