Furballs' A for Asleep


Furballs say napping is good lol  The original name for this dishcloth was "Furballs' A for Apple", but of course, the lazy furballs at home objected.  After much discussion involving meowing back and forth and some human / cat fight mainly tummy rubbing and love bites, we finally settled with Furballs' A for Asleep.

I designed this dishcloth to try out using granite stitch as edge border and to discover its characteristics.  This idea came as I knitted up the 8" x 8" sample for Furballs & the Granite Stone. Look at the right border edge of the dishcloth below - it looks like a vertical edge border to me.




Now, I have to confess this kind of knit and purl picture dishcloth is not cupcake for me.  Baking real cupcake seems easier lol  It took me days to make up the "A" to my liking (please note that I did not say satisfaction lol) that fitted into the general size of a dishcloth.  Maybe it is time to learn to use those software that converse photos into cross stitch / colour knitting chart :S

It is written with the pattern stitch on WS using knit stitch (so purl bumps appear on RS to form the pattern).  I had tester finding this confusing and need to revise the pattern on her own such that the RS is the pattern stitch.  I am sorry :(  But looking on the bright side, this pattern has cut down more purl stitches, so if you hate to purl, you might appreciate that lol





As I knitted along, and looking at the granite stitch pattern, here are two (2) general observations:

1.      The granite stitch pattern is a four (4) row repeat pattern.  It has three (3) rows of stockinette stitch and one (1) row of garter stitch.  It is near to a perfect match as vertical edge border for stockinette main body.  Also thinking about using the stitch as the vertical borders for a cardigan, for example, the three rows of stockinette stitch will easy accommodate button holes, either one (1) or two (2) row variety, and sewn on buttons.  Now thinking further down, depending on knitting gauge, the k2tog row can somehow forming minor eyelets that with buttons of suitable size, these eyelets could be the build in button holes.

2.      With the k2tog row in the pattern, although the next row is kfb to recover all the stitches, still it makes the row width shorter than (compare to stockinette stitch) expected.  So in this dishcloth, when I used fifty two (52) stitches in stockinette body, there are some "excess" that causing minor rippling in the stockinette main body.  My solution is to make decreases when the borders transit into the main body.  So as bottom / top edge border of the a big piece, making swatch might be necessary to determine the decreases / increases necessary to minimize rippling.  Also note that when applying it to the neckline, curving to fit could be possible with using short rows in the stockinette stitch rows in the pattern.




For this dishcloth pattern, furballs claimed they could do it with two (2) paws while napping.  Enjoy the knitting :D

Please do not forget to make generous donation to your local cats or animals centres to support their work in helping animals in need when using this pattern in full or in part.  Furballs and I thanks you in advance :D

Next blog will look at it in a bias edge border setting.  Stay tune, MEOW :)



Furballs' A for Asleep

Materials

Yarn, worsted weight, non mercerized 100% cotton (1.9 oz. / 52.8 g, 84.3 yd. / 77.1 m)

Knitting needles, straight, circular or double point, size 3.50 mm / US 4, one (1)

Gauge (Pre block, garter stitch in situ)

4" x 4" / 10 cm x 10 cm          20 sts x 32 rows

Measurement (Pre block)

Length x Width          10" x 10" /  25.4 cm x 25.4 cm

Abbreviations

CO       Cast on
k2tog   Knit two (2) stitches together
kfb       Knit the front and back loop of the same stitch
k           Knit
p           Purl
ppso     Pass previous stitch over
psso      Pass slipped stitch over
RS        Right side
sl1        Slip one (1) stitch purlwise with yarn in front
st(s)      Stitch(es)
WS       Wrong side

Specialty stitch: Slip one (1) stitch purlwise / part of selvedge (sl1)

Working on both RS or WS,
Step 1    With the first stitch on the left (holding) needle, use the right (working) needle and slip the stitch purlwise holding the yarn in front of the right needle
Step 2    To start knitting,  bring the yarn to the back through the left side of the slipped stitch.  To start purling, leave the yarn in front


