Dishcloths

I simply love to knit dishcloths. There is just something I find so soothing - I don't know if it's just because they're so small or if it's because I truly like using them as mug rugs, dishcloths and washcloths, whatever it is I love knitting them. I have been a member of the Monthly Dishcloth Group for many years now and knit several of their dishcloths every year. Here are a few of them that I gave to my mother-in-law.

This pattern with the circles is so fun - I have made a few of these before.

A windmill - love the picture cloths!

Another one with little windows of a different color. These colors are so similar it's hard to see the pattern.

I like these patterned ones also.

This one is my least favorite. For some reason, it turned out wonky. However, I used some really soft cotton so it feels great :o)

More finishes at Tami's.

Did you see??

this beautiful shawl pattern from knitty?? Isn't it exquisite?? I love the way it looks. Not only that, but the way it is knit looks very interesting - a NEW to me technique!!! I have way too many things on the go right now, but I will keep it on the top of my to do list. We were away last week in Hawaii - we had such a wonderful and relaxing time. The kids did really well on the plane and the trip could not have gone better. Lots of beach time and hiking. It was too sad to come home to a regular schedule once again!! Above is my Easter Sampler after Part 6. I finished Part 7 on our trip and am now most of the way done with part 8. I just don't have any updated pictures yet.

Parts 1-6

I did manage to finish part 6 of the Romantique Sampler and get the photo to the designer before we left. Thanks so much for the encouragement Hakucho!!!

A close up just because I think it is so pretty!
Parts 1-6

Waves of Love Dishcloth from the Monthly Discloth Group.

I love this color and the design on this cloth.

I am now behind by two dishcloths!! I told myself I would make them all this year (I have not been able to do that in the past) - I better get cracking!!

It's Back!!

It's kind of funny how things change as time passes. This blog started out as a way to share my knitting. There was almost exclusively knitting content with a little family stuff thrown in along the way. My family is my life and all this other crafting stuff is really just an outlet for me. A way for me to relax and to sometimes challenge myself, but on my own terms and in the time I decide to allot to it. Anyway, I lost my knitting mojo for these past few months. I think it might have something to do with all the holiday knitting I did. Six blankets - 5 of them fully cover twin beds and the sixth one is queen size - kind of did me in. I did not have any desire to really knit anymore. So....this space turned into a cross stitch space - I love cross stitch and it was the first handcraft besides sewing that I learned.

Well...enter the 2011 Kalendar KAL. It is right up my alley. A lace shawl and it is a mystery - the clues will be released one at a time - I simply love these KAL's. They are so much fun!! The first two clues have been released already with the third one coming on the 21st of this month. This totally renewed my knitting mojo!! I went right up to Uncommon Threads and bought the right amount of lace weight yarn. Isn't that such a great color?!! It is so soft too. Then I immediately tried to cast on.....

This is clue one complete. It took me HOURS and many, many tried to get this cast on circularly. I tried to cast on the regular way I usually do with hats - No Go - I just couldn't keep everything straight. After I tried that method a few times, I decided that maybe I didn't want to do the square shawl, maybe I just wanted to do the triangular one. I cast on for that and completed clue one - well, I have done triangular shawls and rectangular shawls, but not one that is square and I knew that I just had to make this one square. I promptly ripped out all my work and tried again my way to cast on - No Way. It Was Not Going To Work At All! Then I tried to crochet a circle like the tip on NeverFrog Blog but that didn't work for me either - I tried that a few times. Then I tried fleegle's way - I tried this many times - not working. I was so very frustrated - Why Couldn't I do This????? Then I tried the picture tutorial of Emily Ocker's Cast On - I was simply shocked. It Worked!!! I felt great!! And clue one was completed in no time.

I just completed clue 2 and couldn't be happier. Well, I guess I'd be happier if I had clue 3 to work on now, but I can wait. And I learned something new! I am pretty jazzed.

Katie the Kangaroo - the March 1st Dishcloth from the Monthly Dishcloth Yahoo Group.

And lest you think I am shirking my fishing duties, here are 17 more fish. I have definitely slowed way down from completing one a day and now am just making one every two or three days, but I am still plugging away at them. This brings the total up to 85 - only 5 more and I am half way done with the knitting.