| Sometimes visitors will e-mail me with a tip or idea that they have experimented with. These ideas often produce results that enhance the original pattern. I would like to share them here with all of you. Newest Tips are added to the top of the page. If you have a tip you would like to share with us, send it here |
| Making covers for end tables - jaci |
| You can also make covers for end tables utilizing a pretty dish cloth pattern. I make them for the end table I use a lot to keep it from getting scratched. Also helps to hold the coffee when the dog comes running through between my chair and the end table and knocks my coffee cup over with his whip of a tail which he has done. I did use the diamond pattern which I just finished and it really made a pretty cover. |
| Variation for Circular or Petal Cloths - Susan |
| To add a little variety to these dishclothes when I finish a wedge and the pattern says to knit back to start the next wedge I knit the first two st. and purl back the rest. This divides the wedge and creates a neat design. Did this by accident one day and liked it. Sometimes I use these as a flower on a big gift . To do this you fold the dishcloth (wrong side out) place an elastic band approx. 1 inch up the middle pulling quite tightly, then opening up the dishcloth -walla - you've got a flower . If its a shower gift I'll wrap the gift up in tea towels or hand towels and just pin the dishcloth on. For a small gift I'll place this dishcloth in a small basket and surround it with small soaps , lotions. Its good to know you can do a variety of things with dishcloths besides washing them dirty old dishes. |
 |
| Petal Cloth Variation - Myrna |
| have adjusted your petal dishcloth (1) and now use it as a doily. Instead of knitting every row, I knit the pattern row and purl back. Then I knit back on the last row. It makes a very nice doily |
|
| Barbie accessories from Cloth Pattens - Joan |
| I have recently become addicted to knitting dishcloths. face cloths, doilies etc., they are so easy do do while watching TV. I don't know if this has been done before but it has occurred to me that some of these patterns could easily be made for Barbie bed covers and table cloths. If you make the round ones small enough they can be used for mats |
|
| Making Preemie Blankets from Dishcloth Patterns - Claudia in Spokane, WA | I have found that the square dishcloths, made from soft yarns, make great preemie baby blankies. I make mine anywhere from 15" square to about 24" square -- not very big. Usually, the patterns for discloths work up very nicely in worsted or baby weight yarns and are very soft and cuddly. |
|
| Edging a Baby Blanket - Patti |
| One tip that I would like to tell you about is for baby blankets. Babies seem to love to rub the silky blanket binding with their fingers as they cuddle in the blanket before they go to sleep. I sew on a coordinating blanket binding to the four sides of the knitted baby blanket as the finishing touch. I always make sure to join the new skein of yarn along the edge of the blanket, and the binding will cover the edge of the cotton yarn that usually peeks out after a few washings. |
|
| Grandmothers Favorite for babies - Patti in Connell, WA |
| Another tip I would like to share has to do with using the dishcloth pattern in a new way. When our fourth grandchild was born, we used the commercial diaper wipes on his precious little backside. The diaper wipes caused a terrible rash, so we used our regular terry cloth washcloths (dampened with warm water) instead. Someone came up with the bright idea of knitting some smaller dishcloths for baby's bottom, so we found the large spool of cotton yarn and started knitting. They're a hit! I cast on 3 stitches and knit up to 35 stitches before decreasing down and casting off. I've knitted them for family and friends, and they make great baby shower gifts. They take a little bit of an explanation, but the new moms love them after they've used them. They're so soft, warm, and gentle on baby's tender skin |
|
| A technique to give dishcloths & other knitting & crocheting a different look - Sue Cole, Alaska |
| You can run a strand of sewing thread along with the knitting yarn to give it a whole different look. You can also use tatting thread if you can find
