A Knitted Washcloth

I think today calls for a little celebration, and for two reasons. The first is for completing my Mollie Makes challenge. Oh yes! More on that tomorrow. And the second is for the fact that I picked up my needles (I had to watch a Youtube video to remember how to cast on, it had been that long) started a knitted project, spotted the mistake in the pattern, proceeded with the project, corrected my errors, did not drop any stitches and casted off. I know, I know, champagne all round!

The pattern is in issue 25 and had been tempting me for a while as it looked like a fairly quick project with enough variation to be interesting and to improve my skills without having a knitting meltdown, plus it was very useful too. I chose Debbie Bliss Eco Baby cotton yarn as it came if some really lovely, muted colours and I liked the way it isn't mercerised which I think can give the cotton a plasticky look. 

About ten rows in I started to get cross and confused. There was no right or wrong side to the knitting, it kept flipping from one to the other. I frogged it twice thinking I must have knitted or purled on the wrong row. Just trust the pattern, I thought, it will make sense if you persevere. But no, still wrong. Hmm, it's like it's missing a row, I thought to myself. I googled "error in knitting pattern mollie makes 21" and what do you know, there was indeed a missing row. I can't tell you how much this boosted my (pretty weak) knitting confidence.

I finally finished it and gave it a quick steam iron...

...then I admired it in the bathroom.

It is divine. I wash my face with it every night and it's very soft but exfoliates my skin beautifully. The yarn feels robust and washes well and holds it's shape. I bought a couple more balls in some dusky pink and cream shades and I fear my loved ones may be receiving knitted (or possibly crocheted) washcloths for Christmas.

I really don't know why I have such a problem with knitting but I need to get over it. People say it's easy, there are only two stitches - plain and purl - to learn, and I understand the logic of that. But to me, it's terrifying! Those stitches slip-slide off the needle when they shouldn't and get twisted the wrong way round, and I'm so painfully slow at knitting. I can't have any distractions, or movement (so no knitting in the car) while I sit hunched over my project. It would probably help if I didn't leave it so long between knitting projects.

But the thing it, I really like the look of knitted items. And while I love crochet (and I really do love it) I am more often drawn to knitted patterns for clothing, in particular accessories like hats and scarves. Nothing beats a nice bit of cable knitting in the colder months. One day I will learn! My mother-in-law (who is a knitter-extraordinaire) tells me it's much easier than I'd think. We'll be staying with my in-laws in the half term holidays at the end of the month so I will go armed with yarn and needles and my gorgeous new pattern for a cowl which I bought at Yarndale, and get this knitting thing cracked!

Or at least make a start on my cowl.