Parent Playtime Post: Quick Knit All-Purpose Cotton Cloths

This is the perfect quick knit project if ever there was one. I created the pattern late in the summer because I wanted transition from using paper napkins to cloth ones in S's school lunchbox. Standard cloth napkins are way too big for the school setting and the standard size of kid tables. I wanted something small and friendly to kid sized hands, mouths and spills. I also thought it would give him a little feeling of home during his school day to find something handknit by his Mommy at lunchtime. I knew I ran the risk of him accidentally losing some or throwing them away (so far the damage hasn't been too bad). I was not too surprised either, to see that he is so environmentally conscious he still only uses his sleeve to wipe his mouth and that most of the time, these little guys come home still neatly folded in half in a triangle shape right in the bottom of his lunchbox! Nonetheless, I often use them with a spritz of my easy homemade all-purpose cleaner (about 1 part rubbing alcohol to 10 parts water) to clean out the inside of his lunchbox each day and subsequently the dairy side counter-top after I prepare and pack his lunch for the next day. They even do well with warm soapy water to scrub out midweek yogurt spills when you don't have time to run the washing machine and still have a dry Paw Patrol lunchbox in the morning!

Yes, these Quick Knit All-Purpose Cotton Cloths have and do it all. They are great little napkins. They have a fabulous scrubbing action from the texture of the garter stitch. They are thick enough to soak up spills and soft enough to wipe tiny little hands and mouths on the go. They make a great travel wipe as well with a bit of soapy spray or water. Use them as washcloths, dishcloths, for cleaning or even dusting. And the best part is how quick and easily they knit up. I keep a ball of cotton yarn and size 7 needles in my cars for long trips when I'm a passenger or unplanned waits at the doctor or when I arrive too early for preschool pickup (which rarely happens these days). Because they are so quick and easy (and cost effective) to knit up, it's easy to stitch up an abundance of these little buggers. They make great gifts, have plenty of household uses and you won't feel [too] bad if a few get lost in the hustle.

In fact, a note on all handcrafted items you gift to your kids: they may get lost. They may get damaged. They may get rejected one day and beloved the next. If you are the type to become really attached to something you created (I am), this might be an exercise in breathing deeply and letting go. Opting to send your little guy to school in the first ever sweater you knit might not be a good starting point. Opting to stash a cotton cloth in his lunchbox is probably a safer bet!

So if you'd like to whip up one or two or six dozen of your own Quick Knit All-Purpose Cotton Cloths, here's what you'll need to know:

Materials:

• 1 skein 100% cotton yarn
• This will make multiple cloths. Common brands are Lily Sugar and Cream or Walmart's comparable item, Peaches and Cream yarn. They come in a variety of solid and variegated color options, even self striping. There are often sales and coupons available for craft supply stores on these products. You can go with all one color or collect a few. I may have collected more than a few, but I use this yarn for a variety of projects. 
• size 7/4.5mm straight knitting needles
• I really prefer the feel of bamboo, but any straight needles will work
• yarn needle & scissors for finishing

Directions: You will be working this project diagonally. The y/o at the beginning of each row will leave a little hole that creates the outer border pattern.

abbreviations: 

K= knit

y/o= yarn over

inc. = increase

dec. = decrease

K2tog = knit 2 together

st = stitch

Begin by casting on 4 stitches.

Increase rows:

Row 1: Knit across

Row 2: K2, y/o to inc. by 1 st, K to end of row. You should now have 5 stitches.

Repeat Row 2 until you have a total of 25 stitches. You will now begin your decrease rows.

Decrease rows:

Row 1: K1, K2tog, y/o, K2tog, K to end of row. You should now have 24 stitches. Your y/o will preserve your border pattern, while knitting 2 together both before and afterward will decrease your stitches by one each row you work. 

Repeat that row until you have 4 stitches remaining.

Knit across row.

Bind off.

Weave in and trim tails.

