Milwaukee Brewers Cloth - Go Brew Crew!

Baseball.  When I think of baseball, I think of spring, peanuts, Twizzlers, sunny skies, brats and beer.  We really can't wait for the 2012 season to begin! 

So grab your tailgating goods and knit up this cloth before heading out to Miller Park Stadium to root for the Milwaukee Brewers this season!

Brew Crew Dishcloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Lily Sugar n Cream yarn

US #3/3.25mm needles

Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 8" x 8")

Instructions:

Cast on 43 sts

Row 1 (and all odd rows): K

Row 2: K

Row 4: K

Row 6: K

Row 8: K7, P29, K7

Row 10: K6, P31, K6

Row 12: K5, P33, K5

Row 14: K4, P35, K4

Row 16: K3, P37, K3

Row 18: K3, P3, K5, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K3

Row 20: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P1, K4, P1, K4, P2, K3

Row 22: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 24: K3, P2, K2, P6, K6, P2, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 26: K3, P2, K2, P6, K7, P1, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 28: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P6, K2, P2, K1, P2, K2, P2, K3

Row 30: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 32: K3, P3, K5, P2, K6, P2, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 34: K3, P37, K3

Row 36: K3, P37, K3

Row 38: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P2, K3, P1, K3, P3, K3

Row 40: K3, P2, K7, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K7, P1, K4, P1, K4, P2, K3

Row 42: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P2, K2, P2, K2, P6, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 44: K3, P2, K6, P2, K6, P2, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 46: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K5, P3, K2, P1, K3, P1, K2, P2, K3

Row 48: K3, P2, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P3, K2, P1, K2, P6, K2, P2, K1, P2, K2, P2, K3

Row 50: K3, P2, K7, P1, K7, P1, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 52: K3, P2, K6, P2, K6, P2, K7, P1, K2, P5, K2, P2, K3

Row 54: K3, P37, K3

Row 56: K4, P35, K4

Row 58: K5, P33, K5

Row 60: K6, P31, K6

Row 62: K7, P29, K7

Row 64: K

Row 66: K

Row 68: K

　

Bind off.

Weave in ends and block, pushing down on stockinette stitches and leaving the purl stitches so they "pop".

All Things Girly Dishcloths

It's finally here....my first dishcloth set!  I had finished designing these cloths in December, but of course with Christmas, there was no way I could get these knit up and photographed before the new year.  I knew back then that I wanted to package these as a set because they all just go together so well!  But I also know that sometimes when I see a set, there are only one or two that I really REALLY want.  So I decided to offer two buying options.  You can purchase each dishcloth pattern separately for $1.50 each or you can purchase the set for $3.25.  I plan to use this same method for the upcoming dishcloth sets (to be unveiled soon!). 

So the All Things Girly set includes a perfume cloth, a makeup cloth and a purse cloth.  I really love how all of these turned out...so much I've knit a few sets for some of my very girly girlfriends!

Hope you enjoy these and as always, email me with any problems or questions.  Happy knitting everyone!  =)

Perfume Cloth

Makeup Cloth

Purse Cloth

All Things Girly Cloth Set (Includes Makeup, Perfume & Purse PDF files)

Mardi Gras Dishcloth

Every year at work we throw a big Fat Tuesday party with tons of bad-for-you-foods and an all day buffet.  With Fat Tuesday rapidly approaching (February 21st), I decided that a Mardi Gras themed cloth was needed.

Mardi Gras Mask Cloth

Supplies:

1 Skein Lily Sugar n Cream yarn
US #3/3.25mm needles
Yarn needle

(Finished size approximately 8" x 8-1/2")

Instructions:

Cast on 41 sts

Rows 1-6: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Row 7 (and all odd rows): (K1, P1) x2, P to last 4 sts, (P1, K1) x2

