Easy springtime crochet washcloth pattern

Hi everyone! I am excited to put together a sort of mini tutorial on how to make an easy crochet dishcloth.
This pattern includes alternating double and single crochet, which works out into a kind of lacy basketweave look.
Isn't it pretty?:

To make one of your own, you will need a ball of worsted weight cotton yarn and a size H crochet hook.

To start, loosely chain an odd number of rows. I made 21.

Single crochet into the second chain from the hook.
Double crochet into the next chain.
Keep alternating single and double crochet down the row. If you started with an odd number of chains, you should have an even number of stitches. I ended up with 20.





Chain one and turn.
Now, if you are following along, you should have just made a double crochet as the last stitch in the previous row. Great! Single crochet into that stitch, like this (which is in the middle of the row, but you get the idea):



Next, double crochet into the next stitch, which should be a single crochet. Here's a photo of that in action:




Then just keep trucking along, alternating stitches so that you have a single crochet in each double and a double in each single. It's going to look like this after a while:





By the way, here's the beauty of starting with an odd number of chains and therefore an even number of stitches --as long as you have an even number of stitches, you'll always end each row with a double crochet, which means you'll also always start each row with a single crochet.
I like this because it takes the thought out of which stitch I'm starting with, whether I need to start a row with one chain or two, etc. , etc., and let's me focus on other things, like reading, watching a show or just crocheting away and losing track of time.
Gotta love multitasking!


So, once you have it to the size you want, just finish off and weave in your ends.


After about 30 minutes or so, here's what I ended up with:

And here is my new little beauty waiting to be put into service.

Thanks for stopping by.

Moving means finding new craft stores, seeking out the yarn

Hello yarn-loving blog readers! I am getting settled in a new home in a new state and figured it was time to fire up the old blog. I sort of forgot about it, but am going to give it another go.
I am now living in Virginia, where the skies are mostly sunny when the forecast says partly cloudy vs. Ohio, where partly cloudy means you will see the sun for approximately 10 minutes all day. Maybe.
So, what do I do when blessed with all this extra Vitamin D from the lovely sunlight? Yes, I hunker down inside and crochet. At least I see it through the windows. :)
On the minus side of the equation, moving has meant some changes in yarn availability.
I crochet mostly toy nets for stuffed animal storage, so I need to buy the sturdy acrylic stuff -- Red Heart Super Saver, Caron One Pound and Bernat Super Value.
I am used to having dozens of colors at my fingertips for my shopping convenience. Northeast Ohio has the BEST Jo-Ann stores. The North Olmsted location has aisles upon aisles of yarn. It's a wonderland! The new Elyria location is no slouch in the yarn department, either, and features many brands, styles and colors. Jo-Ann is headquartered in Ohio, so I guess it only makes sense the Buckeye state gets the primo superstores.
Well, I never knew how spoiled I was. The Jo-Ann at my new home has one teeny tiny shorted aisle with yarn on just one side. Plus an end cap. Very sad. I wilted when I saw it.
Fortunately, AC Moore has a very nice selection of yarn. I haven't tried their Nicole brand, but it comes in all weights, colors and varieties. Looks nice. The Super Saver selection is pretty super!
Also along to the rescue is another venue new to me -- Hobby Lobby. Aside from their gobs of home décor, they have a nice little yarn section of about three or four aisles filled with mainly their brands. I've had good success with I Love This Yarn. Pretty colors and nice quality. It is soft and would work up into a great afghan, scarf or hat.
I shouldn't forget Michael's and Wal-Mart, which sometimes fill in the gap for colors I can't find elsewhere. But, oh, Michael's! Why did you have to stop carrying Sherbet Print?! Online shopping is great, too, but not always convenient if I need a color pronto.
If anyone is out there reading this, let me know where you buy your yarn. I'd love to hear! Maybe there's a fabulous store or online location I need to know about! Thanks for stopping by.

Half off sale at justyarning.etsy.com

I'm in promotion mode! My Etsy shop is celebrating its 1-year debut today. Woo hoo!
It's been fun and I've actually sold a few things. In my first year I had 55 sales, which works out to about one item a week. Not too shabby!
I know some shops sell 55 items a day, but at least it's a start. I've learned a lot and still have much to discover.
Well, back to that promotion...
I am going all out and offering everything in the shop for half price with coupon code JUST50. Find my shop at justyarning.etsy.com
I currently have a few pairs of fingerless gloves, scarves, hats, bags, washcloths, stroller handle covers, hand sanitizer holders and patterns, water bottle carriers and some other assorted stuff like mug cozies, boot toppers and egg hats. Custom orders welcome!

Knit pattern testers wanted for small project

Hi fellow knitters!
I am planning to sell my pattern for a knitted hand sanitizer cozy and need a little help making sure the pattern is good to go. I've made it with sock yarn on -- I think -- No. 2 dpns, and with worsted weight yarn on about size 8 dpns.
It will fit a 2-ounce bottle of Purell.
I might tweak it to fit the smaller 1 ounce bottles or Bath and Body Works bottles as well, but that will probably come later.
Anyone out there want to test the pattern for me? I'm sorry that I cannot pay you, but you can make items with the pattern and sell them. Just please don't sell my pattern or post it as your own!
I hope to get this out in my Etsy shop, JustYarning, soon, so if anyone is interested, please respond in the comments section and I'll get right back to you.
Thanks!

Fleece yarn

Hello fellow yarn lovers! I have a new discovery!
I found this interesting yarn a while ago, but have yet to buy any. It's actually made of printed polyester fleece. Has anyone tried it? It's called Deborah Norville Cuddle Fleece and it comes in either dots or mosaics. Premier is selling it for $6.99 on their site. I don't know if it's available at craft stores yet.
Here's a link from the Premier Yarns Web site:
http://www.premieryarns.com/product.aspx?pid=166412

And here's a pic from their site of the mosaics version in the color called Building Blocks:

I think it might be nice for a kids scarf. You need an S hook or size 15 needles to knit. An S hook is huge! 15s are big, but not THAT big. Not sure why the discrepancy.
Premier also has 12 free patterns for this yarn, including a hat, scarf, baby blanket, pillow and bag.
I would love to hear from anyone who has used this yarn. How did your project turn out? Would you recommend this yarn to a friend?
By the way, I am not linked to this yarn company in any way. I'm just a yarn enthusiast looking for some advice before I buy even more yarn for my stash. :)
Thanks for stopping by!

Washcloths on sale now!

I am having a sale over at justyarning.etsy.com on washcloths, dishcloths, dishrags or whatever you like to call them. Just two bucks! Stock up until the end of the year, after which time the prices will go back to normal.
My cloths are 100 percent cotton and are about 7 inches square. They have lots of texture and can be used to wash your dishes or yourself. I use mine for dishes and love them.

Here's a photo of one little set. The bowl is a separate listing:

 

I also make a dog bone design, like the one below, which is a bit smaller. I made one for cats, too -- with a fish bone design -- which I will list as soon as I can take some new photos.

 

Here are a few links:

JustYarning Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/justyarning?ref=si_shop

 

Aqua and cream dishcloth set of two:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/116200486/on-sale-crochet-cotton-dish-cloths-with

 

Black and white dog bone set of two:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/105575309/on-sale-dog-bone-design-crochet

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

Cyber Monday sale still going

I am offering free shipping in my Etsy shop today, Monday November 26, 2012. It will probably extend into Tuesday morning at the latest. Please stop by and check out my knitted and crochet items. I'm making more and can always make a custom order.
Find the shop at justyarning.etsy.com