At your own Risk

I learned something yesterday.

yellow dishrag

I learned that knitting dishrags is fun! These will not be called “dishrags,” but rather “dishcloths.” They are Made By Hand and are therefore, Not Rags. At least, not yet.

I got to the join in the Honeydew Top – I don’t have a picture because right now it just looks like a pile of fabric. I do have a picture of the start of my April socks:

the cuff of the Great Socks of Aten

**Added 4/22/2006: You can print out the complete HayStack Socks pattern here!**

I am calling the pattern the Great Socks of Aten. The new Elizabeth Peters is out (I have it on my iPod – I’ve been reading about Peabody since middle school) and the socks are sun colored so I have taken all of these things as a sign from the sock god, Soccus. Not only does he have eight legs (with a different sock on each foot), but he also is the one to whom your dryer is sacrificing one sock out of every pair. Thank you, Cynthia for the…er…vision.

Making sock patterns is kind of organic for me. I start with my Concept, draw a little picture and then figure it out as I go along*, beginning with gauge. With the sunshine yarn, I started out with 8.5 sts to an inch on #1s, but the yarn was doing a weird pooling thing so I dropped down a needle size and I am getting about 9sts to an inch. If anyone has decided to Knit Along At Your Own Risk**: you want your gauge to be 8.5sts=1″ if you have a wider foot (sock will be 8.5″ around when relaxed) OR 9sts=1″ for a more narrow foot (sock will be 8″ around relaxed). I am using 4 dpns because all of my circulars are occupied at the moment. If you like circs better, use them.

Cast on 72 sts, divide them onto three dpns (24-24-24), join (don’t twist!) and work *K1,P1* ribbing for 1.5 inches. The next post will have the leg instructions.

*As opposed to writing the entire pattern out and then working from that. When I am making up a pattern for Great Gran, I write out the whole thing at one time, but on my own I am much more haphazard.
**I don’t know why anyone would want to take a risk like that, but it sounds like something I would enjoy, so here you are. I will post a completed pattern when I finish the socks. There’s no pressure to follow along or anything.

14 thoughts on “At your own Risk

  1. Laura

    My thing about dishcloths – I always use a simple pattern so that I don’t feel too guilty about throwing them out when they’re falling apart from use. I don’t know if I’d want to use them if they had too much pretty work put into them – pretty colored cotton yarn is another thing though! 🙂

  2. Rachel

    Given that I JUST gave in to the pressure to knit socks, I’m going to try to hold out a while longer against the pressure to knit dishtowels. Yours is coming out lovely, though!

  3. Leah

    I cannot wait to see how your sock comes out! I may decide to follow along, but right now I am practicing toe up on two circs. Time to add that new skill!

    And your dishcloth is so pretty! It’s everything I can do not to run over to Hobby Lobby for some cotton yarn!

  4. Lolly

    Another beautiful spring-colored entry! I love the dishcloth! I have to try that! and the April socks are just delectable 😉

  5. trek

    I’ve done dishcloths for breast cancer, my grandmother, and for my secret pal, and even a small one for home out of leftovers. They are nice quick knits that I like to think of as a good way to kill two birds with one stone: I knit dishcloths using new stitch patterns and that way it works as a large sized swatch that has a useful life afterwards!

  6. Becky

    You inspired me and I just HAD TO HAVE my very own ball of orange and yellow yarn! I can’t wait to see how your sock comes out. I think I’m going to try that P-sock pattern from Knitty.com with mine when it arrives. (yes I cheated and bought yarn. I’m weak !)

    And I LOVE your dishrag errr I mean dishcloth! Fancy!

  7. Teyani

    yummmm – those colors are some of my favorites. The dish cloth is so pretty that O’d most likely just display it on my counter ! 🙂
    and the socks.. well, congrats. they looks awesome!

  8. Katie

    Hey, I know that dishcloth pattern! 😉 I made it in a wool yarn for a dolly blanket for Sister 3 a long time ago. Dishcloths ARE pretty fun, huh! Yours looks so nice, especially in those colors.

    The April socks are looking great. That’s so cool you’re writing the pattern!

  9. amanda

    Pretty, perky little dishcloth. And the Sunshine yarn is lovely. I’m curious about your sock pattern and might jump aboard if I can get one of the current pair off the needles.

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