it or fine crochet thread or wooly nylon. You can use plain or varigated colors. I have also used plain white yarn and changed colors of thread every 10 to 20 rows to make a striped version, or 10 rows color, 2 rows plain white, 10 rows color, etc. or used opalescent metallic thread with black or dark colors. There are thousands of variations on this idea. You can make a "yuckky" yarn look pretty interesting this way. Sometimes, I will also use 3 finer, different textured yarns together as one for another "look". If you would like some more ideas on using this techinque click here |
|
| No Twist 3/4 Needle Cast on - Elaine | Using two double pointed needles and a smooth waste yarn about the size you will be using, cast on the number of sts called for--usually 6, 8, or 9. Work about an inch in garter st. Cut the waste yarn. Take your good yarn and fold it so that you have a loop about 8" from the end. Start to knit with this loop for the first "throw" followed by knitting across with the tail. Do not turn. Push the sts to the other end of the needle and now knit across again with the ball-end of the yarn. You may now divide the sts onto three needles (even if you will be using four later, work with three now). Start with round one of your pattern. Anytime after working about 2" of your pattern, (or even at the end), you may finish the center. Carefully pull out or cut the waste yarn. Look carefully at the first st done with the good yarn--it may be twisted. If so, untwist it before pulling or you will have a knot. Now pull the end. It will appear to pull out alarmingly! Actually you will pull out one row and then pull up the loops of the second one. You will want to thread a tapastry needle with the end and work it into the solid parts of your knitting. Don't cut the end too close until after blocking. This has quickly become my favorite start for round knitting. Please share this with everyone--it is not copyrighted. Have fun knitting! Sandy |
|
| Turn your dishcloth into a Butterfly |
| Take a pipe cleaner and wrap it thightly around the center of the dishcloth, twist tightly, then shape the pipe cleaner ends into antennae. There you have it -- a butterfly. Here is a poem that you can attach to an antenna. "I'm a cute little butterfly and colorful, as you can see. I can brighten up your kitchen if only you'll set me free. So take me home and turn me loose for this is one of my wishes. Just take the pipe stem from my body and I'll help you wash the dishes." |
|
| A great tip for a childs gift - Carolyn |
| f you have a little cotton left over, make a matching small dishcloth for a little girl you know. Or, you could drop them off at a nursery school, they invariably have play kitchens. I use the Grandmother's Favorite and cut it back to about 22 stitches from 44. |
|
| A great tip for towels. |
| I have started using a 3 3/4mm needle to make the top or handle. It seems to make the towel a little stronger and by making the top part longer you can put the button in the handle, instead of the towel. |
|
| Personalize your cloths.- Sharon, in British Columbia. |
| What I have done with my cloths is knit my childrens initals into the centre of the cloth so that they have their own face cloth when they go on campouts and stuff. That way they know which is theirs and they seem to look after it better than if it was a store bought cloth. |
|
| Hanging rings for pot holders - Brenda in Kamloops, British Columbia. |
| Here's my little tip: To make hanging rings for potholders, I didn't have any plastic or bone rings available to me one day so I looked around my husband's workshop and found a wonderful substitute! I found a package of rubber hose washers (the kind that fit in hoses and faucets) and sc around them (about 20 sc). They are inexpensive, don't melt, don't get brittle and are sturdy enough to support your potholder nicely! |
|
| A variation for Marianne's Pot Holder - Brenda in Kamloops, British Columbia. |
| Your pattern listed for Maryanne's Potholder is one of my very favorites. I use it as a 'backing', paired up with any granny square made from cotton on top and it makes a wonderfully thick potholder. To join and finish in one step, just put the 2 back to back (right sides facing out) and through all thicknesses do sc, ch 2, sc in same st as first sc, skip next st, repeat all around and do 3 hdc in each corner. |
|
| Make an Afghan from your Dishcloth Squares - Mary in N. Atlanta. |
| I have been knitting your dishcloths using cotton with a larger needle, all come out same size, and seam them together into an afghan- they love it-washable, warm, and can make any size you want. I start with three or five across and build it from there. |
