Monogram & Anniversary Dishcloth

I love dishcloths! Just thought I’d throw that out there. I love that they are instant gratification and we all know how much I love instant gratification when it come to knitting, so dishcloths are naturally a way to go. Well, I’ve recently gotten into designing my own patterns. I’ll be offering all patterns I design here for your pleasure (I just ask that you please not sell my patterns or any item made from my patterns)! Who doesn’t love free patterns?? If you would like a custom monogramming, I’ll be more than happy to chart one and/or write out instructions for you. Here’s my latest:

Monogram Dishcloth

by CKramerDesigns

Materials:

Size 7 (4.4mm) straight needles (or size to obtain gauge)

1 skein Lily Sugar ‘n Cream in Soft Ecru

Measurements: 8″ x 7″

Gauge: 32 st and 48 rows in St st

Pattern notes:

1. Chart instructions are read left to right on odd rows and right to left on even rows.

2. Gauge is not terribly important; however, the size of your dishcloth will be different than the measurements above is gauge is different.

3. The chart includes a possibility for color work where the monograms are located; however, this is not reflected in the written instructions.

Instructions:

CO 32 st.

Rows 1-4: Knit.

Rows 5-10: St st keeping the first 2 st and last 2 st in garter st.

Row 11: k2, p9, k2, p6, k2, p9, k2

Row 12: k11, p2, k6, p2, k11

Row 13: k2, p9, k2, p6, k2, p9, k2

Row 14: k13, p2, k4, p2, k11

Row 15: k2, p9, k2, p4, k2, p11, k2

Row 16: k4, p1, k2, p1, k5, p2, (k4, p2) 2 times, k5

Row 17: k2, (p2, k1) 2 times, p3, k2, p2, k2, p7, (k1, p2) 2 times, k2

Row 18: k4, p1, k2, p1, k7, p2, k2, p2, k3, p1, k2, p1, k4

Row 19: k2, p2, k1, p6, k2, p2, k2, p7, (k1, p2) 2 times, k2

Row 20: k4, p1, k2, p1, k9, p4, k6, p1, k4

Row 21: k2, p2, k1, p6, k4, p9, k4, p2, k2

Row 22: k4, p1, k2, p1, k9, p4, k6, p1, k4

Row 23: k2, p2, k1, p6, k4, p9, (k1, p2) 2 times, k2

Row 24: k4, p1, k2, p1, k7, p2, k2, p2, k6, p1, k4

Row 25: k2, (p2, k1) 2 times, p3, k2, p2, k2, p7, (k1, p2) 2 times, k2

Row 26: k4, p1, k2, p1, k7, p2, k2, p2, k3, p1, k2, p1, k4

Row 27: k2, p3, k2, (p4, k2) 2 times, p5, k4, p2, k2

Row 28: k13, p2, k4, p2, k11

Row 29: k2, p9, k2, p4, k2, p11, k2

Row 30: k11, p2, k6, p2, k11

Row 31: k2, p9, k2, p6, k2, p9, k2

Row 32: k11, p2, k6, p2, kk11

Rows 33-37: St st keeping the first 2 st and last 2 st in garter st.

Rows 38-41: Knit.

BO all stitches and block if desired.

©2011 Courtney L. Kramer for CKramerDesigns

Please note the sample dishcloth was knitted using the chart. I apologize if there are any errors in the written instructions. Please forward any errors to ckramer528@gmail.com so I may correct the pattern. Thank you and enjoy!!

Blessings in knitting,
♥Courtney♥

The test post

So this is the test post with the new host. I think one reason I didn’t update my crafting blog much is because of the way Livejournal incorporates pictures and text when editing. I find it cumbersome and annoying. I really enjoy using Blogger but didn’t want to have both blogs on the same host because of the whole picture thing. We only get so much room and since we all know how much of a picture addict I am, I didn’t want to overload my other account and run out of room. So here is the test post. Let’s see how it goes!

The newest project which I’m only a quarter of the way finished. I set the goal at the beginning of the year to have this blanket finished within two weeks and that seemed pretty reasonable. Ha!!! Um… no. The lace pattern is a 16 row repeat and has 126 stitches per row. I was thinking, okay no problem. I’ll do one lace repeat per day and that’ll take me 12 days. Well, that obviously hasn’t happened because doing just one row takes me close to 5 minutes. In the grand scheme of things, 5 minutes isn’t that long but once I get through 6 or 7 rows, my wrists get tired and start hurting (I’m pretty sure I’m developing carpel tunnel). I think if I wasn’t on the computer all day typing for school I’d be able to do it no problem. But alas, I’m a quarter of the way finished. Here’s what it looks like so far:

My new goal now is to finish it by the end of the month.

I received an email the other from Amy at Knitty. The winter issue is now out!! Woohoo! I absolutely love (and am thankful and super grateful) Knitty magazine! I find it amazing that designers make patterns for this magazine and make them available for no cost. It shows just how incredible the knitting community is! I’m sad to say that of all the issues, this was not one of my favorites. There are a couple of patterns I would definitely try and a few that I totally fell in love with like the Jaqueline cardigan, Shetlander fingerless gloves, Chrysanthemums mittens, Sweetheart socks, Rock Creek hat, and Undergrowth hat. Okay, I take back what I said earlier and apologize for all those tears shed! There were a lot of patterns I liked. The Sweetheart socks will probably be one of my first endeavors since I have way more sock yarn in my stash than anything else. These are toe-up and are just super sweet. I have been wanting to try fair isle since I don’t have much experience with it so I’m thinking that the Shetlander fingerless gloves, the Rock Creek hat, and/or the Undergrowth hat will be the next project(s) casted on from this issue. I really love the simple yet complicated texture of the Rock Creek hat. I also love the fun and complexity of the Undergrowth hat. I think this hat would be fantastic in a light sage green color. Hm…. Idea bells going off in my head!!

As soon as this blanket is finished, I’ll be casting on Cookie A’s Toe-up Socks as featured on Knitty Gritty. Okay, just to give you an idea about this sock–I have never tried a toe-up sock but have always wanted to. The whole short-row heel thing kind of kept me away. Well, after watching an episode of Knitty Gritty where they demonstrated how to do this sock, I fell in love and immediately wanted to cast on! The even more cool thing about this pattern is that it features a heavier sock yarn and larger needles (my IGC flare is totally going off right now). I told you all about this awesome pink stripey yarn I found at Uncommon Threads over the summer in one of my previous posts. My only concern is that the stripeyness (yes, it’s a word in my dictionary) might cause the lace pattern to get lost. But I’m thinking it’ll probably be okay because the striping isn’t overwhelming. Needless to say, I’m uber excited!!

Once those are casted on I’ll also be starting Matt’s cross-stitch project. I think this project will actually go pretty quickly because there’s no back stitching! Woohoo!! Backstitching is seriously one of the many banes of my existence when it comes to cross stitch. Although for this particular project, my bane of existence will be the continual color change. There’s over 70 different colors in this project. I get rid of one bane only to find another. Eh… the story of my life!

Let’s see… I think that’s about it today so until next time. Many knitting blessings!

♥Courtney♥