MOD SHORTIE IN-THE-PINK VALENTINE Kitchen Towel

I designed this kitchen towel to match a heart dishcloth I had designed a while ago – there is no pattern for the dishcloth, but it is pretty simple to make: I used a Valentine’s candy box insert as a guide and increased/decreased accordingly until my dishcloth was finished to my satisfaction. Easy-peasy. 

This towel is a mishmash combination.

This towel set has 3 different colors of pink in the design: The dishcloth was made with Hot Pink … and a lighter pink that is no longer made. The towel was made with Hot Pink cotton yarn – with a contrast worsted yarn topper; because I had enough scrap yarn of that type to actually finish up.

This towel is a shortie because I ran out of main color cotton yarn ☹

But, it is long enough to suffice: I am a shortie too, which means, I have small hands 😉

And I added a white star button because everyone is a star on Valentines Day … and the star buttons only came in three colors: white matches the design better than a bright red, or blue, would have 😊

Despite the patched together design process, I think the towel turned out okay.

Finished towel … just in time for Valentine’s Day 😊

I’m not really a pattern writer … I aimlessly jot down chicken-scratch-notes as I work along for personal reference (which doesn’t mean anything to anyone else), so I hope this pattern in understandable to the rest of you.

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Cotton yarn in Hot Pink

# 10-1/2 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

 

CO 73 sts & work 4 rows Moss Stitch.

Work 4 rows stockinette st, keeping each end of towel in 6 sts moss stitch pattern.

Towel hem and border; I marked each end sts to keep the border pattern straight.

Row 9: Work 6 sts in Moss St pattern for side trim; then work as follows: K 6, *P 1, K 11*; repeat * to * across row – end K 6 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 10: 6 sts Moss St, P 5, *K 3, P 9*; rpt * to * across row – end P 5 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 11: 6 sts Moss St, K 4, *P 5, K 7*; rpt * to * across row – end K 4 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 12: 6 sts Moss St, P 3, *K 7, P 5*; rpt * to * across row – end P 3 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 13: 6 sts Moss St, K 2, *P 9, K 3*; rpt * to * across row – end K 2 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 14: 6 sts Moss St, P 3, *K 3, P 1, K 3, P 5*; rpt * to * across row – end P 3 and 6 sts moss st.

Row 15: 6 sts Moss St, K 4, *P 1, K 3, P 1, K 7*; rpt * to * across row – end K 4 and 6 sts moss st.

Heart Pattern hemline.

Row 16: Work 1 row purl, keeping 6 sts EA END in Moss Stitch Pattern.

Continue now in stockinette st, keeping each end in moss st, for a total of 53 rows from beginning: end wrong side of work. If you want a longer towel, and have enough yarn … work 61 rows.

Decrease for towel topper as follows: P 2 – P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 8 sts remain.

Sc for 13 rows.

Sl st x5; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl at to end. Turn.

Dc x12 in chain loop; EO.

Add decorative trim, of your choice, around button loop.

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

PEOPLE HAVE GONE SILENT

Everyone is silent. Friends and acquaintances – who, only a week ago – was full of laughter and chit-chat have gone silent: there is nothing to say that has not been said; there is nothing new happening in any of our lives … there is nothing to say, nothing to respond to. I sense (in some of them) that their hope has been squashed and they are not responding well to the news that vaccines are not a readily available as the minions in DC would have them believe … and now the mandate is to wear two/three masks, instead of the demanded one, has them in a tail-spin as hope shatters.

Lives have been tampered with. 

Livelihoods have been interfered with. 

Income has been severely cut into. 

Business have been closed permanently.

Schools have become hollow echo chambers (I actually think this is a good thing): parents and children are aimlessly wondering around wondering what they will do with their lives, now. Some will tear their hair out until schools reopen: some will make a better choice, and decide to redirect their lives for the better. I have friends in both camps.

Lives have been lost to other ends, besides covid.

The present has been halted … and the future looks empty.

Homes have become prisons.

Outside entertainments have been declared “unsafe killing grounds”.

Talk and activity is being boldly examined and censored by the tyrannical DC minions and their social media lapdogs. Talk … that has not been checked “acceptable” by the obamanites across the board, in every aspect of life in America … has become an uncomfortable activity in today’s inflammatory political atmosphere.

The demonrat communist socialists in DC, and in leadership positions in State offices, have ramped up their dictator activities … and a checkmate scenario is now in full play.

Generally, there is a feeling of unease and barely contained rebellion – the atmosphere in America is very explosive right now. People have pulled back; some in a cocoon of basement-dwelling-fear, some in a state of springed readiness to move forward.

Everyone is holding their breath, assessing their next move.