Parent Playtime Post: Knit Your Own Swift & Simple Wrist Warmers for the Whole Family

 Oh the woes of gloves and mittens and keeping the family's hands warm all winter while also keeping your fingers functional. First there are the morning mitten wars. Both boys want the orange mittens. There's only one pair. Ok, so each one gets one orange mitten and one blue one with an orange stripe. One kid can put his gloves on independently, the other needs help. Now that his fingers are all snug as a bug in a rug, S can't buckle his seatbelt independently anymore! Has Y lost yet another glove or is he just striving to look a bit more like Michael Jackson? And my hands are freezing on the steering wheel--I really need something I can drive to preschool drop-off in...

Enter my DIY Swift & Simple Wrist Warmers for the Whole Family! I knit up my first pair for S (see children's version*) last winter. He insisted on wearing only one because he wanted a wrist brace like one of his favorite teachers who had injured herself in a skating accident. She, a fellow knitter, also appreciated a gifted set of knitting needles, skein of self-striping yarn and a copy of my adult sized pattern for her birthday gift from S a few months later!

I wanted a pair, too, so I whipped up my own--perfect for driving to preschool on those cold winter mornings! And this year, we have lots of hands and lots of opinions on fashion. It was easy enough to knit up a few extra pairs of wrist warmers for the boys using partial skeins of yarn I had leftover from other projects. Another benefit to these is that they are great for very little ones first learning to put on mittens and gloves. Since either end will fit their hand and wrist, they can't really go wrong. A thumb hole in the side seam allows them to poke through their thumb, an important skill preceding being able to put on mittens and eventually gloves, but without the challenge of also fitting it in a tiny, enclosed compartment. Lastly is the benefit of having warmer hands but access to your fingers for buckling carseats, picking up sticks and stones, for driving, jotting down notes on the go or texting and typing. You'll still need another warmer and more waterproof option for extended outdoor winter play, but these are just right for a trip to the car or a playtime on the playground at school. If you'd like to knit up a pair (or two or half a dozen...) for yourself and/or the kids, here's what you'll need to know:

Swift & Simple Wrist Warmers for the Grownups

You will need:

• 1 skein soft, worsted weight medium (4) yarn
• US 8/5mm size straight needles
• yarn needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4” in St st

Directions:

Leaving a 12” beginning tail for sewing seam, cast on 31 sts.

Lower Ribbing Row 1 (Right Side): P1, *k1, p1; repeat from * to end of row.

Row 2: K1, *p1, k1; repeat from * to end of row.

Row 3: Repeat Row 1. 

Body: Work in St st (knit on Right Side, purl on Wrong Side) until piece measure 7½” from beginning.

Bind off loosely. Cut yarn, leaving a 12” tail for sewing seam.

FINISHING: With beginning tail, sew side edges together for 3”, beginning at lower edge. With ending tail, sew side edges together for 2”, beginning at top edge. Leave 2” between the two seams open for thumb. Weave in ends. Repeat for second wrist warmer. Note: Top edge will roll to outside.

ABBREVIATIONS: k = knit; p = purl; st(s) = stitch(es); St st = Stockinette stitch

Swift and Simple Wrist Warmers for the Littles
This pattern is provided in two size options. The smaller size is suitable for toddlers/preschoolers and early school aged children. The larger option in parenthesis is geared toward older, school aged children.
You will need:

• 1 skein soft, worsted weight medium (4) yarn
• US 8/5mm size straight needles
• yarn needle

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4” in St st

Leaving a 12" beginning tail for sewing up the seam, cast on 16 stitches (20 stitches).

Bottom of Wrist Warmer: Rows 1-4: Knit 2, Purl 2, repeat across row. Work first 4 rows in this ribbing pattern. 

Row 5: Knit across

Row 6: Purl across

Body: You will continue to repeat rows 5 and 6 to work in stockinette stitch for a total of 10 rows (12 rows for the larger size).

Top of Wrist Warmer: 

Knit 2, Purl 2, repeat across row for 2 more rows. Bind off, leaving a 12" tail for sewing up the seam.

