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.