“Mr. Bundles” COTTON WASHBOARDS

I like a tidy house, my siblings & I were raised in a very clean house by a mom who was kind of an obsessive cleaner.  I don’t think anyone LOVES to clean, I sure don’t, but you get a sort of satisfying feeling once your done and things are a bit fresher & the toilets aren’t rude.

You soon forget the hot sweaty scrubbing, cobwebby hairballs & crusty messes you cleaned up. In our house we normally tidy up all through the week, so there isn’t so much of a MAJOR all-in-one cleaning day (like when I was a kid). Our house gets messy, but a quick shuffle of stuff to its proper home, and we’re good to go! 

Like I said my mom is a cleaner, although she has settled down over the years, she still loves a good cleaning cloth and of all the amazing colors & styles of dishcloths I could make my mom, she prefers this simple go to washboard rag and as always, wants it worked up in stain hiding colors (lets face it handmade dishcloths never look as good after the 1st wash..let alone the 100th!)

♡ A vintage washboard look gives these dishcloths a classic utilitarian style. Designed to be easy enough for the beginner or distraction prone group crocheting!

♡ This practical pattern uses exactly one 14oz cone of big box store cotton to produce 12 cotton washboards!

♡ Perfect gifts for everyone in the family! Also great gift starter bundles for new babies, weddings, housewarming, friends or for kids off to college!

♡ It’s FREE! ..because I love you guys!

Oh! Mr. Bundles…we love you! …but would love your laundry services even more!

*you can follow the pattern below to get started right away or download the FREE pdf pattern, and add it to your Ravelry favorites/library right here! (link leads to ravelry.com)

“Mr. Bundles” COTTON WASHBOARDS

(A free amanda ochocki+chalklegs pattern ♡)

The dishcloth recipe is simple: One giant 14oz cone (706  yards) of big box store worsted weight cotton & a little of your time, resulting in a just right stack of 12 cotton washboards. (Alternatively you can make just a single cotton washboard out of a 2oz ball of kitchen cotton.)

A beautifully simple & practical item/gift for everyone in the family! These also make great gift bundles for new babies, weddings, divorces, housewarming, as a thank you to friends or for kids going off on their own! 

Easy style for beginners & distraction prone group crocheting.  

What  you  need:  

* 14 oz cone worsted weight cotton.

* 5mm (H) crochet hook.  

*  Each board takes roughly 30 to 40 minutes (give or take) to make & measures a handy 8”  x  9½”

To begin: Ch31.

Row 1:  dc in 4th chain from  hook & in each chain across, turn. (29sts)

Row 2:  ch3 (counts as first dc), dc in the back loop of next 27sts, dc through 2 loops of last st (top of ch3 from previous row), turn. (29sts)

Repeat row 2 (15 more times) which will give you a total of 17 washboard ribs.

To finish: Cut yarn & weave in ends.

*If you’d like to add a hang loop: On last repeat row, stop 2 stitches from the last stitch, ch15 (or more if you like), then sc in last stitch & finish as above.

*If you choose to make 12 from a fresh cone, you will have a few extra yards leftover, if you want to crochet a matching bundle tie! You’ll have even less leftovers if you add hang loops!

*Easily adjust the finished size by adding or subtracting begging chains, but please be aware if you make larger cloths you will get less per cone and/or more cloths per cone if you make them smaller.

© amanda ochocki + chalklegs All Rights Reserved. Patterns/designs  are for personal use and are not to be copied, redistributed or sold in any form. Commercial use is prohibited. You may use the pattern to make items for personal use. If you would like to sell finished items made from my patterns, you may do so as long as you give me credit for the pattern and (if selling online) a link to my website as follows: (Designed by amanda ochocki & www.chalklegs.com)

pincushions aren’t weird

I know it’s dishcloth time, but I’m always busy doing loads of other things too. Sometimes I forget to share or think it’s too lame to share, I need to get better at sharing more, even if it’s just a bizarre off beat thought, a funny situation, or a passionate opinion. I don’t know why I’m so awkward on my blog, it isn’t coming naturally to me to talk to myself on here (I can have excellent conversations with myself in real life, what the fudge is my problem!?) So if you see me being a dope or saying something weird, stupid or bitchy, just laugh along & know this is how I actually am in real life.

Anyhoo onto things that aren’t weird or awkward ..maybe

I thought the “vintage kitchen trivet” pattern from the book Crochet Adorned would make a really cute pincushion, so using #10 crochet thread & 1.5mm, I set about making my own tiny version.

My Notes:
I Worked the pattern through rnd 8 + 1 row of the edging, then I just increased the number of repeats & worked rows 3 through 8 again.

To make the pin pad I crocheted 2 wool circles the size of the lacy top (attached the top) hooked them together (stuffed it full) & added a graceful piecrust trim …it looks like some exquisite cream tart or puffy doughnut! ..YUM

Even in #10 thread it measures just under 4½”.

Again with the potholders? yes..

I love how the tiny pincushion turned out so much that I decided to make it again, using the same vintage kitchen trivet pattern and adjustments, but this time potholder size! Using #3 crochet thread & a 3mm hook.

I backed it with worsted wt cotton & attached it together the same way I did my 2012 swap potholders, but on this version, I added a brown loop chain border around the outer edge, then topped that off with a creamy scallop trim which just lets the spokes of brown peek through.

..up next dishcloths! ..maybe :)

2012 DISHCLOTH SWAP

Yep, just finished one kitchen swap & onto another! This one is for DISHCLOTHS or WASHCLOTHS or SPA-CLOTHS or DISHRAGS, whatever you want to call them & however you want to use them!

Last year (2011) I sent in 2 sets, just because I went on a little kitchen making spree.

I have a thing for hangloops, either built in or add on after. Top cloths are a Japanese doily pattern with just a simple crochet lace trim added on as a cheery bright hangloop & the bottom cloths were made using a free pattern called diamond dishcloth by TKroCrafts & they have a built in hanghole!

I have always appreciated beautifully useful items and for me, a hand knit or crocheted dishcloth embodies that simplicity. It’s useful, has purpose & at the same time can be outrageously pretty, fun or unusual. It doesn’t have to be the traditional square or round shape, I can have it in whatever colors I am in love with at the time. It’s eco friendly, strong & reusable, I can gift something that everyone will use. Even better, I make it with my 2 hands in an afternoon of delight, perfect!

Again there is a Ravelry forum full of fun chatter, pattern inspiration & photos for this swap right here.