Thursday, June 28, 2007

Therapeutic Knitting

I worked late again today and am going in extra early tomorrow morning, so I don't feel like doing much except sitting out on the deck knitting and listening to my birds (which is where I'm headed as soon as this post is finished).

Here's the progress on "designing my own dishcloth" based on the pattern of the lace shawl I finished a couple weeks ago.


The first dishcloth is all done.

The design is charted and I just have to get my handwritten scribbles transferred into a more legible typed version.

The second dishcloth is still a 'work in progress.' This pattern is a little more complicated and I have to slow down my knitting enough to chart and write out each row as I knit it. I should be able to get it done next week sometime.

Penny is usually sitting somewhere nearby to oversee my progress..... although she usually just hops on my warm chair cushion when I get up to re-fill my coffee cup. She also enjoys playing with my pen or the little white-out cartridge.

I'm finding that designing knitting patterns is fun, but actually getting them written down and printed is turning out to be the difficult part.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the design for the dishcloth, but far to pretty to use for doing dishes, just clean out a spaghetti sauce pan. I would rather use it for a hot pad holder on the table. I will be anxious to see the next one. Does Penney comment on your progress? Does she ever make comments? Our kitty Boris helped me sort mail this afternoon, he sat on all the catalogs, don't look Mom!

Adrienne said...

That is a beautiful design!

Ruth said...

I agree that the dishcloth is too pretty to use for dishes!
Ruth

Jayne said...

The patience of Job... I'd never be able to do that Ruthie. I agree with your Mom... much too pretty to be used for dishes!

KGMom said...

You knit dishcloths!?!
I knit too but only blankets. One I did for my son (years ago) got my cat's attention. She would SIT on the blanket as I tried to knit it!

Michele said...

I LOVE your dishcloth! Your pattern is very nice. As for knitting being theraputic..yes I agree. I knit to get stress out...I find that each time I put the needle in a stitch..I am a killing stress.

Heres to many great new patterns and no dropped stitches!

Michele
lilyputts

Larry said...

I doubt that I'd ever take up knitting, but it looks like you're good at it.-Now we know where the nature knitter name came from.

RuthieJ said...

So Mom, if I give you the dishcloth you won't use it for washing dishes?
Penny's usual comment when I'm knitting is, "please put that knitting down and let me sit on your lap so you can pet me"

Hi Adrienne,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. If you're interested in the patterns, e-mail me your home address and I will send you copies once I get them typed up.

Hi Ruth,
These are the patterns I'm going to send you when I finally get them finished.

Hi Jayne,
Dishcloths are a good project: small, portable, don't take long to knit, and great gifts. I usually have at least one going all the time.

Hi Donna,
I knit blankets too (even knitted a little one for Penny the cat a couple years ago). Penny is always more interested in what I'm currently knitting so always have to remember to put it away so she doesn't lay on it.

Hi Michele,
Thanks for stopping by my blog. It's great to hear from like-minded therapeutic knitters! If you'd like the patterns when I have them done, E-mail me your USPS address and I'll send you copies.

Hi Larry,
I have been known to take a small knitting project along to my tree stand while out deer hunting. Did you know they actually make camouflage colored yarn?

Larry said...

No-I didn't know they had camo yarn-pretty funny- I love venison chili and venison stew.

Mary said...

Ruthie,

I'm so late...life needs to slow down around here!

I used to knit many years ago and I admire you for doing it with your busy schedule. Hope the work ordeal is going well...

Those darn cats annoy the heck out of me. LOL! I remember them hating me read - sitting on my book or newspaper - pushing pens off the desk - and swishing their tails across anything...but you gotta love them.

LauraHinNJ said...

That's entirely too pretty for a dishcloth!

(My 2 cents!)

Anonymous said...

Ruthie,
Thank goofness it's the EOQ, now your good for another 2 3/4 months or whatever 'til the next one[EOQ]. I find that reading other blogs has really taught me alot, they say you are never to old to learn somthting new, and I'm learning.
MOM

entoto said...

Ruthie,

Have you thought of using them as squares for a blankie? They would be beautiful. Also, are you going to post the chart? I am not that ambitious a knitter, but figure I can do nearly anything in a 5 X 5 inch square.

nina at Nature Remains. said...

I agree--far too beautiful for a dish!
And I've noticed shawls are back "in"--maybe that's a prompt for your next therapeutic session?
Wouldn't that be pretty around your shoulders for a wrap?

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary,
The cat really bugs my husband--she just LOVES him. He sits in the chair to watch a movie--she's right in his lap. He tries to read a magazine at the table--she lays down in front of him with her head on his arm. It's so hilarious, and he's definitely NOT a cat person. How do cats know that?

Hi Laura,
But doesn't a pretty dishcloth make you look forward to doing dishes??? And the hand-knitted ones last forever (they're all I use anymore).

Hi Mom,
Sorry I'm so behind with my blog postings. I'm glad you have everyone else's blogs to enjoy in the meantime.

Hi Trixie,
That pattern would work great in a blankie. Just figure out the multiple of stitches and how big you want the blankie to be, put some garter stitches around as a border and there you go....you've designed a new pattern!

Hi Nina,
The dishcloth pattern actually is from a shawl. If you're interested to see where the design came from, please see my post from June 10th
http://rjknits.blogspot.com/2007/06/shawl-is-done.html.
I'm currently in the middle of my 4th shawl for 2007. They're fun to knit and it helps that they're "in" again, because there's lots of really great patterns available for me to try.

RuthieJ said...

Hey Trixie,
I forgot this, if you e-mail me (rjknits at msn dot com) your USPS address, I will send you the dishcloth pattern (charted and written) as soon as I get it typed up.