People have gone silent.

Except for me.

I refuse to be dictated to, boxed up, put aside, and silenced.

My life still goes on.

I live for Elohim.

I live for me.

 

MOD VANDYKE SPRING KITCHEN TOWEL

I designed this vividly colorful Spring themed kitchen towel, using my own basic towel pattern that I designed in 2016 … and implemented an openwork hemline using the Vandyke Stitch V.

My kitchen here is all white; except for the colorful outdoorsy hard surface stonework flooring, and the smokey slate-colored appliances.

This kitchen was totally gutted and redesigned for me in 2017, shortly after we bought the house – and 1 year before Bob would be called Home, beyond the clouds; I have lived in this house longer than my husband.

The kitchen towel I designed and worked up tonight will “let the sunshine in” … and add some bold color pop 😊

I have paired my new kitchen up with a dishcloth & scrubbie I had made a while ago for my Bazaar Cache – it appears Bazaars will become a thing of the past, if the 3^rd coup continues … no businesses are allowed to open, and everyone must now wear THREE masks inside, or outside: that pretty much halts my Bazaar fun. So, I took this dishcloth and scrubbie out of a bin, and worked a pretty Spring themed towel around them 😉

I like it!

MOD Vandyke St V Kitchen Towel Set - all my own designs (no pattern for the dishcloth, or scrubbie).

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozwO_HX8rf8)

Designing new towel around MOD Scrubbie colors (no pattern).

Cotton yarn in Yellow, Hot, Pink & Green

# 10-1/2 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

Terms used:

wrn = wrap yarn around needle

sl = slip 1 stitch

st. st. stockinette stitch

k = knit

p = purl

psso = pass 1 st over sl st

tog = together

m = make 1 st (same as wrn)

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

 

With pink, CO 73 sts & P 1 row.

Then work 6 rows Moss Stitch as follows:

Row 1: *K 1, P 1*, across row.

Row 2: Rpt row 1. EO pink.

Attach yellow yarn, and begin Vandyke Stitch V openwork pattern:

Row 1 of design: *K 1, wrn to make 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 3, k 2 tog, m 1* across row; end k 1.

Row 2 and all alternate rows: Purl.

Row 3: *K 2, m 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, k 2 tog, m 1, k 1* across row; end k 1.

Row 5: *K 3, m 1, sl 1, k 2 tog, psso, m 1, k 2* across row; end k 1. EO yellow.

Next Row: Attach green, and P 1 row.

Work 3 rows Moss St: EO green.

Next Row: Attach pink & work 2 rows Moss St; EO pink.

Vandyke St V Pattern.

Next Row: Attach yellow and work in st. st. until there are a total of 61 rows from beginning. EO yellow.

Row 62 (wrong side): Attach pink and P 2tog – P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts. There should be 29 sts on needle.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 8 sts remain.

Sc for 13 rows.

Sl st x5; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl at to end. Turn.

Dc x12 in chain loop; EO.

Add a decorative loop edging of your choice (or leave plain).

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

A kitchen towel may seem like such a small thing, but in today’s environment, happiness must be found and enjoyed where we can – I choose happiness. I enjoy designing and creating … currently, with yarn 😊

MOD DENIM & TULIP KITCHEN TOWEL

I glanced out my window the other day and noticed my tulips have broken soil 😊

So, I designed this new kitchen towel to pair with an older Easter Egg Dishcloth I made a while ago. I made the dishcloth on the fly one afternoon, so there is no pattern.

When designing my new kitchen towel pattern, I thumbed through one of my knitting patterns books, and added an insert border of a nice tulip designed pattern with a French origin. The original pattern is plain with an unusual textured effect … but I like color, so I used colored scrap yarn to highlight the tulip blossom effect – and used a duplicate stitch to highlight the ‘stems’ of the pattern 😊

Snow is in the forecast … but Spring is in my thoughts.

I think my towel turned out rather nice; and it looks good paired with the dishcloth ;-)

MOD Knit Denim & Tulip Cotton Dish Towel

Cotton yarn in 4 colors of choice (I used Denim, Ecru, & scraps of Hot Pink and Green)

# 10-1/2 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

With Denim, CO 73 sts & P 1 row for hem.

Work 4 rows of stockinette stitch.

Drop denim, and attack ecru.

Tulip Pattern:

Row 1: Repeat the following procedure: *K 1 in back, K 2* across row.

Row 2: Repeat the following procedure: *P 2, P 1 in back* across row.

Row 3: Rpt the first row.

Row 4: Rpt the second row.

Row 5 (stems foundation row): Repeat the following procedure: *K 1 in back, P 1, K 1 in back* across row.

