Imagine my relief yesterday, then, when I finally managed to finish at least one of my projects. Thank goodness!
Only a day late, I did get one of my two National Towel Day towels finished. Check it out.
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| What is 6 x 7? by Cori 2011. |
Pattern: Crochet Houndstooth
Yarn: Dishie by Knit Picks in Jay and Azure (1 skein each)
Hook: G
First, let me talk about the yarn really quick. Dishie is Knit Picks' new line of cotton yarn, and when I was treating myself during their sale on sock yarn, I saw it and, knowing that Towel Day was approaching, couldn't help but treat myself to a few skeins. It is so new that the dye lot on my skeins of Dishie, for both colors, was one. First lot, you guys. Normally I don't pay any attention whatsoever to dye lot beyond making sure to match it when buying yarn for projects. But when I saw that this was dye lot number one, I won't lie, I got a little bit excited. It was just a kind of nifty feeling. The yarn itself is a joy to work with. I will be curious to see how it holds up to washings, but I think this may be my go-to cotton yarn going forward.
Now, about the patten. This is actually a blanket pattern. Last summer when my family on my mom's side met up in Iowa for our family reunion (we do one every five years), there were several nearby antique shops. I myself purchased an old crochet pattern book from 1944. I have shared with you a few of the projects I have made from that. My mom also picked up a few pattern pamphlets, and this came from one of those. She brought it to give me on her recent visit down here to Texas.
The pattern was easy enough to adapt for a smaller size to make a towel rather than a blanket. I don't think the finished project looks especially like houndstooth, but I like how it looks nonetheless. I also was thinking of using this pattern for my next wedding blanket, so this was a good test-drive of it. I did indeed learn several things I will keep in mind the next time I use it. I might just see if I can find a good flecked yarn and make it in a solid color to prevent changing colors every row. I haven't decided yet.
As I was making this towel out of a blanket pattern, it occurred to me how interchangeable blanket and towel patterns really are. The basic shape is the same. It just requires an adjustment of yarn weight and type, and a little bit of math to scale the size up or down. Maybe a false start or two if those initial calculations are wrong. One of the recent wedding blankets I have made that has gotten the most rave reviews (seriously, every time my husband runs into the giftee he is told how much the blanket is loved--this makes me incredibly happy) was based off of a towel pattern that I found last summer and particularly liked.
I bet the diagonal box stitch blanket pattern would make for an awesome dish towel, come to think of it.
Anyhoo. So that's one project down out of four. This weekend I am going to try to finish up the blanket I am working on. After that my next deadline isn't until the end of July, so next up I'll finish towel number two (well, technically it was towel number one, but you get the idea). Like I said a few days ago, I was really happy with everything about my first towel attempt except for the rate of progress. Here's what I got so far on that one:
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| Still in progress. Also, wow, this photo is horribly lit. |
When I take the picture of the finished object, I'll have to remember to use the flash so you can actually see the pattern, which is pretty neat.
After that, I think I might just go ahead and push on with the Doctor Who scarf. I feel bad for neglecting it whenever I run up against a deadline. I want to try to just go ahead and get it done before I start in on the next project. Juggling makes me too tired.
Have a fantastic (and safe) holiday weekend folks! I'll see you back here when business resumes as usual.
Don't forget to check out Gronk while you're getting in your daily web surfing! The book is up for preorder now, huzzah!
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