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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Cotton Cloth Calendar Challenge

Today's Work in Progress Wednesday (badges with links in the left sidebar) focuses on my Cotton Cloth Calendar Challenge. I've listed it as one of my YOP (year of projects). I want a cloth to represent each month. This stemmed from all the beautiful cotton washcloths that were collected during the month of June's focus on Bridge and Beyond, and my wanting to get some of the awesome colors I saw, and my DD seeing them and stating how much she LOVED cotton washcloths and wanted a mound of them. After making 2 shopping trips, one to JoAnne, and a 2nd one to Hobby Lobby and Michaels, I think I finally have colors that will work for my calendar idea.

January, cold, snowy. Blue and White is my current idea
blue and white cottonFebruary, naturally one thinks red; but I may do this combo? Thoughts vs plain red?
Feb cottonMarch is Easter, so thought this looked like an Easter Basket of pretty eggs and jelly beans.
March Easter CottonApril tends to be a rainy month, things here in the Midwest start turning green...........unless there's still lots of snow on the ground.

Green for AprilIn normal conditions those April Showers bring on May Flowers (though again snow can get in the way of seeing many of them). I used a cast on of 33 and a double eyelet pattern, one of the stitches I used in the wedding ghan you've been seeing...HERE

MayJune makes me think of summer vacation, swimming pools, kids out of school, beach vacations, laying around in the grass getting a sun tan. This is the famous Grandma's favorite washcloth knitted corner to corner. Everyone's go to pattern.

June corner to corner clothJuly is 4th of July, the celebration of our Nations Birthday, Patriotic, Red, White and Blue and family picnics. This is using a cast on of 33 and a pattern stitch called Little Blocks that's also one of the stitches being used in the wedding ghan. HERE
July cloth in the worksAugust, the dog days of summer......hot scorching sun, bright orange and yellow. Another cast on of 33, with straight knitting side to side.

August clothSeptember...well, not totally sold on it yet; but thus far I'm looking at this. Though it seems like pastels...I'm thinking fading summer? September is still colorful, but less so. Some flowers gone, but too early for pretty leaf color? Thoughts? I also thought of just stripes of primary colors, thinking back to school, crayon colors; but since I'm using all those colors elsewhere...didn't want to be repetitive???
September cloth
October of course is Halloween, and Candy Corn.
Candy Corn OctoberNovember makes me think of the end of fall leaves, Thanksgiving on the horizon.
NovemberAnd naturally for December we think Christmas and Red, Green and White.

December clothI'm feeling like I'm a bit over 1/3rd done with this project, even though 12 divided by 4 equals 3, and my 4th cloth isn't yet done. After all, the time to shop, to think and plan...that counts right? And now to lock in some patterns for above colors and months. Thoughts, suggestion? Happy to check them out.

For those who've been following my progress on the wedding ghan...it continues, as of the writing of this scheduled post I'm on block 4 (6 in a strip) of the 5th (I think final) strip. Fingers crossed when I get the 5th strip done and attached I'll feel like it's large enough. I know it will grow a bit when blocked, and again a bit more with a nice border. Running out of time to make a 6th strip, and am pretty sure doing so would be very tight on yarn....don't want to run out and not have enough for a nice border. Have you ever knitted a border? Thus far, I've only crocheted them, but...have a few knitted patterns? How hard is it to pick up stitches? I haven't done this before. This is quite a learning process for me, in that, aside from corner to corner's this is my first knitted vs crocheted ghan, and I did learn new stitches in the process.

22 comments:

  1. See, I would have made March green because I associate more with St Patty's Day than Easter, and I associate April with Spring (and Easter more often than March) so it would have gotten the multicolored yarn. :)

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  2. Dishcloth colors for every month? What a cool idea!

    As for crochet border on a knitted 'ghan, I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just pick a simple one and go with it.

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  3. I understand your Calophi, sorta thought the same initially, cause I think of green and St. Patty's Day, particularly with Easter being soooooooo early next year thought that might not work as well. Plus DD is much more religious then I am, and Easter is a very important holiday for her.

    Yea I know crocheting an edge will work fine Marie Anne, that's what I've always done with the large number of ghans I've worked on, but was wondering about knitting an edge instead.

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  4. Love the colours you've chosen (and I think the combo for Feb works well, probably more so than plain red).

    Picking up stitches is super easy, but I've also seen a lot of knit blankets with crochet edges, so either way should work out!

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  5. Thanks pinkundine appreciate the feedback

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  6. So organised with your colours. Truly impressed.

    I pick up stitches and crochet edges around blankets. Picking up stitches can take along time. Crocheting a border is easy to pick up stitches and grows quicker.

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  7. Thanks Rugby, given my time constraints, probably will crochet it; tough to learn another new process with the clock ticking.

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  8. Wow, are you organized or what? LOL! And, busy too! I love all the ideas & can't wait to see the finished projects.

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  9. Sorta forced myself to write them down Deb, thought that would help me stay on track...I'll let you know how that plan goes. lol

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  10. What a great (and organised) idea!

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  11. Oops, I don't think of red for February; I guess I'm not a romantic. February is all chilly greys - cold, wind, damp and slush!

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  12. What cool color combos you've chosen! I especially like the June one. It makes me want to go swimming right now!!

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  13. Great color choices. I just love the idea of colors representing the months! Looks like you have your work cut out for you!

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  14. Looks like you are all set with the colors for your calendar cloths. Your daughter will be trilled. Nice idea!!

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  15. All the colors look fabulous! I really like the Halloween ones :D

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  16. I love the calendar challenge! All of your combinations are great.

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  17. Christine (The DD)11:01 PM

    Stoked!

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  18. Thanks for all the feedback folks....see me smiling...DD is stoked........and that's what it's all about.

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  19. The pattern I see in June is the original knitting pattern I used when i first made washcloths/dishcloths.
    I don't knit them anymore, instead I crochet them.
    I hate when I have to buy my cotton yarn at Hobby Lobby. It's about .80 more at Hobby Lobby over what I can get it for at Wal Mart. However, if someone wants a certain color, sometimes I have to go to Hobby Lobby.

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  20. Marsha it is the org. pattern. WalMarts here pretty much stop carrying craft items.

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  21. Love the colours through the year. I recognize the Dec colours :-) have those in my stash!! xx

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  22. Very colorful and creative!

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