MOD DESERT CACTUS KITCHEN TOWEL SET~Quartzsite-AZ

MOD Desert Cactus Kitchen Towel Set - I LIKE!

I love it here, in Arizona; I love it here, where we are currently set up … and I am trying to capture the moments in any small way I can - so, this kitchen towel set was worked up yesterday.

I used several different yarn colors to create the desert scene I envisioned in my mind's eye; and I used several knitting stiches to get the textured result I was angling for; I also used a hooked {embroidery} style to fashion the cactuses, and the sun.

The Sahara Splash portion of this towel was worked to resemble the rocky desert landscape. The Beige portion of this towel was worked to resemble the breezy desert dust-ups. The Blue portion of this towel was worked to highlight the desert sky. And the tinseled Holiday White was utilized to mimic the white quartz rocks that liberally litter the landscape of Quartzsite, Arizona. Saguaro Cactus and bright sunlight is also worked into my towel design. And I topped it off with a dragonfly button because I saw a dragonfly light on one of the creosote bushes outside our front door, the other day :-)

Rocky Arizona desert landscape; a silvery webbed Quartz rock; Bleu walking by a Saguaro cactus; & an armed Saguaro - in the distance.

No matter where I end up along this road trip … every time I use this towel, I will remember this particular moment.

In this space.

At this time, in my life ;-)

***************

MOD DESERT CACTUS KITCHEN TOWEL SET

The pattern directions may look complicated, but it's not that hard to work out ;-)

Materials:

Cotton yarn in Sahara Splash (Hobby Lobby store), Beige, Blue, Holiday White (Bernat yarn w-tinsel wound thru it); 1 skein of each - scrap yarn in Yellow & Green

# 9 knitting needles

#H crochet hook

Scissors

Tapestry Needle

Medium Button

Terms used:

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

k = knit

p = purl

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

EA = each

RS = front facing side of work

WS = back side of work

L = left

R = right

inc = increase 1 st (make 2 sts in same st)

dec = decrease 1 st (k 2 sts together)

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

With Sahara Splash & knitting needles, CO 74 sts.

Row 1: Purl

Rows 2 thru 10: Work the double Andalusian stitch as follows - 

rows 1 & alternate rows: K

rows 2: *k 2, p 4* across row.

row 4: P 3, *k 2, p 4* across row - end with k 2, p 1.

At the end of row 10, cut Sahara Splash and attach Beige.

Rows 11 thru 16: Work these rows in st. st.; cut Beige and attach Blue.

Row 17: *K 1, p1* across row.

Rows 18 thru 61: Work these rows in st. st.

Lightly textured & st. st. towel background.

Large Cactus Pattern: With  green & crochet hook, begin cactus on L side of RS of towel body as follows - attach green 13 sts from towel edge & 6 sts upward from beginning of hem line; crochet sl st 22 sts upward, then make 3 sl st for top curve, and work 22 sts downward. Continue in sl st embroidery for a satisfactory cactus design. EO & weave in loose ends.

Beginning large cactus outline.

Beginning first cactus 'spine' ... continue in same manner until cactus spines fill in the framework pattern.

Large Saguaro Cactus finished.

Small Cactus Pattern: With  green & crochet hook, begin cactus on R side of RS of towel body as follows - attach green 22 sts from towel edge & 16 sts upward from beginning of hem line (this should be at the beige part of towel pattern); crochet sl st 10 or 11 sts upward. EO & weave in loose ends. Make "arms" in the same fashion, just shorter in length. EO & weave in loose ends.

This armed Saguaro is worked to look far off, in the distance ;-)

Sun Pattern: With crochet hook, attach Yellow somewhere in the center of towel, and work a sl st embroidered circle. EO & weave in loose ends.

Embroidered hot desert sun.

Design in place; ready for topper ...

Row 62: Dec across row as follows - *P 2, p 3 tog* across row ... slipping sts off needle as you work across dec's row (you should have 27 sts on needle). EO Blue yarn.

Towel Topper: With Holiday White & crochet hook, work in sc across row - decreasing first 2 sts EA end of every row until 7 sts remain.

Crochet towel topper.

Alternately work 1 row sc & 1 row dc, for 13 rows.

Sl st x3 sc; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl st 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.

Dragonfly button closure.

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.