A great idea?

I really think that I could put a patent on this method for using up scraps, don't you?

Our Summer Begins - Cottage Squares Dishcloth Pattern

~:~      I have been working on this pattern for a few days. As I mentioned before, the style is a bit different from most all of my other cloths. I thought that this cloth would be better fitting for a contemporary kitchen. Contemporary is such a huge decorating factor right now. Even with my cottage look, little bits of modern elements are thrown in here and there. This cloth does mix in with my cottage look as well - and I was pleased about that!      Keep in mind - I am a beginner - therefore my writing style is a bit unorthodox. If you have any questions about this pattern, please feel free to contact me. I consider myself a work in progress.  I would absolutely love to see any finished cloths you create from my patterns. I will post them here in my gallery when I have the opportunity. Here is my Cottage Squares Cloth aka: Colorblok Kitchen Cloth     This cloth is knit using the Intarsia Method. It is an excellent lesson for the begginer or intermediate. Why not give it a try?! Materials: Size 6 US needles (4.5mm) One Cable needle for center hobnail stitch. 4 colors of your favorite worsted weigh cotton yarn. Stitches: knit, purl, slip stitch, one hobnail stitch for center of cloth. Begin by taking your two main colors - a & b - and split them into 2 smaller balls of each color. You then have colors a1, a2, b1 and b2 , a small ball of color c and a scrap piece of color d. This pattern tells where to join the new balls of color, but for simplicity, after the initial join, refers to each ball simply as their original colors of a, b, or c. You simply pick up the color where it is left off. All slipped stitches are slipped knit-wise. CO 40 sts with color a1 1 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 2 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 3 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 4 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 5 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 6 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 7 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 8 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 9 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 10 k5, sl2, (begin color b1) k26, (begin color a2) sl 2,k5 11 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 12 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 13 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 14 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 15 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 16 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 17 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 18 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 19 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 20 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 21 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 22 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 23 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 24 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 25 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 26 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (add color c) k12, (add color b2) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 27 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 28 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (add ball b2) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 29 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 30 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (add ball b2) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 31 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 32 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, color c) p12, (add ball b2) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 33 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 34 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) k12, (add ball b2) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 35 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k7 [remove 2 sts from right needle onto a cable needle. Wrap color d around these 2 sts 6 times. Return sts to right needle, (color c) k5, (color a) p2, k5 36 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (color b) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 37 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 38 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (color b) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 39 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 40 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (color b) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 41 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12, (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 42 k5, sl 2, (color b) k7, (color c) p12, (color b) k7, (color a) sl 2, k5 43 k5, p2, (color b) p7, (color c) k12 (color c will now be complete), (color b) p7, (color a) p2, k5 44 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a)sl 2, k5 45 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 46 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 47 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 48 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 49 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 50 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 51 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 52 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 53 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 54 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 55 k5, p2, (color b) p26, (color a) p2, k5 56 k5, sl 2, (color b) k26, (color a) sl 2, k5 57 k5, p2, (color b) p26 (end color b), (color a) p2, k5 58 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 59 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 60 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 61 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 62 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 63 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 64 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 65 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 66 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 67 k5, p2, k26, p2, k5 68 k5, sl 2, k26, sl 2, k5 69 Bind Off Finished Cloth (after washing) measures approximately 8 1/2 square. Notes: The sample cloth pictured in blue and green has a border knit with the k5, p2 (w/s) odd row and k5 sl 2 even row pattern. This can easily be added to the pattern. Please alert me if you should find any errors in this pattern. I will make every effort to correct them ASAP.  Click here for the .pdf version Don't forget to stop by and take a look at Elvish Leaves! It's wonderful! ...

A Memorial - and Now, It's Summer

~:~      Memorial Day - the first weekend of summer and a somber day in so many ways. I think of all those who have lost family members not only in recent times, but in times past. I have an uncle who was killed in WWII. It was just a couple of weeks after he completed basic training. He was sent over seas and was killed on his first jump as a paratrooper. That is a life that I never new. Did he resemble my mom? Did he have great artistic talent that my aunts and uncles spoke infinitely about? What would have become of him if he were allowed to grow into a mature old age. Cousins that I never had ...  conversations that never took place. Only stories remained of how my mother, in her early 20s was watching a high school basketball game when uniformed gentleman came in to speak with her. How many lives have been vanished? But the price that they paid, then - and to this very day - have allowed us to live in a place that has been filled with blessings of bountiful measure. In this lifetime, surely we will not understand. Let us never forget those who have lived and been lost. Let us never forget their faces and their families. To all of you families that are involved in the military - I send you my thanks and I send you my prayers. To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3