MOD FALL VANDYKE ST KITCHEN TOWEL SET; Coalinga-CA

MOD Fall Vandyke St. Kitchen Towel,  finished.

I designed this Fall-themed kitchen towel, using my own basic towel pattern that I designed in 2016 … and implemented an openwork hemline using the Vandyke Stitch V.

Materials:

1 skein EA Cotton yarn in Dark Taupe, Variegated Orange, & Bright Orange; scrap ball of worsted yarn in Beige.

# 10-1/2 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

Terms used:

wrn = wrap yarn around needle

sl = slip 1 stitch

st. st. stockinette stitch

sp = space

k = knit

p = purl

psso = pass 1 st over sl st

tog = together

m = make 1 st (same as wrn)

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

Cotton yarns used.

With Dark Taupe, CO 73 sts & P 1 row.

Then work 6 rows Moss Stitch as follows:

Row 1: *K 1, P 1*, across row.

Row 2: Rpt row 1. EO Dark Taupe & attach Variegated Orange yarn, and begin Vandyke Stitch V openwork pattern:

Row 7: *K 1, wrn to make 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 3, k 2 tog, m1* across row; end k 1.

Row 8: Purl.

Row 9: *K 2, m 1, sl 1, k 1, psso, k 1, k 2 tog, m 1, k 1* across row; end k 1.

Row 10: Purl.

Row 11: *K 3, m 1, sl 1, k 2 tog, psso, m 1, k 2* across row; end k 1. EO Variegated Orange & attach Dark Taupe.

Row 12: Purl across row.

Rows 13 thru 16: Work 4 rows Moss St: EO Dark Taupe & attach Bright Orange.

Moss St & Vandyke Pattern.

Rows 17 thru 60: Work in stockinette stitch. EO Bright Orange.

Row 61 (right side): Work row while binding off sts as they are worked : K 1 - K 2tog; K 3 tog across row to last 3 sts; end K 2 sts tog, k1. There should be 25 sts on needle. EO Bright Orange.

Binding off towel portion; prep for topper.

I asked my husband for input about topper color.

Row 62 (wrong side): Attach Beige worsted and change from knitting needles to crochet hook, working EA row in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 6 sts remain.

Beige was chosen & I agreed it was the better choice.

On remaining 6 sc, alternate sc & dc rows for 13 rows.

Sl st x3; ch 6 and sl st in same sp; sl at to end. Turn.

Button loop …

Dc x12 in chain loop; EO.

Fleshing the loop out for decorative edging.

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

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

MOD Towel finished; about 8 hrs.

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 2, 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.

MOD Fall Vandyke St Kitchen Towel Set.

A kitchen towel may seem like such a small thing, but in today’s environment, happiness must be found and enjoyed where we can – I choose happiness. I enjoy designing and creating … currently, with yarn 😊

MOD TALL GRASS & BEACH DAISIES KITCHEN TOWEL SET~Quartzsite-AZ

MOD Tall Grass & Beach Daisies Kitchen Towel Set

While in Quartzsite-AZ two months ago, Holland & I were enjoying a desert drive - and discussing Ocean Park-WA, and Brookings-OR: the 2 places we'd be parking Independence for lengthy stays in 2025. The desert climate … though we both love AZ … does not work for us with the continual dust devils that are whipped up daily.

This Tampa-FL country rock band was playing … and while it played as we drove, the title seemed to {fit} the beachy vibe we're aiming for; and I got to thinking that it would also be a theme I could work a new kitchen towel, around 🤔

The Outlaws - 'Green Grass & High Tides' song: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhiyKZsAW44)

Desert themed kitchen towels will not work for coastal beach locations: when we leave AZ the first week of April, we will not be coming back. New kitchen towels are needed - that's my story, and I'm sticking to it 😁

So, when we got back to Independence, I dug out an old pattern stitch book and found the Daisy St. I wanted to work into pattern mentally forming, in my thoughts 😉

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

Materials: Cotton yarn in 4 colors of choice: I used Sunshine (1 skein), Green (maybe an ounce), White scrap yarn, & Green Stripes (1 skein); # 10-1/2 knitting needles; #J/10 crochet hook; MOD Daisy St. Graph; 1 Tapestry Needle; 1 medium Daisy resin button

Terms used:

g st = knit every row

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

k = knit

p = purl

sp = space

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

EA = each

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

dec = decrease 1 st (work 2 sts together)

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

rpt = repeat

tog = together

With Sunshine, CO 73 sts & work 4 rows in g. st.

