Coming Clean

So what’s with the fascination for knitting washcloths, also referred to as dishcloths? I know they’re small and you can play with shapes and yarns and pattern stitches, but come on! People, the darn things are useless! They’re stinky, germ-ridden and they never ever dry. Yuck! I don’t have a dishwasher so I do dishes by hand every day. I use a small plastic scrubbie for dishes and a cellulose sponge for wiping, both of which can go in the microwave often to be sterilized. (I don’t do bleach.) They actually dry out occasionally. And when they get tattered and grubby I throw them out without a qualm because they are cheap and plentiful. I once tried to use a handknitted washcloth for bathroom use, but it actually went mildewy and smelly because it was permanently wet. (Probably started to compost!) Inexpensive cotton terry washcloths dry overnight and can be reused a time or two before becoming laundry. So I repeat — what’s with the knitted dishcloths? I do not understand why anyone bothers with them. If you want to play with patterns in a small space, make afghan squares or something. Oh wait — you want a Quick Gift! Because you don’t use the darn things yourself so you give them to other unsuspecting folks instead maybe? May I suggest wrist warmers? A scarf? A sachet? A beaded knitted bracelet? How about potholders? A tea cosy? I hate knitting in heavy cotton yarn anyway. It hurts my hands.

On the Pomatomus front, I’ve got the legs done on both and am working on the heel flaps. These are in twisted rib as opposed to the usual heel stitch and I’m hating doing the p-tbls that are needed on the wrong side to match the k-tbls on the front. It’s not enjoyable because I have to do a much larger hand manipulation than normal to accomplish that stitch. And then the rest of the instructions for the heel turns, picking up the gussets and continuing are definitely not the way I usually do them. I’m afraid to “adjust” the pattern to my way because I don’t want to get lost and not get the feet right. So I’m slogging along reading directions and doing it Cookie’s way. Sigh. It seems so much harder somehow. Maybe after I do it once I’ll be able to see how I could shift things to my way, but I’m never going to do this sock pattern again! Even though I love the scaly design and the way the ribbing segues into and out of it. Nobody, not even my own self, is worth the time and effort these things cost me! It just isn’t fun and if it isn’t fun, I don’t want to do it. I have to drag myself kicking and screaming. Or bribe myself with promises of knitting on the other DS (aka Damselfly’s Standard) socks while reading blogs for equal time.

I’m sure everyone has their own favourite way to do socks. As you might know if you’ve been reading awhile I like ’em top-down, heel-flap & gusset, standard toe and mostly plain knit on a set of 5 dpns. I can do those ones in my sleep. Which is probably why I go a little nuts doing anybody else’s sock patterns. I’m stuck in a Sock Rut of my own making and it takes brute force (aka a really spectacular pattern that I’ve just gotta have) to heave me out of it. Or I just have to design it myself which keeps me engaged enough to do the knitting. The advantage is if I designed it, I designed it with my way of sock knitting in mind. Then I don’t have to bend my brain around someone else’s sock knitting style which is likely completely different from mine. Cookie A. does tend to create some delicious-looking socks though! Which is why I’m persisting because I also want to do her Monkey socks.

In techie news, after almost 2 years of blogging I have finally added a site meter so I can see how many folks visit at this here damselfly’s pond. I haven’t really been too concerned up to now, but I seem to be getting more comments so I want to know a bit more about what’s going on and where you’re coming from. And why you’re all so darned quiet! Well, maybe it won’t answer that last question.