reverse-bloom
flower washcloths C I N D Y
T A Y L O R
I
knitted my first washcloth when
a pattern for a round one sparked my interest. I didn’t really think about using the washcloth. I just wanted to make some-
Finished Measurements 101⁄2" diameter, measured at widest point.
thing round, a shape I’d never tried to knit. Since then I have become a knitted-washcloth convert. At the end of a hectic day, I lather it up with soap, wash my face, and feel, at least for a moment, that I am doing something special for myself. It’s amazing how something so seemingly inconsequential can actually have a profound effect (it nearly always compels me to take a deep, relaxing breath). The flower shape of the cushy cotton chenille washcloths shown here is achieved in what you could call a reverse-bloom style: First you knit the five petals (blooms) in garter stitch, then you attach them to each other by knitting them together in the round; to finish, you work in Stockinette
Yarn Crystal Palace Cotton Chenille (100% cotton; 98 yards / 50 grams): 1 skein for each cloth. Shown in #6320 green, #2054 pink, and #2230 orange. Needles 16" circular (circ) needle size US 6 (4 mm). One set double-pointed needles (dpn) size US 6 (4 mm), longer than 8" recommended. Change needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge. Notions Stitch marker, yarn needle, stitch holders or waste yarn (optional).
stitch, with gradual decreases, to the center. This project can be worked entirely on doublepointed needles, but you can see the flower come to life nicely,
Gauge 16 sts and 26 rounds = 4" in Stockinette stitch (St st).
and you can leave the petals on the circular needle as you complete them, if you begin with the circular needle and change to double-pointed needles when necessary.
P E T A L S (make 5)
Using either circ or dpn, CO 11 sts. ROW 1: Knit across all sts. For Rows 2–20, slip the last st of every row as if to purl with yarn in front, to create a smooth edge for the petal. ROW 2: Insert the tip of the right-hand needle between the first 2 sts on the left-hand needle, draw up a loop, and place it on the left-hand needle—1 st
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL
COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL