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Heart Dishcloth

Posted on February 11, 2014 by auburnchick

I thought we could do with a non-teaching post, how about you?

Today, I want to show you a project I recently finished.  It’s my Heart Dishcloth…

This is a free pattern you can find here.

I really, really enjoyed knitting this up.  It was fast, but it turned out so lovely.

The pattern instructions include an option for knitting a bunch of these and putting them together for a blanket.  I may, at some point, do that…only with worsted yarn.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Little Labyrinth Dishcloth

Posted on July 13, 2013 by auburnchick

Here’s one more dishcloth for you!

This is my Little Labyrinth Dishcloth.  It is a free pattern available here.

Forgive me for the poor quality of the photograph.

I knit this cloth for a Harry Potter Knit/Crochet assignment (the forum is here if you’re interested in joining).

The yarn is Peaches & Creme…Happy Go Lucky (colorway), and the needle size is 6.  I used 52 yards of yarn.

Although I am used to knitting lace and, in fact, love the challenge of it, I did not enjoy knitting this pattern.

I am a gal who likes order.  I like symmetry.

This pattern is not symmetrical.  It can’t be because it’s a labyrinth.

My head knew this, but my fingers did not, and I had to tink back frequently.

Grrrr.

I was happy to bind off.

I like the look of the pattern when the cloth is held up the light.  It also makes a good dishcloth; I have used it quite a few times already.

Now, it’s time to get back to the socks I started knitting in June!

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Olympic Knitting

Posted on August 16, 2008 by auburnchick

I’ve spent so much time lately discussing non-knitting things, that I thought it was about time to catch you up on projects that I’ve been working on.

First of all, I realized that I never posted a picture of the completed bag I started on my trip to Virginia. The pattern is called A Little Slip of a Thing. You can find the pattern here. The yarn is Lamb’s Pride Worsted. The colors I used are Spruce and Dynamite Blue. The pattern was very easy…something I did not expect with the color changes. It is knit totally in the round, and you only carry one color around as you go, using slip stitches to incorporate the different colors. You can find helpful instructions for the i-cord bind off at this site.

I-Cord Bindoff

Pre-felted

Pre-felted

A Look at the Inside - Yarn Carried Over

A Look at the Inside - Yarn Carried Over

The Finished Product

The Finished Product

After finishing the bag, I began work on a series of dishcloths. I started a Knit-a-Long on KnittingHelp.com. I’ve named it the Olympic Dishcloth KAL, and the purpose is to use up the stash of cotton dishcloth yarn that has accumulated. I started out with this pile of yarn.

One of the gals who is participating worked up a pattern for the Olympic rings. That was my first dishcloth. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Cornflower.

Olympic Dishcloth

Olympic Dishcloth

Since Opening Ceremonies, I’ve completed one dishcloth almost every day. All but the last dishcloth patterns came from this booklet, which you can purchase at almost any craft store:

For the Bee Stitch Dishcloth, I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is called American Stripes. It’s self-striping yarn. The yarn was very rough and thick. The pattern was easy. The rough texture will be good for cleaning dishes (yes, I do use these…what’s the point in having them?).

Bee Stitch Dishcloth

Bee Stitch Dishcloth

The next cloth is called Elfin Lace Dishcloth. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Ecru. Again, the yarn is a little rough, but the color is great for knitting lacy patterns.

Elfin Lace Dishcloth

Elfin Lace Dishcloth

The next cloth is called Zigzag Eyelet Dishcloth. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Tea Rose. This yarn was fabulously soft. I don’t understand how you can use the same brand of yarn but a different color, and one be different from the other. Strange. Oh well. The pattern was extremely easy, and I like the result.

Zigzag Eyelet Dishcloth

Zigzag Eyelet Dishcloth

The next cloth is called Climbing Lattice Dishcloth. I used Sugar ‘n Cream, and the color is Lime Stripes…another self-striping yarn. The pattern was easy but seemed to take forever to knit up. I like the end-result though.

Climbing Lattice Dishcloth

Climbing Lattice Dishcloth

The next cloth I knit is called Slanted Squares Dishcloth. I used Sugar ‘n Cream (big surprise, eh?), and the color is Potpurri. I really liked this pattern.

Slanted Squares Dishcloth

Slanted Squares Dishcloth

Next, I knit the Shapely Diamond Dishcloth. Sugar ‘n Cream was the yarn of choice, and the color is Ecru…again, a perfect choice for the pattern.

Shapely Diamond Dishcloth

Shapely Diamond Dishcloth

And last night, while Michael Phelps was winning his seventh gold medal, I knit the Papillon (Butterfly) Cloth. Very appropriate considering the timing (Phelps’ medal was for the 100m Butterfly). I used a new yarn called I Love this Cotton, which is sold by Hobby Lobby. The color is Buttercup. What fabulous cotton yarn! It is unbelievably soft and not as thick as the Sugar ‘n Cream.

I Love This Cotton - Buttercup

I Love This Cotton - Buttercup

You can find the pattern here, a site with many great, free patterns. The pattern was a bit difficult, for a dishcloth, and I had to learn how to p2tog through the back loop…not an easy feat. The result, in my opinion, was well worth the effort. The picture does not, unfortunately, show the color. It is a soft yellow.

Papillon (Butterfly) Dishcloth

Papillon (Butterfly) Dishcloth

Believe it or not, I still have more cotton yarn. So, I’ll continue staying up very late and knitting my little heart out as it swells with pride for the valiant efforts of all of these amazingly talented human beings.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

AuburnChick Welcomes an Old Friend

Posted on August 1, 2008 by auburnchick

What is that, you might ask. Well, it is one of my books from a class I took last year.