|
| Turn dishcloth patterns into dolies or coasters - Carol in, UK. |
| Use regular crochet cotton and turn the dishcloths into doilies or coasters. Of coarse you would have to also use a smaller, steel hook. |
|
| A towel to match any cloth - Helen. |
| I simply measure the towel and add enough stiches for one or two more design and the border, to go to about eight inches or so wide. Then I make them about ten inches long, then start the decreasing for the handles. Sometime I carry the border pattern into the handles. It makes them quite different. As I make so many, I usually follow the patterns very closely, and if I find I must make adjustments to whatever I am doing, I just simply add or subtract a few stitches. With a little bit of practice, it becomes fun to try and alter anything. I do love some difference in the patterns, so each person I give them to, feels a little special. |
|
| Using up yarn bits - Pam in British Columbia. |
| For the standard Grandmother's Favourite Dishcloth, I have done them in all one colour, or with the variegated yarn, and I have also done some in several colours to use up bits of leftover yarn. For example, depending on the person's colour scheme, you could do one in three equal parts of blue, pink and white or in two equal parts of yellow and green with a thin red strip (4 rows) through the middle - it looks neat. You could also do one in white with the centre 1/3 of the cloth in a variegated yarn such as blue/white or pink/white. Just be sure to neatly tie all the extra yarn bits in. I give mine for gifts in groups of 2 or 3 with a bottle of the pump-style hand soap. They also make great stocking stuffers or hostess gifts. |
|
| Making circular cloths neater (Provisional Cast on) - Elaine. |
| I thought you might be interested in a couple of variations I have used on the circular wash cloths I have knitted using patterns on your page. The first thing I do is a provisional cast on by crocheting ribbon around my knitting needle, (directions for using this method of cast on can be found here) then proceeding with the pattern. The ribbon slips out after I am finished, so I can graft the edges together with a garter kitchener stitch and you can't see the seam. (I never have been able to do really neat seams with my knitting. You can always tell where they are.) The second thing I have changed removes the large hole in the center of the cloth. I don't have to go back and run my yarn through and tighten up the hole to make it disappear. What I do is to basically leave the first stitch alone after the first row of knitting. Whenever I come back to the first stitch after completing the wedge, I pull the yarn forward, slip the last stitch without knitting it, and turn my work. I then slip the stitch again, (the yarn is in front of the work at this point) put my yarn in back and continue the pattern as before. I have also knitted the last stitch on the last row of the last wedge in order to do my kitchener, but I'm going to try to figure out how to slip it even there. |
|
| Making towels from Cloth patterns - Mary in N. Atlanta. |
| Enjoy your pages tremendously- have been knitting many of the dishcloths then make a matching towel, but decrease the tops to about 10 stitches wide and long enough to fold over, make a button hole knitting five stitches, wrap over and k 5 more stitches for about three rows, But do not knit the wrap over until the third row and pick up all three wraps into one stitch, Then be sure you only have 10 stitches on the next knitting row. Then shape the ends evenly and bind off. Then I make a button bauble by picking up two stitches when
folding over the extra 10 sts, piece where convenient for hanging would be. Make your bauble button and tie off. Matching kitchen gift set- can also make the dishcloth into your kitchen angel as well. To make the button bauble: To make a button bauble, fold over the tab to where the button hole opening is (the location you prefer) with a crochet hook, using a separate piece of yarn, pull thru one end of the yarn, leaving a long (to weave in and tie off end). After pulling this other part of yarn thru; crochet a chain of 4 sts, then connect to the start, and make a double crochet in the circle as many as you can get the hook thru the center. When the size you can put thru the button hole, take the end and pull back thru another stitch in the same area, double tie yarn and square knit it taut, then take the tails and weave them thru the back side of the towel. OR if knitting the bauble, pick up two stitches in location of desired button, and knit on three stitches for about 8 rows and go back and pick up the first row and bind off, again taking yarn ends and pulling them thru to the back and tie off and weave in. |
