Vacation Crafting

I was on vacation this past week, but I still got a lot of projects finished.

Here is another dishcloth for my brother-in-law.

I don't live near a Hobby lobby, so when I found out that there was one near my mother-in-law's house I knew I had to go.  I had not been to one in 3 or 4 years.  I bought 3 skiens of their store brand cotton yarn called I Love This Cotton!  Each colorway that I got is different.  That same day I made this dishcloth and gave ti to my mom.  

Here is the ravelry link for this pattern.  I actually found the pattern by reading other people's pattern noted for it, so here are mine:

- I cast on 38 stitches.

- CO multiples of 4 plus 6 
- Knit first and last 5 rows 
- knit first and last 3 sts of each row for border 
- Row 1: P across 
- Row 2: (Slip 2 purlwise with yarn in front, k2) repeat 
- Row 3: P across 
- Row 4: (k2, slip 2 purlwise with yarn in front) repeat

I used up 2 leftover skeins of yarn and some of a 3rd skein to make this dishcloth.  Here is the free pattern. 

At the end of May I taught a crochet class where I showed how to crochet in the round and make a V stitch.  I put down this project for a few weeks and picked it back at the end of last month.  I took it, the UFO project below, and a bag full of green cotton yarn (for making dishcloths from) on vacation with me.  I was able to finish this bag within the first 2 days of my vacation.  I can't wait to show it to my student this month.  The bonus is that it will be a Christmas present for a family member.  It was a yarn eater, but it was well worth it.I used one of those large skeins of cotton yarn to make it.  Now that large skein looks slightly larger than a regular skein of cotton yarn.  Here is my pattern for this bag:

Using an H hook and cotton yarn

• Chain 2
• 6 sc in 1st ch
• 2 sc in every stitch = 12 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next stitch, repeat = 18 sts.
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 2 stitches, repeat = 24 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 3 stitches, repeat = 30 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 4 stitches, repeat = 36 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 5 stitches, repeat = 42 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 6 stitches, repeat = 48 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 7 stitches, repeat = 54 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 8 stitches, repeat = 60 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 9 stitches, repeat = 66 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 10 stitches, repeat = 72 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 11 stitches, repeat = 78 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 12 stitches, repeat = 84 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 13 stitches, repeat = 90 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 14 stitches, repeat = 96 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 15 stitches, repeat = 102 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 16 stitches, repeat = 108 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 17 stitches, repeat = 114 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 18 stitches, repeat = 120 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 19 stitches, repeat = 126 sts
• 2 sc in one st, 1 sc in the next 20 stitches, repeat = 132 sts
• Then in the first V where the first 2 sc in one st were made in the last round, sc twice into that stitch / V then skip a stitch and repeat.
• I made 2 rounds of the sc V stitches.
• Then for the rest of the V stitches I did hdc.

When it is the length that you like: 
- slip stitch in the next stitch, chain 1,and sc in every stitch around. Repeat for about 5 rounds. 
I had 120 stitches around,

• slip stitch, ch 1, sc in 15 sts, chain 45, skip 30 sts, sc in next 30 sts, ch 45, skip 30 sts, sc in 15 sts, join with a slip stitch.
• next 4 rounds: ch 1, sc in the same st, sc around, join with a slip stitch.

I started knitting this bag in the Summer of 2010, and I had put it down that same Summer.  I was not sure where I left off in the 16 round repeat, but since the bag was long enough I just worked on the top garter stitch area of it this past week.  I didn't really like the i cord handles in the pattern, so I just garter stitched them back and forth.  I think that wider handles feel better when carrying a lot of things.  I am very happy that I finished this UFO.  There are a few mistakes that I made in 2010, but thats ok.  Maybe one day I'll make another one of these bags.  I'm a more experienced knitter than I was 3 years ago, so I think that I can make it mistake free now.  The pattern came from Creative Knitting magazine, July 2010: To Market, to Market by Maile Mauch.