Why is it sitting on your table, since you’ve already graduated, you continue.

Well, if you want to teach, you have to pass various exams. I’m on the quest to NOT fail the Social Sciences test. So, I pulled out this book, which was in too poor of shape to sell, and have begun studying. Social Sciences is a hodgepodge of disciplines, and one naturally melds into the other. Hence, the volume of information to cement into this Mom Brain is ginormous.

My test date is the 11th…of August…leaving only two weeks to prepare.

I am not the happiest of campers, but I know this is a necessary evil in my quest for a career change.

Despite the studying, which began in earnest last night, I still managed to pull out the knitting and take a short break.

Over on KH, I’m heading up an Olympic Dishcloth KAL, during which I plan to use up my stash of cotton yarn.

My goal is to knit one dishcloth each day of the Olympics. Lofty, I know, but what’s the fun in obtaining the prize if a little challenge isn’t involved?

One of the gals over there designed the pattern for the first dishcloth I want to make.  You can find it over on KH or here, I think. Here’s a picture of what the finished cloth looks like.

And here’s a picture of mine…in progress…

My Little Slip of a Thing is currently blocking. Here’s a picture of the inside of it. You can see where the yarn got pulled across each block.

And here’s a photo of it blocking…

Oh, and I thought I would show you pictures of the i-cord bind off…in progress…

I have to say that the finished edge is LOVELY! I’m quite pleased with how it looked…actually like I knew what I was doing!

A note about the yarn…Lamb’s Pride…

It’s really awesome to work with. In the past, I’ve only used Noro Kureyon for my felted bags. As you know, the colors are lovely, but the yarn is rough and takes a bit longer to felt. Not so with the Lamb’s Pride. It’s very soft, although it does shed quite a bit while knitting with it, but it felts so FAST! I only had to put it through one agitating cycle in my washer before it was done. So, if you use this, make sure you watch it very carefully.

Well, I’m off to work and then to study.

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Where Have I Been Lately?

Posted on February 7, 2008 by auburnchick

You know, I really like blogs that are updated regularly, and that was my goal for mine as well. But somehow, life takes over, and little things go by the wayside.

I am in the middle of my last term at Troy. Yep…Auburnchick finally took the plunge and returned to college. After a grueling 23 classes in just under two years, she will finish up her Bachelor’s degree. This term seems to be one of the hardest…and she’s only taking two classes! Yep…she’s got Senioritis, and it’s not the kind that involves gray hair, although me thinks she might have a lot more than when she started this adventure.

Going back to school after years of, basically, doing what you want, is quite intimidating. Thank goodness for technology! The thing that stopped her from finishing sooner was the fear of missing things with her children. Not so anymore. Boy, you can work, raise a family, travel to soccer tournaments, and go to school…all without missing a beat.

Here are a couple of small projects that were finished right after this term started (and studying should have commenced, but again, Auburnchick pleads Senioritis)…

This is the Knitted Lacy Round Cloth. I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (Hot Orange). It was a really fun pattern. It looks so much harder than it is. When I posted a picture on KH, I had several comments that it looks like a sun. How appropriate…given that I live in Florida!

This is the Garterlac Dishcloth. I used Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (Playtime). What a totally cool pattern! I got to learn entrelac, which is an amazingly easy knitting method. This pattern (click on the name to go to the link) was written out so clearly that it was a piece of cake to make!

This is an Oddball Charity Baby Blanket that I had the privilege of working on. I worked on the top part…the multi-colored row. The pattern I used was from the 2007 Knitting Calendar.

Over on Knitting Help, there’s a forum dedicated to Charity Knitting. We’ve got a bunch of blankets going around right now. How it works is that one person starts the blanket, which has a name and a theme. The person who starts knits whatever pattern she wants for about three inches, using the type of yarn (acrylic, wool, etc.) requested by the organization and then sends it to the next person on the list. The blankets travel across the country as each knitter completes her (or his, for that matter) part. The baby blankets have five or six knitters, and then they return to the first person, who finishes it up and gets it ready to donate. We fill out a page in a journal and pass that along too. The journals are given to the recipients of the blankets.

Can I just say that this is one of the neatest things I’ve ever done! I taught myself to knit because I wanted to make something useful. And while it’s fun to knit socks that I will wear and purses that I will use, knitting for someone who truly needs it (and has not asked for it) is the most rewarding thing ever. And when you discover other people who have that same passion…WOW!

So, what else has been going on in Auburnchick’s life? Oh, here’s a picture of the dozen roses she presented to the birthday girl (see previous entry “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”). While the birthday itself was, ah, interesting…always with teenage girls…the flowers were a pure delight. Not even teens can hide the sparkle in their eyes when they genuinely like something.

But alas…Auburnchick has put down the needles and yarn…for a little while. There have also been few home-cooked meals. Auburnchick prides herself on being a good student, and she wants to finish strong. Ok, she’ll admit it. She wants to make A’s in her classes. Yep…she’s a nerd, and proud of it. So, despite the severe burnout that is occurring, she has buckled down. Terms at Troy have pros and cons. The pros are that you get done faster (nine weeks of instructional time as opposed to full semesters). The drawback is that you cram a whole semester’s worth of work into nine weeks. So, while there’s only three full weeks left, it will be a frenetic three weeks.

So, if you come here and notice little to no activity, you’ll know where you can find her — the library (or asleep on her couch…preferably the latter).

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

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