Row 8: (K1, P1) x2, K33, (P1, K1) x2

Row 10: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 12: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 14: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K15, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 16: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K2, P1, K15, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 18: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K3, P1, K13, P1, K3, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 20: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K11, P1, K2, P1, K1, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 22: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K9, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 24: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K7, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 26: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P1, K4, P1, K2, P1, K7, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 28: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K7, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 30: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P1, K2, P1, K3, P1, K7, P1, K3, P1, K2, P1, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 32: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P1, K1, P1, K2, P1, K9, P1, K2, P1, K1, P1, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 34: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K11, P1, K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 36: (K1, P1) x2, K6, P3, K13, P3, K6, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 38: (K1, P1) x2, K5, P5, K11, P5, K5, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 40: (K1, P1) x2, K4, P7, K9, P7, K4, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 42: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P9, K7, P9, K3, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 44: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P13, K1, P13, K2, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 46: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P8, K4, P5, K4, P8, K1, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 48: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P6, K7, P3, K7, P6, K1, P1, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 50: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P5, K8, P3, K8, P7, K1, (P1, K1) x2

Row 52: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P4, K8, P5, K8, P4, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 54: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P5, K5, P9, K5, P5, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 56: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P14, K1, P14, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 58: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P12, K3, P12, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 60: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P11, K5, P11, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 62: (K1, P1) x2, K3, P9, K7, P9, K5, (P1, K1) x2

Row 64: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P6, K15, P6, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 66: (K1, P1) x2, K1, P6, K17, P6, K3, (P1, K1) x2

Row 68: (K1, P1) x2, K2, P4, K19, P4, K4, (P1, K1) x2

Row 70: (K1, P1) x2, K33, (P1, K1) x2

Rows 71-75: (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1

Bind off in (K1, P1) pattern.


Weave in ends and block, pushing down on the stockinette stitches so the purl stitches "pop".

12 Sweaters in 2012

I joined a group on Ravelry this year called 12 Sweaters in 2012.  Crazy?  Perhaps.  But it is so much fun to pick which patterns I'll be trying this year!  Most of these have been in my queue for a year or two and I'm just now getting around to them.  If you aren't a member on Ravelry yet, I highly recommend joining!  It's free and there are so many patterns.  Free patterns, patterns to purchase, patterns from books and magazines....I really can't say enough about it!  I find it's a great way to preview patterns before purchasing a knitting book.  Here's a few I'll be taking on this year.  I've added the links in the pattern names:

Rusted Root

Emilien

Sorello

$5 In Paris

Anyone else taking on a knitting challenge this year?!?

Blocking Tips & Tricks

I've gotten a few questions on how to get your dishcloth looking its best, so I put together a little to-do list to ensure the best possible looking cloth.

• Use a small knitting needle.  I know cotton is heavy and can be hard on your hands when using a small needle, but it really does produce the best stitch definition.  It also makes a denser, more absorbent fabric.  I recommend a US#3 needle in all my patterns.  You may go down to US#2 if you wish, but I wouldn't recommend anything smaller (that would really hurt your hands!).

• Try to keep your tension as even as possible while switching from knit stitches to purl stitches.  Most holes appear when switching from a knit stitch to a purl stitch, so make sure your yarn is pulled tightly to the front of your work before making that first purl stitch.

• When you've finished your dishcloth and have weaved in the loose ends, soak the cloth in a warm bath.  I add a drop or two of baby shampoo to the water -- it gives it a softer touch.  Soak your cloth until it is completely saturated.  You will see air bubbles as the cotton soaks.  Once the air bubbles are gone (about 10-15 minutes), stretch your dishcloth out under the water.  This gives you a chance to even out your stitches.

• Gently squeeze out your dishcloth and lay flat.  You can then stretch the cloth out again, but be careful not to stretch it so much that the picture become distorted.  Gentle fingers!  =)  Then, press down on the stockinette stitches.  Be careful not to push down on the purl stitches.  This is what helps the image to "pop".  For small areas (say 1 or 2 stockinette stitches), you can use a crochet hook to push them down.  I usually let my dishcloth sit for a couple hours, then press down on the stockinette stitches again.

I hope this helps!  If you have any tips or advice, leave a comment!  I'd love to hear if anyone has a different strategy.  =)