Completed: July 2008 Archives

I forget how I came upon Denise Sutherland's Free Row Counter Bracelet Instructions. It may have been via the Craft Magazine blog, or rather their Twitter, since that is how I read that blog. In any case, I found the pattern and decided it would be a fun thing to make. Have I done any beading before? Not unless you could the seed beads I used to put on safety pins and then attach to my shoe laces in 4th grade. Yeah, I didn't think you'd count that.

I headed over to Beadissimo in The Mission (which I just learned closed) and picked up some beads from a big trunk of beads they have. For something like this, why spend a lot of cash, right?

I got out a towel to put the beads on while I was working on them, found some needle-nose pliers in the tool chest, and went to work.

The jump rings and clasp took a bit to get used to. I wore my cross-stitching magnifying glasses to see things a bit better. Those rings were tiny!

I was surprised at how quick it was to put together. It was great fun heating up the pliers on the stove to melt the stretchy line for the seed beads.

Unfortunately, I made the bracelet a bit too long. The beads are heavy and they really hang from my wrist. I find that rather than wearing it, I line it up on the table in front of me when I'm knitting and use it that way. Though, honestly, I picked up a little kacha-kacha counter that I use more often. The bracelet is still neat though.

I can't quite remember how I came upon this site now, but The Purl Bee has lots of neat ideas for quick projects. I got inspired by the pattern for the Wedding Washcloths.

I ordered two skeins of the recommended yarn, Blue Sky Alpaca's Skinny Cotton, 100% organically grown cotton. I got one skien in clay and the other in seed, both of which are undyed colors. This yarn is wonderful. It has a lovely feel to it. I think it would make a great sweater.

On a whim I also picked up new needles, a pair of addi Turbo circular needles. OMG! I am so in love with these needles. They are smooth, soft, get warm as you hold them, and boy are they fast! Pretty much everything I'm knitting these days are now on these needles. They aren't cheap, but they are really well made.

Here's the first dishcloth shortly after I cast on. I used the stitch markers since I tend to zone out when I'm knitting and they help me remember that I have to change stitches.

It took me just over a month to do both of these. We had a flight to New York, NY for a wedding and that really helped to speed things along. It was so nice to fly with such a small project. It easily fit in my bag and it felt good to feel like I was really making progress on something.

Since these were for my own use, I decided not to take the time to block them. They are dishrags after all, they are just going to get wet and stretched. If I were to make them as a gift I probably would go through the effort of making sure they were square.

I finally got a chance to use them today, and they are so much fun! The yarn really holds the soapy water. And I love how it feels all squishy in my hand. I've since read someplace that using recycled/reclaimed yarn makes the best dishcloths. (Also deals with the guilt I have of using new, organic yarn for something has lowly as dishcloths). I think I'll go down to the thrift store and buy a few old sweaters and unravel them when it's time to make the next batch of cloths.

Wedding Dishcloths:

• Started May 25, 2008
• Completed June 30, 2008