Rows 5 thru 14: work in st. st. - drop Sunshine and attach Green.

Row 15: K 1 st, *P 1, K 1*; rpt across row.

K 1, P1 across row …

Row 16: P

Begin to work the Daisy Stitch Pattern …

Daisy Stitch Pattern:

Rows 17 & 18: Work in st. st.

Row 19: K 4 - then attach White and *place point of right hand needle into the 3rd st from beginning of green row; and draw up a loop, K 1 Green, in same place as first loop - draw up another White loop, K 1 Green, repeat loop process (3 loops made) & K 5 sts*: rpt pattern across row - end with K 4.

MOD Daisy St. Graph

Daisy Stitch

Row 20: P 4 *P next st & loop st tog, P 1, P next st & loop st tog, P 1, P next st & loop st tog, & K 5 sts*: rpt pattern across row - end with P 4; EO White.

Rows 21 & 22: Work in st. st.; drop Green and attach Sunshine.

Row 23: K 1 st, *P 1, K 1*; rpt across row.

Row 24: P

Rows 25 & 26: Work in st. st.; drop Sunshine and attach Green Stripes.

Row 27: K 1 st, *P 1, K 1*; rpt across row.

Row 28: P

Rows 29 thru 61: Continue working in st. st.

Row 62: Decrease as follows: P 2 – P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 8 sts remain; EO Green Stripes and attach Green.

Crochet Topper …

Working on the 8 remaining sts, 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).

MOD decorative loop edging.

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

MOD GARTER ST SQUARE DISHRAG:

Matching Dishcloth; MOD

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 3 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.

MOD PINK MUSHROOM KITCHEN TOWEL SET; Fortuna-AZ

MOD Mushroom Kitchen Towel Set

Thinking of the PNW, led to thinking of mushrooms - the climate is perfect for perfect mushrooms 😉

I cook with a lot of mushrooms; so, I designed my kitchen towel, based around a mushroom towel I had seen online:

Online mushroom patterned kitchen towel.

This towel is worked using bobbins - and a couple textured sts.; but it is not as complicated as it appears to be. Your work will go smoother and quicker is you take the time to prepare the bobbins before they will be needed 👌

Yarn Bobbins.

Materials: cotton yarn in following colors: MC = Pink, CC = Purple; Scrap Yarn to wrap around Yarn Bobbins = 10 ct./5 ct.  wrapped with white & remaining 5 ct. bobbins wrapped individually with White, Beige, Maize, Gold, Red; #9 knitting needles; scissors; crochet hook #J; tapestry needle; large button

##MOD Mushroom Design Graph: 

MOD Mushroom Graph

Terms used:

g st = knit every row

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

k = knit

p = purl

MC = main color

CC = contrast color

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

EA = each

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

dec = decrease 1 st (work 2 sts together)

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

With CC & knitting needles, CO 71 sts & work 3 rows g st for hemline foundation.

Rows 4 thru 8: Work these rows in st. st.; drop CC & attach MC

Row 5: K

Row 6: P

Row 7: K 2, P next st, *K 3 sts, P 1* across row; end row with K 1.

Hemline.

Row 8: P; drop MC & attach CC

Rows 9 thru 12: Work these rows in st. st.

Row 13: K 4 sts in CC; then attach MC and knit across row to last 4 sts - work these sts in CC

Row 14 thru 16: Work these rows in st. st. … being sure to keep the end 4 sts EA towel side edge, purple.

Rows 17 thru 32 = Mushroom Pattern: Refer to mushroom pattern graph above, and work the pattern design in jacquard st. st.; you may also outline the mushrooms when the mushroom rows are completed - or outline them before you begin towel topper (whichever way is easier for you, do that 😊).