|
| A variation for borders on cloths - Barb Lipskie in Tara, Ontario. |
| Just a suggestion for all the towels or dishcloths. Try doing seed stitch instead of garter stitch for the borders. It makes a nice change. |
|
| Make an Angel from your cloth |
| I have knit my dishcloths, with folding correctly, I made them into little kitchen dishcloth angels and everyone is putting them on their refrigerator as
gifts..watching over the kitchen..No one using them, so will ahve to make them two now- one as the angel and one as the useful dishcloth. :-) Here are the instructions on how to fold the cloths I fold the dishcloth in half, fold from corner of the tab to opposite corner, making into a triangle,with folded half under, loop section on top. Having already put a 30 st chain loop on last corner of the 3-4 stitches that are cast off. Take the center of fold and pull carefully through the loop,[ be sure to have both thicknesses], keep pulling the center carefully thru the loop to make an angel head. Tie a bow and arrange the wings to your pleasure- one has a kitchen dishcloth angel. |
|
| Make Towels from cloth patterns #1 - Helen in Ontario. |
| I have altered some of the dishcloths to make towels out of them, since I was making 2 dishcloths and one towel of the same pattern to give the family for Christmas. One pattern I extended twice and found that it was to long for a placemat but put some lace around it and made it into an oblong doily for my sons living room table. |
|
| Kitchen Towel Variation #3 - Diane in Ontario. |
| I have made several copies of your Kitchen Towel and it really looks good. I have changed the top of it by decreasing to 16 stitches across. It then is easier to hang on stove or fridge handle. |
|
| Kitchen Towel Variation #2 - Peggy in Ontario. |
| I obtained the same Kitchen Towel pattern at a Sewing Centre here in Pembroke, Ontario and have done up a few with matching dishcloths.
However, I also did one in the Raised Triangle Pattern. In keeping to the 64 stitches, I maintained a 2 stitch border on both sides. I started with 3 rows of garter stitch, used a 4.00 mm needle and did 13 pattern repeats and then finished off as for the Kitchen towel pattern. Looks neat. Also, for a variation on the Kitchen Towel Pattern, I have done rows 1 to 6 only and repeated the pattern one extra time for the towel. I really like the effect. Also, depending upon colours used these kitchen towels could be buttoned over a towel bar in the bathroom and used as hand towels. They really can be quite attractive. |
|
| An idea for a variation on the Kitchen Towel - Carolyn - Any Takers?? |
| I love the dishtowel submitted by Dianne Arsenault of Moncton, NB. - how about knitting it in stockingettestitch and using a picture of a snowman, Christmas tree, easter egg / bunny or whatever! I would never alter and submit someone else's pattern so I can only make the suggestion. |
| Great idea Carolyn, maybe someone will design one and be kind enough to share it!!! |
|
| Sporty Cloths |
| I have been making up the Grandma's pattern for a couple of years now. During football season, I knit up lots of cloths in green and gold. A st of three makes a great gift to other Packer's fans when you are invited to their place for dinner. People seem to know the difference between store bought and hand knit. |
| Another great suggestion. For someone who is really creative you could even graph your favorite team's logo and put it in the center of the cloth. You could also use the team colors for hockey and baseball. |
|
| Kitchen Towel Variation #1 - Carolyn |
| This idea comes from Carolyn and I sure hope she has time to finish it. I would love to post the picture of the finished towel! |
| About the knitted kitchen towel, I did a few rows of garter stitch (to prevent rolling) and I will just put a border of hearts and continue in the pattern stitch. I haven't finished it yet, but if I ever do, I will scan & send a picture. I am using cream yarn & dusty rose for hearts . |
|
| Main Page / Visitor's Tips / Knitting Page1 / Knitting Page 2 / Knitting Page 3 / Knitting Page 4 / Crochet Page 1 / Crochet Page 2 / Links / Odds 'n Ends / Bookcase |