The Spindle: Yet Another Washcloth Pattern

I've been knitting washcloths for the past few days.  I needed a quick gift and I wanted a cloth to take with me to Olds.  A washcloth is a simple thing, but I wanted to put some special touches into mine.  My yarn is Ecoknit Cotton, an organic, naturally coloured yarn.  I needed a special pattern, one with a connection for me and the recipient.  The pattern would be reversible; its structure would make the cloth absorbent.  People like a range of sizes in cloths, so the repeat had to be easily adaptable.  I wanted a quick, easy knit.  I also wanted something to honour World Wide Knit in Public Day, which occurred over the weekend.

I think I found all that in this simple cloth.  The stitch is called, "The Spindle."  I adapted it from a 1972 Mon Tricot publication, 1030 Stitches, Patterns, p. 92.  I started with a knitted cast on and bound off with Elizabeth Zimmerman's cast off in outline stitch, from Knitting Without Tears.  The spindles can be either top or bottom whorl, although you'll have to use your imagination a bit to see the spindles.  Here are both sides of the fabric: (The top photo is the RS and the yarn colour is more accurate.)

So here you go-the pattern for The Spindle Washcloth:

The pattern for this washcloth is adapted from Mon Tricot: Knitting Dictionary 1030 Stitches, Patterns, l972, p. 92. 

1-50 gram/100 m skein Ecoknit Cotton, 100% organic cotton.  1 skein will make either the large or small cloth; 2 skeins will make 2 small cloths and 1 large.  Finished, unblocked sizes: small 20 cm x 20 cm or 8 inches x 8 inches; large 23 cm x 24 cm or 9 inches x 9 inches.

1 set needles to give gauge: 3—3.5 mm needles. Blunt tapestry needle

Pattern gauge: 21 stitches equal 10 cm (4 inches)

Pattern:  Multiple of 6 + 2 stitches

Rows 1 & 3:  *P2, K4,* end P2.

Rows 2 and alternate rows:  Knit the purl stitches and purl the knit stitches of the previous row.

Rows 5, 7 & 9:  P3, *K2, P4,* end K2, P3.

Row 11:  Purl.

Row 12:  Knit.

Cast on 36 stitches (42 stitches for large) using knitted cast on.  (Make a slip knot; place it on the LH needle.  *Knit into this stitch and place the new stitch on to the LH needle in front of the first stitch.*  Repeat from * to *.)

Knit 10 rows/5 ridges in garter stitch. (Knit every row.)

Begin pattern on a RS row, keeping the first 5 and last 5 stitches in garter stitch for the border.

Work 4 repeats of the pattern for the small cloth (5 for large), ending after Row 10.

Work 11 rows of garter stitch for border, ending after a RS row, so that your yarn will be coming from the left end of your knitting needle when the RS of the work is facing you.  Begin casting off in outline stitch. (Adapted from Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Castoff in Outline Stitch, Knitting Without Tears, 1971, p. 24.)

Measure off about 3 times the width of your piece on the working yarn and cut the yarn.  Thread the end through the blunt tapestry needle.

*Keep your working yarn above the tapestry needle; put the needle through the second stitch on the knitting needle from the front, then through the first stitch on the knitting needle from the back.  Pull the yarn through both stitches and drop the first stitch off the needle.*  Continue across the row until you have one stitch remaining.  Go into that stitch from the front, pull the yarn through and fasten off.  The photos show the positions of yarn and needle:

Continue from * to * across the row until you have one stitch remaining.  Go into that stitch from the front, pull the yarn through and fasten off.

Darn in all ends.  Wash and dry the cloth.

©deborah behm, June 2011