Knit Washcloths - Fish

I'm on a roll with the rainbow washcloths!  Continuing with the secondary colors, here is a design for a fish washcloth with orange trim.  Previous washcloths are a sun (yellow), moon (blue), heart (red), and bunny (green).

 Materials:
*Knitpicks Cotlin in Swan and Clementine
* size 4 (3.5mm) knitting needles 

*size E crochet hook

1.  With Swan, cast on 40 stitches.

2.  Work rows 1 - 7 in garter stitch (just knit stitch).

3.  Begin stockinette stitch.  For rows 8, 10, and 12, knit 4 stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.  Work rows 9 and 11 in garter stitch.

4.  Beginning with row 13, you can work from the chart.  The chart shows the uneven rows through row 51.  For the even rows, work 4 knit stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.

Rows 13 through 19 - knit all the way across
Row 21 - knit 16, purl 4, knit 9, purl 2, knit 9

Row 23 - knit 14, purl 8, knit 5, purl 3, knit 10
Row 25 – knit 13, purl 10, knit 2, purl 4, knit 11

Row 27 – knit 11, purl 17, knit 12

Row 29 - knit 10, purl 18, knit 12
Row 31 - knit 10, purl 17, knit 13
Row 33 - knit 11, purl 3, knit 1, purl 12, knit 13
Row 35 – knit 12, purl 16, knit 12

Row 37 – knit 13, purl 10, knit 2, purl 3, knit 12

Row 39 – knit 15, purl 6, knit 5, purl 3, knit 7

Row 41 – knit 19, purl 10, knit 11
Row 43 - knit 27, purl 3, knit 10
Row 45 through 51 - knit all the way across

5.  Rows 52, 54, 56 - knit 4 stitches, purl 32 stitches, knit 4 stitches.
Rows 53, 55 and rows 57 - 63, work in garter stitch.

6.  Cast off.

7.  Join orange yarn and single crochet evenly around the washcloth, putting 3 single crochets in each corner.  Join to first single crochet with a slip stitch.  Chain 1 and add a second row of single crochet, again putting 3 stitches in each corner.  Finish off.

I won't be posting for the rest of this week as I work on getting ready for my Master's defense.  I'll be back next Monday with the next washcloth! 

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Friday Inspiration - I Must Have a Healthy Brain!

My brain must be very healthy!  CNN (as part of its Inside Your Brain series) has a very interesting article on what happens inside your brain when you're knitting ... and also quilting, crafting, etc.  As if I needed more justification to spend my days at it!

Here's an excerpt:  "There's promising evidence coming out to support what a lot of crafters have known anecdotally for quite some time," says Catherine Carey Levisay, a clinical neuropsychologist and wife of Craftsy.com CEO John Levisay. "And that's that creating -- whether it be through art, music, cooking, quilting, sewing, drawing, photography (or) cake decorating -- is beneficial to us in a number of important ways."  Read the whole article here.

And along those lines, have you seen Karen Norberg's Knitted Brain?  It's on permanent display at the Boston Museum of Science and you can read about it here.

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Quilted Easter Egg Coasters

With Easter being so late this year, I actually am getting some time to get some Easter sewing done!  These coasters work up quickly and are good for using up scraps.

Materials:
*batik fabric fat quarters or scraps
*fusible felt
*Steam-a-Seam 2
*patterns found here (print in landscape)



1.  Cut 2 eggs from each fabric.

2.  Cut rectangles (about 4 x 5 inches) from fabrics and Steam-a-Seam 2.  Peel backing off one side of Steam-a-Seam 2 and press onto the wrong side of each piece of fabric.  Trace one curved stripe and free hand draw four circles on each piece.

3.  Cut out, remove remaining backing, and apply to one of each color of egg.

4.  Using egg pattern, cut one piece of fusible felt for each egg.  Trim about 1/4 inch from the edge of the felt eggs and fuse to the wrong side of the fabric egg backs.  Pin to the fronts.

5.  With a small stitch, zigzag around the outside of each egg.  Free motion stitch around each circle a few times.  Sew around the edges of the curved stripe and sew swirls down the middle of the stripes.

6.  Trim edges and press.

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Knit Washcloths - Bunny

The next washcloth in my rainbow series is ready for Easter - a bunny!  I edged it in green, but there are lots of spring pastels colors that would work just as well.  For previous washcloths, see the heart, moon, and sun.