Bobbin work on the backside of design.

Mushroom detail.

Rows 33 thru 60: Work these rows in st. st. - being sure to keep the end 4 sts EA towel side edge, purple.

Row 61 = Towel Topper Dec R:  K 4 sts in CC; then begin decreases with MC as follows - *K 2 tog, K 3 tog* to last 4 sts; work these sts in CC & EO CC both towel end edges, slipping sts off knitting needle as they are worked . DO NOT CUT MC.

Begin Towel Topper work …

Row 62 (WS): Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 7 sts remain.

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.

MOD GARTER ST SQUARE 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 3 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.

MOD DENIM & SAND KITCHEN TOWEL SET

MOD Denim & Sand Beach Theme Kitchen Towel Set.

When my husband said to me in Fortuna-AZ this winter, that we'd be summering along the PNW coastlines, I bought some new cotton skeins - and got busy designing and working up kitchen towel sets with a beach theme: clearly, a desert landscape would no longer work, location-wise 😉

My husband loves the beach - he's a water baby, born and raised (born, raised, and lived a surfing boy lifestyle in Santa Cruz-CA); and this mountain loving December born snowbaby, is beginning to appreciate beach days 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

Beach days are laid-back days.

Denim, and sand 😊

Imagine Dragons - 'Take Me to the Beach' song:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umNELWiCYpk)

There are only 2 colors used in this design; and the pattern design is very simplistic - it makes up very quickly. I used contrast details on the towel hemline, and dishcloth edges - this is optional. They both will look fine without the added detail.

Materials: cotton yarn in following colors: MC = Striped denim, CC = Royal; #9 knitting needles; scissors; crochet hook #J; tapestry needle; large button

Terms used:

g st = knit every row

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

k = knit

p = purl

MC = main color

CC = contrast color

EO = end off yarn

CO = cast on stitches

EA = each

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

dec = decrease 1 st (work 2 sts together)

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

sl st = slip stitch

With CC & knitting needles, CO 71 sts & work 3 rows g st for hemline foundation.

Row 4: *K 7, p 1*; rpt across row - end K 7

Row 5: P

Rows 6 thru 11: Rpt rows 4 & 5

Hemline pattern.

Row 12 thru 15: K; EO CC & attach MC

Row 16 thru 61: Knit these rows in st. st. EO MC

Row 62 (WS): Using CC, P 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end P 2 sts. There should be 29 sts on needle. DO NOT CUT YARN.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows, slipping sts off knitting needle as they are worked: continuing with CC, dec 1 st EA end until 7 sts remain.

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.

##This yarn did not need a strengthening sl st along the backside of the hemline … but, I did it anyway for a nice frontal contrast: this is optional.

Hemline detail.

MOD GARTER ST SQUARE 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 3 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.

##OPTIONAL TRIM: If you wish, simply do a contrast color sl st along the frontside of the dishrag.

Dishrag trim.

MOD TULIP KITCHEN TOWEL SET~2025

MOD Tulip Kitchen Towel Set~2025

This is not a new design pattern - I designed a pink tulip towel in 2021; same pattern, different colors … but, I added leaves (MOD) to today's design ;-)

This design looks complicated, but it really isn't. And it makes up quickly.

Materials: Cotton yarn in 4 colors of choice (I used Variegated Blue, White, Variegated Orange, and Green)

# 9 knitting needles

#J/10 crochet hook

Terms Used:

CO = cast on

K = knit

P = purl

Rpt = repeat

Sc = single crochet

Dc = double crochet

Sl st = slip stitch

EO = end off work

With Blue, CO 72 sts & work 3 rows g st for hemline foundation.

Work 4 rows of stockinette stitch; drop Blue, and attach White.

Tulip Pattern:

Row 1: Repeat the following procedure: K 1, K 2; *K 1 in back, K 2* across row - end K 1 in back, K 2.

Row 2: Repeat the following procedure: K 1, P 1, P 1 in back; *P 2, P 1 in back* across row - end P 1 in back, P 2, K 1.