Row 6: Repeat the following procedure: *P 1 in back, K 1, P 1 in back* across row.

Row 7: Rpt the fifth row.

Row 8: Rpt the sixth row.

Row 9 (tulip blossoms foundation row): If you wish colored blossoms, attach pink yarn for the P sts, and keep to ecru for the K sts – carrying yarn in back as with all jacquard patterns. If you do not wish a colored pattern, just stick to the textured pattern plain. Repeat the following procedure: *P 2, K 1 in back* across row.

Yarns carried in back of work.

Row 10: Repeat the following procedure: *P 1 in back, K 2* across row.

Row 11: Rpt the ninth row.

Row 12: Rpt the tenth row.

Tulip Pattern using contrast colored yarn.

You should have 16 rows total from hem forward.

Duplicate stitch tulip 'stems'.

Drop ecru (or all yarns); and attach denim. Continue in st. st. until you have reached a total of 61 rows from the beginning of total work.

Work the towel topper decrease row as follows: P 2 – P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts: 27 sts on needle.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 8 sts remain.

Sc for 13 rows.

Sl st x5; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl at to end. Turn.

Dc x12 in chain loop; EO.

Add a decorative trim edging to the button loop of your choice.

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

DENIM & TULIPS ~ MOD Kitchen Towel

The other day, it was the idea of my planned Spring garden.

Today, it was the idea on kitchen towel deigns.

I need some more kitchen towels for my modest castle, so while I ran into town this morning to mail off my garden seeds order at the P.O., I decided to stop at Joann’s for some cotton yarn. I bought enough yarn to knit up several towel sets (dishrag in the mix, too 😉).

I want to knit up Spring/Summer themed towel sets: I found several colors I like:

Kitchen towel set colors: 14 skeins ... 1 Denim is in use.

After the skeins were tallied and ready to be paid for, the cashier asked, “Would you like a paper bag?”

We are in the monsoon season here in the PNW, with snow in the forecast, so I said, “I prefer plastic”.

She said, “We don’t have plastic – plastic has been phased out. Each paper bag will cost you 8 cents.”

I asked, “So, there is no alternative to the paper bag?”

She said, “No – but …” and she waved her hand behind her head to the fancy, spendy, brand name fabric totes hung on the pegboard behind her, “you can buy one of these bags and reuse it. But you may not bring a bag from home to use.”

This was an old-fashioned shafting.

I just looked at her, while mentally counting to ten.

Then I said, “So, you are asking me if I want a paper bag to carry my yarn out of this store in … knowing full well that there is no alternative; then you flatly state I will be charged an 8-cent fee. Why bother asking?”

She said, “Well, it will show up on your receipt. I don’t want you to be surprised.”

I said, “The only thing that kinda surprises me anymore is that people think it’s okay to shaft someone if they ask permission to do so – with, or without my permission, they will do it anyway. Removing all alternatives; then asking if it’s okay in a passive-aggressive way, does not make it okay.”

I mean: the nerve!

I didn’t shout.

I didn’t throw a fit.

But I was very firm in my annoyed response to the store’s political BS.

This is just the start of the political bullshit that will start snowballing, now that the obamanites feel smug, fat, and sassy.

They know people have to shop: they know it rains in the PNW 10 months out of a 12 month year (it’s that rainforest/ocean effect); they know you cannot carry 14 skeins of yarn, or a month’s worth of groceries to your car without purchases being bagged.

And anyone with a functioning brain cell knows that paper does not hold up in continual rainfall like plastic does.

But, as the self-absorbed “scientific-minded” obamanites have proven since 2009 – they don’t have any functioning brain cells; biden is a prime example.

So far, the grocery stores are still using plastic – and they have not been charging for their plastic bags (I grocery shopped at Winco and Safeway last week; and stopped at Walmart on the way home this morning) … but it is in the air that they will start charging for each bag in June. I figure I’ll be shafted for $5.00 every month, basically just because DC mandates it, and local governors can enforce it.

DC claims it is necessary – (no real reason why) – other than plastic bags are ‘not sanitary enough’.

But recycled paper bags are sanitary???? Who knows where the previous paper product used in the recycled paper bags came from … or what was in it/on it/around it?

The whole thing is ridiculous.

That said, I did start on my new kitchen towel set this afternoon.

MOD Tulip Kitchen Towel. Knit – ‘Denim’ cotton with contrast Tulip design hemline; Front.

MOD Tulip Kitchen Towel. Knit – cotton; Back.

I added duplicate stitch tulip 'stems'; Front.

I like it so far, and can’t wait to get it finished and in use in my castle kitchen 😊