Using 3.50 mm knitting needle, CO 54 sts using long tail cast on

Start knitting in normal rows,

Note that the underlined rows indicate the add / change of colour yarns when using a different colour for the borders in the general.  Details not included in this pattern
Row 1 (RS)  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 2 (WS)  sl1, k2tog until last st, k1 (28 sts)

Row 3 sl1, kfb until last st, k1 (54 sts)

Row 4 sl1, p until last st, k1 

Row 5 sl1, k to the end of row

Row 6 sl1, k2tog until last st, k1 (28 sts)

Row 7 sl1, kfb x 3, k1, kfb until last 5 sts, k1, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 8 sl1, p until last st, k1

Row 9 sl1, k to the end of row

Row 10  sl1, k2tog x 3, p until the last 7sts, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 11  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 12  sl1, p8, k7, p22, k4, p9, k1

Row 13  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 14  sl1, k2tog x 3, p1, k9, p20, k6, p2, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 15  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 16  sl1, p7, k10, p18, k8, p7, k1

Row 17  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 18  sl1, k2tog x 3, p1, k3, p5, k2, p17, k5, p2, k2, p1, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 19  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 20  sl1, p7, k3, p6, k1, p17, k5, p3, k1, p7, k1 

Row 21  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 22  sl1, k2tog x 3, p2, k3, p22, k5, p6, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 23  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 24  sl1, p8, k3, p22, k5, p12, k1

Row 25  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 26  sl1, k2tog x 3, p3, k3, p20, k5, p7, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 27  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)   
                       
Row 28  sl1, p9, k3, p20, k5, p13, k1

Row 29  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 30  sl1, k2tog x 3, p4, k3, p18, k5, p8, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 31  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 32  sl1, p10, k26, p14, k1

Row 33  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 34  sl1, k2tog x 3, p5, k24, p9, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 35  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 36  sl1, p11, k24, p15, k1

Row 37  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 38  sl1, k2tog x 3, p6, k3, p15, k5, p9, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 39  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 40  sl1, p12, k3, p14, k5, p16, k1

Row 41  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 42  sl1, k2tog x 3, p7, k3, p12, k5, p11, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 43  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 44  sl1, p13, k3, p12. k5, p17, k1

Row 45  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 46  sl1, k2tog x 3, p8, k3, p10, k5, p12, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 47  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 48  sl1, p14, k3, p10, k5, p18, k1

Row 49  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 50  sl1, k2tog x 3, p9, k3, p8, k5, p13, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 51  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 52  sl1, p15, k3, p8, k5, p19, k1

Row 53  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 54  sl1, k2tog x 3, p10, k3, p6, k5, p14, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 55  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 56  sl1, p17, k3, p4, k5, p21, k1

Row 57  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 58  sl1, k2tog x 3, p12, k3, p2, k5, p16, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 59  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 60  sl1, p16, k1, p2, k8, p23, k1

Row 61  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 62  sl1, k2tog x 3, p11, k9, p18, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 63  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 64  sl1, p18, k7, p25, k1

Row 65  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 66  sl1, k2tog x 3, p until last 7 sts, k2tog x 3, k1 (46 sts)

Row 67  sl1, kfb x 3, k until last 4 sts, kfb x 3, k1 (52 sts)

Row 68  sl1, p until last st, k1 

Row 69  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 70  sl1, k2tog x 3, k1, k2tog until last 8 sts, k1, k2tog x 3, k1 (28 sts)

Row 71  sl1, kfb  until the last st, k1 (54 sts)

Row 72  sl1, p until the last st, k1

Row 73  sl1, k to the end of row

Row 74  sl1, k2tog until last st, k1 (28 sts)

Row 75  sl1, kfb until last st, k1 (54 sts)

Row 76  sl1, k1, psso, (k1, ppso) until the end of row
Cut yarn leaving 6" / 15 cm tail
Pull yarn tail through the stitch to secure
Weave in all loose end(s)
Blocking optional 



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