Materials:
*Knitpicks Cotlin in Swan and Sprout
* size 4 (3.5mm) knitting needles  
*size E crochet hook

1.  With Swan, cast on 40 stitches.

2.  Work rows 1 - 7 in garter stitch (just knit stitch).

3.  Begin stockinette stitch.  For rows 8, 10, and 12, knit 4 stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.  Work rows 9, 11 and 13 in garter stitch.

4.  Beginning with row 15, you can work from the chart.  The chart shows the uneven rows through row 51.  For the even rows, work 4 knit stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.

Row 15 - knit 18, purl 5, knit 17
Row 17 - knit 17, purl 7, knit 16
Rows 19, 21, 23, 25 - knit 16, purl 9, knit 15
Rows 27 and 29 - knit 17, purl 7, knit 15
Row 31 - knit 18, purl 5, knit 17
Row 33 - knit 19, purl 3, knit 18
Rows 35, 37, 39 - knit 18, purl 5, knit 17
Row 41 - knit 19, purl 3, knit 18
Row 43 - knit 18, purl 2, knit 1, purl 2, knit 17
Rows 45, 47 - knit 17, purl 2, knit 3, purl 2, knit 16
Row 49 - knit 17, purl 1, knit 5, purl 1, knit 16

5.  Rows 52, 54, 56 - knit 4 stitches, purl 32 stitches, knit 4 stitches.
Rows 53, 55 and rows 57 - 63, work in garter stitch.

6.  Cast off.

7.  Join green yarn and single crochet evenly around the washcloth, putting 3 single crochets in each corner.  Join to first single crochet with a slip stitch.  Chain 1 and add a second row of single crochet, again putting 3 stitches in each corner.  Finish off.

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Friday Inspiration - Spring!

If there's one thing that says "it's spring!" to me, it's daffodils.  I'm just back from the Northwest where daffodils are blooming everywhere .... yards, woods, along the side of roads, even in empty lots!  Here are some inspiring daffodil fiber art pieces I've been looking at:

Ann Fahl's quilts are always inspiring to me, but I absolutely love Tea and Daffodils!  Close up views can be linked to here and show the beautiful threadwork.  And if you're new to her work, be sure to take a look through her gallery here.



Jo Clark's Daffodil for St. David fabric design was created for the first day of spring - perfect!  It's available on Spoonflower here.

Vanja has instructions for this darling daffodil and egg filled Easter basket on her AmigurumiBB's Blog.

Happy second day of spring and Happy Creating!  Deborah

Knit Washcloths - Sun

Here's the next washcloth in the rainbow series I'm working on!  This one's a smiling sun - he looks ready for the first day of spring!  

Materials:
*Knitpicks Cotlin in Swan and Canary
* size 4 (3.5mm) knitting needles *size E crochet hook

1.  With Swan, cast on 40 stitches.

2.  Work rows 1 - 7 in garter stitch (just knit stitch).

3.  Begin stockinette stitch.  For rows 8, 10, and 12, knit 4 stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.  Work rows 9, 11 and 13 in garter stitch.

4.  Beginning with row 15, you can work from the chart.  The chart shows the uneven rows through row 51.  For the even rows, work 4 knit stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.


Row 15 - knit 20, purl 1, knit 19
Row 17 - knit 12, purl 1, knit 7, purl 1, knit 11
Row 19 - knit 13, purl 1, knit 5, purl 3, knit 5, purl 1, knit 12
Row 21 - knit 14, purl 2, knit 3, purl 3, knit 3, purl 2, knit 13
Row 23 - knit 14, purl 13, knit 13
Row 25 - knit 15, purl 11, knit 14
Row 27 - knit 15, purl 3, knit 5, purl 3, knit 14
Row 29 - knit 15, purl 3, knit 1, purl 3, knit 1, purl 3, knit 14
Row 31 - knit 13, purl 5, knit 1, purl 3, knit 1, purl 5, knit 12
Row 33 - knit 10, purl 8, knit 1, purl 3, knit 1, purl 5, knit 9
Row 35 - knit 13, purl 15, knit 12
Row 37 - knit 15, purl 3, knit 2, purl 1, knit 2, purl 3, knit 14
Row 39 - knit 15, purl 3, knit 2, purl 1, knit 2, purl 3, knit 14
Row 41 - knit 15, purl 11, knit 14
Row 43 - knit 14, purl 13, knit 13
Row 45 - knit 14, purl 2, knit 3, purl 3, knit 3, purl 2, knit 13
Row 47 - knit 13, purl 1, knit 5, purl 3, knit 5, purl 1, knit 12
Row 49 - knit 12, purl 1, knit 7, purl 1, knit 7, purl 1, knit 11
Row 51 - knit 20, purl 1, knit 19

5.  Rows 52, 54, 56 - knit 4 stitches, purl 32 stitches, knit 4 stitches.
Rows 53, 55 and rows 57 - 63, work in garter stitch.


