MOD 'DESERT SUNRISE' KITCHEN TOWEL SET

MOD 'Desert Sunset' Kitchen Towel Set.

I designed this simple kitchen towel, using my own basic towel pattern that I designed in 2016; this striped towel design utilizes the Andalusian Stitch for a nicely textured effect.

My life has changed since January 7th, 2023 - this widow remarried, sold my previous house ... and together with my new husband bought a new vehicle & new home.

My currant kitchen is Farmhouse Style; and my currant man enjoys cooking, so all my home designs will now be fitting for masculine acceptance: no more small sized pink-frilly-lacy things (my solo lobo feminine home décor was short-lived, hahaha). My new designs are crafted to fit bigger hands, and appeal to masculine tendencies.

And I like this New Chapter of my New Life :-)

Farmhouse RV Kitchen; Holland marinating chicken with his own special sauce; DELISH!

My currant kitchen is also in a 5th Wheel RV: we decided in April 2023 to sell the home I shared with my first husband - buy an RV - and travel the lower 48 States of the USA as Road Gypsies; this has been a dream of mine for decades ... and Holland is willing, so this is the new life I am living with my new husband :-)

Mesquite-NV; we spent 2 nights here. We loved the warm, sunny atmosphere - A.M. & P.M. We'll be coming back this way, again :-)

I designed this kitchen towel with desert effects in mind - making the kitchen more visibly relaxing; the desert has a serene beauty all it's own in the landscape, sky, and air (we can remember that when this towel is in use as we travel across America).

Materials:

Cotton yarn in Sahara Splash (Hobby Lobby store) & Bright Orange; 1 skein of each

# 10-1/2 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

Scissors

Tapestry Needle

Resin Button

Terms used:

st. st. stockinette stitch (1 K row = RS - 1 P row = WS)

RS = front facing side of work

WS = backside of work

k = knit

p = purl

tog = together

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

INC = Increase

DC = decrease

EA = each

Garter St. = Knit every row

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

This towel will remind us of 6 months of desert memories, specifically when we are back in the PNW every March.

Desert Sunrise; Pumpernickel Valley-NV

With Sahara Splash, CO 73 sts & knit 17 rows st. st.

Row 18: Work row as follows: *K 1, p 1*; repeat from * to * across row.

Rows 19 & 20: Work rows in st. st. EO Sahara Splash.

Row 21 & 22: Attach Orange yarn, and work 2 rows st. st.

Row 23: Work row as follows: *K 1, p 1*; repeat from * to * across row.

Rows 24 thru 29: Work rows in st. st.

Row 30: Work row as follows: *K 1, p 1*; repeat from * to * across row. EO Orange.

Attach Sahara Splash & repeat rows 1 thru 30 until 61 rows have been completed (from hemline up). DO NOT CUT SAHARA SPLASH - this color will continue to end of towel topper.

Row 62 (WS): Continuing with Sahara Splash yarn, P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts. There should be 29 sts on needle.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 7 sts remain.

Sc for 13 rows.

Sl st x5; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl at to end. Turn.

Dc x12 in chain loop; EO.

Add a decorative loop edging of your choice (or leave plain).

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

If the hemline of your towel wants to curl (the Sahara yarn can be thin and have a mind of it's own), you can strengthen it to behave by crocheting a sl st backing along the hemline:

Stiffening the  thin hemline: I like the after-effect; this was not part of the original design.

I also designed a simplistic dishrag to match my towel. My design is based on the tried-and-true garter st 'Granny's Dishrag Pattern' ... my difference is that I start with less sts, dropped the openwork edge, and added more sts to fit a man's hand ;-)

MOD dishrag to match MOD kitchen towel.

MOD DISHRAG: Cast on 2 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 1-Inc 1 st in next st.

Row 2: Knit 1-Inc-knit across the row.

Row 3: Knit 2-Inc-knit across row.

Row 4: Repeat Row 2 until you have 50 stitches on the needle.

Row 5: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, knit to the end of the row. Repeat Row 5 until you have 3 stitches left on the needle; K 3 sts tog - EO off and weave in loose ends.

Knitting kitchen towels and dishrags may seem like such a small thing, but in today’s politically-charged-chaotic environment, happiness must be found and enjoyed where we can – I choose happiness. I enjoy designing and creating … currently, replacing old kitchen towel sets with new kitchen towel sets for my new home :-)