Wednesday, July 21, 2010

gone all gaga over a dishcloth...

I am afraid that I may have gone a little mad...around the twist...a bit gaga (and not as in the lady...if lady is indeed the right term)
Oh I wonder what her majesty was thinking...and that cute little bespectacled kid in the band...captions please!

The dishcloth obsession started like this...
  • went to my friend Susan's beach house for a bit of a break (a tour of her lovely house is here);
  • was forced volunteered to do the washing up...Richard did most all of the cooking so, in retrospect, it seems only fair;
  • Susan had a knitted red dishcloth bought from some fancy schmancy shop in Milton; and
  • it was...without doubt...the best messy bench wiping up thing I'd ever used. Chux wipes?....Ha! You are history. 
And knitted ones are ever so eco chic aren't they? Yes. They most certainly are.
I did cunningly suggest to Richard that we take a drive to Milton so that I could source one, but it poured with rain that day and staying in and drinking wine seemed to be the preferable option.


But do cut me some slack...I was on holiday...it was my birthday...so, in my mind, perfectly reasonable if not positively essential. Although...
Anyway, I came home from the coast and couldn't get the knitted dishcloth out of my mind. The term 'small things amuse small minds' has just occurred to me, but I've decided to go with the 'joy of simple pleasures' instead.
Just as an aside, my friend Chris (she of chandelier fairy fame)...having stayed at Susan's just the day before us (you still with me)...was also enamoured of said dishcloth and when the man and I went to dinner at Chris and her lovely husband Terry's a few Saturday nights ago and I pulled out the knitting to show her....well let's just say she completely understood! The eye rolling from respective men won't be mentioned here....but I haven't forgotten. And revenge could be sweet.
So off I went to...
...bought the cotton and some teeny weeny knitting needles and started to make my own.  Because, after all, I had the crochet granny squares completely under control and I already knew how to knit...just ignore the fact that the last time I'd done it was around 1982!
Not a problem....except... (you know by now there's always an 'except' with me don't you!)...except, it took forever. 
Fine cotton, stupidly small needles, and not quite wide enough in the end. So I tried with different cotton, and different size needles...I can't begin to tell you how many stitches I cast on, took off, tried again...
because I had a certain look in mind, and dammit...I was going to get that look! I even tried cotton and bamboo thread...
with small needles first (note: this is damn near impossible) so I did the golden arches upsize trick with the needles and ended up with...
not exactly a dishcloth, more a...potholder. It's fab though...so soft and thick and...well, potholderish. I'm making more of those!
And I am going to persevere until I've perfected the perfect (as in perfected) knitted dishcloth...even if it takes...
...maybe. I will keep you posted. It should be sorted by Christmas at this rate! Stocking fillers anyone?
And by the way, if I have any credibility left at all...these knitted dishcloths really do feel fabulous and work incredibly well! 
for like ever poster from here. others me or the magic that is google images.

16 comments:

  1. Wow, now I want to see, feel, try this amazing knitted dishcoth! I love your determination Kerry!
    Have a lovely day,
    Jxx

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  2. I'm so with you on dish cloths and these are divine. Too 'noice' to use. I like the absorbancy if Vileda rather than Chux myself, but I could be persuaded to give these a try. You might be on to something BIG methinks.

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  3. Sounds like a project! I've never used a knitted one before.Don't you hate when you can't get something out of your head :)

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  4. Righto, can I put an order in now? No hurry(!!!) K xx

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  5. Oh my goodness Kerry, you are sucha funny one! What a massive effort!! I'd have given up at just the thought of it!

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  6. Are you sure you don't have OCD? It must be a damn good dishcloth! Love it.

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  7. i'm with brismod - but man i applaud your...commitment!! actually theres a blog i used to read of a qld chick who knitted these things no end - she was like some kind of legend at it. will try and hunt you down the link, she's bound to have a few enlightening tips. or....the fact that she knitted a whole bunch of other 'consumables' might put you off the obsession altogether : )

    jxx

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  8. Ok - can't sew and definitely not much of a knitter but I do look at a lot of blogs. Have a look at this http://www.pigeon-pair.com/2010/03/dish-cloth.html Pigeon Pair is a beautiful blog and there is even a pattern for her dishcloth and I'd like one too when you're done (joking!) Ann x

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  9. Oh yes and this... crochet this time and again pretty sure I can't do that either but I read the blog!!! And I have a great memory - not enough really I know...
    http://retromummy.blogspot.com/2009/09/quick-crochet-washcloth.html

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  10. I probably would have persevered in buying some for myself so bravo for making one. Impressive!

    Cheers,
    Laura

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  11. Can't see myself knitting up a storm of dish clothes sorry Kerry.... I am a Chux girl through and through... I hope you enjoyed the project though... Do I see an Etsy store coming up?

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  12. Hi Kerry, just found your blog- I had lots of fun, thanks for making me laugh! I love your dishcloth- very clever!!! Emma.

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  13. What a great project you have taken on!! Love the dishcloth and your persistent determination. I can't knit so have no hope in trying to make one, so when can we all place orders??!

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  14. What a great idea, and the finished product is really sweet, the colour is vibrant, and your knitting is so neat! (trying to teach my girls... not quite there yet!!)
    Flick x

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  15. Crikey Kerry,
    If you get this passionate about a dish cloth, I dread to think what you did when you received those gorgeous chandeliers !! hehe.
    You, dear Kerry, are wonder woman to me. You can turn your hand to just about everything.... even to the knitting of dishcloths. They are fabulous and, I'm sure that they do a much better job tham the blue check ones that us mere mortals use !!
    ...... oh, and by the way, the little boy in the glasses with the Queen belongs to a group called Diversity. They are a fantastic dance group who won the competition Britian's Got Talent. Simon Cowell is on the panel. Just thought that you'd like to know !! XXXX

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