6.  Cast off.

7.  Join yellow yarn and single crochet evenly around the washcloth, putting 3 single crochets in each corner.  Join to first single crochet with a slip stitch.  Chain 1 and add a second row of single crochet, again putting 3 stitches in each corner.  Finish off.

Happy Creating!   Deborah
 

Foggy, Rainy Days

I'm having fun hanging out at the Northwest farm - although I am missing the sun a bit!  I'll be getting back to working on the next washcloth soon ....

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Friday Inspiration - Exhibits and Fairs

If you're in Southern California, there are a few interesting sounding fibers exhibits currently going on.  First, the California Fibers Exhibition will be around until May 8, 2014 at Soka University in Orange County.  See details here.

Then, at the Visions Art Museum in San Diego, you can see two fibers exhibits through April 19, 2014.  Intersections:  New Work of Barbara Lee Smith is an exhibit of acrylic painted, stitched and fused pieces.  Very nice!  You can see a lot of her Washington coast inspiration in her work.  Also at the museum is The Jazz Challenge, a collection of small art quilts by the San Diego Canyon Quilters.  Pictured to the left is Saxy Music by Jan Hayman.  See more information here.

And if you're planning ahead, there are two upcoming fiber fairs, one in Utah and the other in South Dakota.  I love fiber fairs!  You can usually spend a full day perusing fibers, animals, and classes.  The Great Basin Fiber Fair will be held August 22 - 23, 2014 in South Jordan Utah and the Black Hills Fiber Art Fair is in Rapid City South Dakota April 25 - 26, 2014.

Happy Creating!  Deborah

Knit Washcloths - Moon

After over 2 months with no rain at all, we were deluged with about 2 inches on Saturday!  It was a nice cozy, knit while watching movies kind of day so I finished the next of my rainbow knit washcloths.  (The heart washcloth is here)

Materials:
*Knitpicks Cotlin - Swan and Nightfall
* size 4 (3.5mm) knitting needles
*size E crochet hook

1.  With Swan, cast on 40 stitches.

2.  Work rows 1 - 7 in garter stitch (just knit stitch).

3.  Begin stockinette stitch.  For rows 8, 10, and 12, knit 4 stitches,  purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.  Work rows 9, 11 and 13 in garter stitch. 

4.  Beginning with row 15, you can work from the chart.  The chart shows the uneven rows through row 47.  For the even rows, work 4 knit stitches, purl for 32 stitches, and knit the last 4 stitches.

Row 15 - knit 17, purl 5, and knit 18
Row 17 - knit 16, purl 8, and knit 16
Row 19 - knit 15, purl 10, and knit 15
Row 21 - knit 14, purl 12, and knit 14
Row 23 - knit 13, purl 2, knit 5, purl 7, and knit 13
Row 25 - knit 12, purl 1, knit 8, purl 6, and knit 13
Row 27 and row 29 - knit 22, purl 6, knit 12
Rows 31, 33, 35, and 37 - knit 23, purl 5, knit 12
Row 39 - knit 23, purl 4, knit 13
Row 41 - knit 22, purl 4, knit 14
Row 43 - knit 20, purl 5, knit 15
Row 45 - knit 19, purl 4, knit 17
Row 47 - knit 18, purl 3, knit 19

5.  Rows 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 - knit 4 stitches, purl 32 stitches, knit 4 stitches.
     Rows 49, 51, 53, 55, and rows 57 - 63, work in garter stitch.

6.  Cast off.

7.  Join blue yarn and single crochet evenly around the washcloth, putting 3 single crochets in each corner.  Join to first single crochet with a slip stitch.  Chain 1 and add a second row of single crochet, again putting 3 stitches in each corner.  Finish off.

And now the sun's out, the birds are so, so happy and singing their little hearts out!  I think I'll start on a sun motif washcloth next ...
 

Happy Creating!  Deborah