Row 3: Rpt the first row.

Row 4: Rpt the second row.

Backside of tulip design.

Frontside of tulip design.

Row 5 (stems foundation row): Repeat the following procedure: K 2, *K 1 in back, P 1, K 1 in back* across row - end P 1, k 2.

Row 6: Repeat the following procedure: K 1, P 1, *K 1, P 1 in back* across row - end P 1, K 1.

Row 7: Rpt the fifth row.

Row 8: Rpt the sixth row.

Row 9 (tulip blossoms foundation row): If you wish colored blossoms, attach Orange yarn for the P sts, and keep to White for the K sts – carrying yarn in back as with all jacquard patterns. If you do not wish a colored pattern, just stick to the textured pattern plain. Repeat the following procedure: K 1, K 1 in back, *P 2, K 1 in back* across row - end K 2.

Row 10: Repeat the following procedure: K 1, P 1, *K 2, P 1 in back* across row - end P 1, K 1.

Row 11: Rpt the ninth row.

Row 12: Rpt the tenth row; drop Orange, & attach White.

Rows 13 thru 17: Repeat 1st & 2nd rows; alternately; tie off White.

You should have 24 rows total from start of work, forward.

MOD Tulip Stems: Under a 'tulip head' … attach Green at the 4th st up from the base of starting White row, and work in duplicate st to the base of tulip color. Do this for every tulip across White insert.

MOD Leaf design.

Drop White (or all yarns); and attach Blue. Continue in st. st. until you have reached a total of 62 rows from the beginning of total work.

Work the towel topper decrease row as follows: K 2 – K 3 tog across row to last 2 sts: end K 2 sts: 27 sts on needle.

Change from knitting needles to crochet hook and work in sc as follows: dec 1 st EA end until 8 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 trim edging to the button loop of your choice.

Sew button in place and weave in loose ends.

MOD GARTER ST SQUARE 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 3 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.

FATIGUE; Fortuna-AZ

MAN!

We've been so stinking t.i.r.e.d. 🥱

Our batteries are so worn out with the strength it needs to just stay alive: we go to bed tired, we wake up tired, we shuffle through the days tired …  it's wearying.

The blowing sand here is ridiculous; we should have been long gone from here, but Holland wanted to stay another month and give this landlord a chance to get another renter for this space. But we are so miserable. And really, it is not our responsibility to keep this space rented so the landlord has steady income - we've done our part. It's time to move on.

Provided we can still function 12 days from today 🙏

Windy day, today; Fortuna-AZ

Risky weather, for us {sensitives}; Fortuna-AZ

We need to be able to breathe easy.

We need our energy back.

We will "for sure" be pulling stakes here February 3rd.

Texting with Brenda.

This morning, I woke up around 6:30 A.M. … Holland woke up around 8 - or so; we chit-chatted for a bit - but my eyes kept closing (my battery was on the fritz), so I finally said, "I'm going back to bed for a bit; I can't stay awake, and my lungs burn. Sorry."

That was at 10:30 A.M.

I was still snoozing soundly, when Holland joined me at 2:30 P.M.!

Holland, getting some much needed sleep … he's been researching around the clock; looking for a State with warmth, that we can actually enjoy.

I got up again, somewhere around 4 P.M., thinking I'd make Supper and have it ready when Holland's snooze was over.

No go.

My stomach (like Holland's) is so full of sandy mucus that all I wanted to do was hurl (Holland has been hacking, coughing, and spitting for weeks; he sounds like a cat with a hairball & I try not to laugh). Just the thought of preparing food and smelling it while it cooked made my stomach churn.

Supper, as considered, did not happen; if Holland is hungry when he wakes up, I'll make him a sandwich. That, I think my stomach would be okay with.

In the meantime, I worked out a new design … and got busy on the matching dishcloth first:

Working a design out …

Yarn Bobbins, ready to employ.

Working on the dishcloth, first. MOD

Holland wasn't hungry when he woke up - and he is always hungry.

Fatigue is very fatiguing.

I think water will be all we ingest, tonight.