Wash/Dish/Anycloth
The project this week is a washcloth that's great for spring cleaning. Planning the project is simple. Your cloth can be square, round, mitered, worked on the bias, or made using short-rows. Further, the short-row cloth can be rounded or square. I'm sure there are many other methods I'm forgetting. Over the next several weeks, I'm planning on alternating between my cheat sheets and dishcloth patterns. I hope you enjoy it all.
Size
Size is mostly a matter of taste. I like a dishcloth to be about 7 or 8 inches wide, but you get to choose how you like it.
On Gauge
Some people like a more firm gauge, others like a floppier dishcloth. Remember that a cotton or linen cloth will soften with use, so don't worry too much if your piece seems stiff when you are making it. I like to use whatever size and type of needle that doesn't make my fingers feel like falling off after 4 rows. I've had good luck with wood and bamboo needles. The extra give seems to give my hands a break. On the other hand, I knit today's pattern on #7 metal needles, so go figure.
Plan of Attack
The square or rectangular washcloth is pretty darn basic. You just have some questions to ask and decisions to make.
- Do I want to use an open (lacy) or closed pattern stitch? Is this for scrubbing? Is this for placing under a vase on the dining-room table?
- Does the pattern stitch I want to use curl? If it does, what edging stitch would look the best with it?
- Does the pattern stitch I want to use work well with my yarn? Solids, stripes, and self-striping yarns all have the stitch patterns that look best with them.
Once you have chosen your shape, yarn, pattern stitch and edgings, you are ready to cast on your temporary swatch.
I usually suggest that swatches should be washed and dried before measuring. A washcloth is basically a large swatch, so that's not really needed. Also, sizing is pretty unimportant, really. I usually cast on about 40 stitches, depending on what I need for my stitch pattern, and try it all out for about an inch or two. If I'm using a edging stitch, I might just use a temporary cast-on and then go back and add the edging later. If the swatch seems to be coming out too small, simply tear it back and start over, with more stitches. If your stitch pattern is based on a ribbed stitch, you might want to make your temporary swatch at least 3 inches long. It often takes a while for the width of ribbing to really draw up.
Continue working until the piece is roughly square. Make edging, if needed. Bind off. It's that simple. I find making a big batch of cloths is a good way to test out different stitch pattern and color combinations.
Conversation
This week I chat with Matthew Wergeland, a lace knitter. We touched on many topics, but Matthew was also kind enough to write a little bit more of an explanation for a few things.
Lace Knitting and Lacy Knitting
Matthew writes about lace knitting, lacy knitting, and the difference.
"It is helpful to recognize two types of lacework: first is lace knitting, also known as lacy knitting.
Lace knitting produces a right-side fabric typically made with few if any purl stitches. There is commonly one round of plain knitting in between pattern rounds, and sometimes more to offset motifs. Lace knitting is generally easier for people new to lace because the fabric contains easily recognizable knit stitches, making the pattern easier to follow. Often these patterns will omit the numbering of plain rounds.
The second type of lacework is knit lace, which may produce a reversible fabric by containing a commensurate number of purl stitches. There are normally no rounds of plain knitting, and every round is said to be a patterned round."
Yarn-Overs
Matthew writes that there are three types of yarn overs.
"The most common type of yarn over is the yarn-forward (yfwd). This is worked between two knit stitches: Simply bring the yarn forward between the needles.
The second type of yarn-over is the yarn-over-needle (yon). This is worked between a purl stitch and a knit stitch: After the purl stitch the yarn is already forward and needs to be put over the needle to be in position for the knit stitch.
The third type of yarn-over is the yarn-round-needle (yrn). This is worked in two scenarios: Between purl stitches the yarn needs to be put over the needle and then brought forward between the needles, back in position for another purl stitch. Between knit and purl stitches, the yarn needs make a full revolution around the needle and be brought forward again for the purl stitch."
Links
DMC Cebelia and Cordonnet Special
Marianne Kinzel's First Book of Modern Lace Knitting
Marianne Kinzel's Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting
Another source for Marianne Kinzel's books
Pomatomus Sock by Cookie A
2010 Uses for Gauge Swatches
17: Temporary Gauge Swatch - one that you simply pull out if it doesn't work perfectly.
18: Needle-size test for thread knitting.
