FO Friday: Washcloths, Washcloths, and look! More Washcloths!

As you will probably know, last week I started my new washcloth addiction. I don't know why it took me so long to find washcloths, but I'm very happy that I finally did. I haven't felt like doing much knitting during the past two weeks so having these little guys (oh gosh, I'm starting to refer to them as people now, I really need to get a life!) around to pick up and knit is very handy. And enjoyable.

My first ever washcloth, was knitted using the famous pattern Grandmother's Favourite. There isn't much point on me telling you how lovely the pattern is, as I think the 4,973 projects on Ravelry say it all. (And no, I didn't count. I'm not that obsessed. Yet...) I used Craft Cotton in Ecru by V & A Products Ltd, which is an 100% Cotton, Aran weight yarn. The yarn is nice to work with, it doesn't split easily like other cotton yarns I've tried (what am I saying? The only other cotton yarn I've tried is Sugar N Cream!). The only critism I have for this yarn, is not of the yarn itself but the packaging! On the ball band it doesn't tell you how many grams there are and also the yardage/meterage of the yarn. 

Back to the washcloth. 

I really enjoyed knitting it, the pattern is lovely and I'm quite pleased with the end result. (I say 'quite' as I'm pretty, no, definitely sure I messed up the last part of the cloth.)

The moment this was cast off, I cast on my second washcloth. This time round I decided to use the Waffle Knit Dishcloth pattern by Debbie Andriulli. For this cloth I decided to use Lily Sugar'N Cream Stripes: Pinky, as I was knitting this for my niece (who is in a constant need for washcloths apparently - yay!) I thought I better use a colour she loves, which turns out to be pink and thus Sugar'N Cream was chosen.

I really enjoyed knitting this cloth, the yarn pooled great and fortunately (after a confirmation from RugbyMad) you can't see the little mistakes I've made in the cloth. When I was casting off the cloth, I impulsively decided to make a loop so you can hang it up in the shower etc, which I think I've done right, I'll find out soon enough. 

Mum loved it - she reckons it would make a nice blanket square. Katy loved it too, even commissioning me to make her one exactly the same. 

The last thing I have to share with you is a photograph...

Yes that's right, Keith and his friend Minion came to pay me a visit! I say 'pay a visit', they actually snook into the house to watched Tangled on our big telly. As you can tell from Keith's expression he was shocked when he found out that Mother Gothel wasn't really Rapunzel's mother.

For more FO Friday fun, head on over to Tami's, Natural Suburbia and Wisdom Begins in Wonder, have a lovely weekend!! 

Thursday Chat: Meet Emma!

This week it's the turn of Emma, from the beautiful blog Winging It. Here is how we got on!

What got you into knitting and/or crochet?

"Ever since I can remember, my Mom and Grandma have knitted. Since I was constantly watching them knitting away, it didn’t take long until I was determined to learn. My mom taught me to learn to knit when I was six. Six-year-olds don’t exactly have a ton of patience, so it took a few years until I really caught the knitting bug. As for crocheting, I’ve tried it a few times, but it’s never really caught on the way knitting did. For now, all I know are a few simple crochet stitches."

 We all have a weakness when it comes to buying materials, whether it be yarn, buttons or stitch markers, what is yours?

"I definitely have a weakness for yarn. I have enough yarn to fill up a closet, so I’ve been trying to avoid buying yarn. Despite the guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach, I always have an urge to buy more every time I see another skein of yarn. I also have a weakness for fiber, especially those gorgeous hand-dyed braids that every Etsy shop seems to sell."

Is there any item you've sworn to never knit again?

 "I’ve had a couple of bad experiences with sweaters and socks, but that didn’t scare me off for long. I’m pretty persistent when it comes to knitting new things, and I like to keep trying even if I’ve had trouble with a certain item before. I do try to stay away from lace shawls, though, because they tend to take a while and I end up finding several mistakes after I finish."

Which pattern, that you have designed, is your favourite and why?

 "I’ve only designed a few things, so I can’t say I have a clear favorite yet, but I really love how my Viridescent turned out. Viridescent is a unique fingerless glove pattern featuring a cable pattern on the back which blooms into leaves. I designed this pattern as a fresh idea for spring and summer. Although it’s been a challenging pattern to chart and write, I know that it’ll be worth it when the pattern is finally published. At the moment I’m still preparing the pattern for submission to KnitPicks, but it should be available soon!"

When you're not knitting or crocheting, how else do you spend your spare time?

"I’m a big fan of the arts, and I normally end up writing, drawing, or crafting when I’m bored. At times when I just can’t keep still, I like to jump on my trampoline or go ice skating. I spend a few hours every week doing gymnastics, which is my main sport. I have a busy schedule, but it’s worth every minute."

 Which is your favourite hank of yarn that you've spun or dyed yourself?

"I’m not big on dyeing, although I’ve always wanted to get better at it. Mainly, I do lots of spinning. My favorite skein is normally the one I’ve just spun up- I fall in love with each new skein that comes off the bobbin. I’m also getting more consistent at spinning, so my more recent spins tend to look more professional than my first few thick, uneven skeins of handspun. I have to say my current favorite is Brick and Mortar, a red roving with a touch of turquoise that I just finished spinning."

Any other hobbies other than knitting?

 "I have lots of hobbies. My hands always have to be moving! I’m into a lot of activities involving the arts, such as writing, playing piano, spinning, making jewelry, drawing, and photography. I’ve always wanted to trying dyeing, but it’s been a slow process to learn the works. Thankfully, I have so many other hobbies that I’m hardly ever bored."

Thank you so much to Emma, for not only letting us learn more about her, but letting us look at her beautiful photos!