Finishing: With beginning tail, sew side edges together for about 1/3 of the way up, beginning at lower edge. With ending tail, sew side edges together about 1/3 of the way down, beginning at top edge. Leave the remaining third in the center between the two seams open for thumb. Weave in and trim ends.

NOTE on yarn and washing: These can be handwashed or machine washed on a gentle cycle. Make sure, however, if you happen to use 100% wool that you do not machine wash on hot, as this will felt and shrink your wrist warmers! I recommend a washable acrylic/natural blend that will be soft against the skin and withstand your laundry machine, especially for the littles!

Happy Playing!

Parent Playtime Post: Knit Your Own Kids' Cozy Cowl

When it comes to getting kids to dress appropriately for the winter weather, I've learned a thing or two. And still know nothing that works consistently all of the time with every kid! But one thing that does help encourage our seemingly cold blooded critters to bundle up out there in the winter is having options. LOTS of options. First there's the kid who wants to wear the puffy winter coat everywhere, maybe even inside, but it's not car-seat safe. Then there's the one who has a favorite hat. And the one who wants no hat, and only a hood. And the one whose mittens must match. And the one whose mittens must never match. And the one who will wear only one mitten. (Have I mentioned this is all the same kid?) Options. Options. Options.

And then came the scarf obsession. Y especially loves scarves and S took a liking to them as well when we had our dramatic play skating rink up. But to be quite honest, a long scarf on a short kid is just about the most impractical item for bundling up out there. Introducing the cozy cowl... a quick knit, perfect for family members of all ages and sizes. It's a great project for the seasoned knitter who wants something quick to whip up and easy to put down. It's a great project for the beginning knitter or even first-time knitter! It's even a great project for an older child first learning to knit independently.

Using my favorite leftover skeins of soft, chunky yarn, I whipped up a quick collection of these for the boys. Options are a mom's best friend. The little guy who loves Cookie Monster Blue today will feel in the mood to wear only shades of grey tomorrow... I liked them so well I decided to use up a skein of colorful variegated yarn I had leftover from last year's fingerless gloves to make my own version--a slightly longer infinity scarf to double wrap around my own chilly neck!

If you'd like to try your hand at knitting your own Kids' Cozy Cowl, here's what you'll need to know:

Materials:

• 1 skein or a partial skein of your favorite soft, chunky yarn
• Choose your favorite color or a variegated option. I find that working with striping yarns can make a project go faster as I eagerly await the color and pattern change! Since this will go right against the sensitive skin of the neck and upper chest, I do recommend something soft and not a potentially itchy wool or scratchy acrylic. If your little ones have sensitive skin, you may wish to opt for natural fibers.
• straight knitting needles in appropriate size
• I would recommend using the size suggested on your skein of yarn but you really can't go wrong here with this simple knit if it's a bit larger or smaller than suggested, so long as you're comfortable knitting. I also prefer wood options to metal, but use whatever you like!
• wide-eyed blunt needle for finishing

Instructions:
Cast on 20-25 stitches, depending on how chunky your yarn is. You want your cowl to be wide enough to cover the neck and to roll down a bit on either side (that's the cozy factor) but not so wide you'll lose your kid in there!

Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: Purl across
Repeat rows 1 and 2 to work in stockinette stitch until your piece measures long enough to fit comfortably over the head of the child or person you're making it for. Keep in mind that there will be a bit of stretch and give. You want it to be cozy. You don't want it so cozy it chokes you! You may need to test your length on your child's (or your own) head!
Bind off.

Finishing: with the "wrong side" (bumpy side) out, stitch together your ends to create a seam using the tail of yarn from either side. Weave in your ends and trim any remaining tails of yarn. Turn right side out and voila! 

Variations & Optional Additions/Modifications:

One for YOU: You can make cozy cowls in adult sizes, too! Just work your piece a bit longer for a comfortable fit. Turns out I have a really tiny head and neck, so I can share my kids' cozy cowls. They also function quite well as a headband if your ears are cold or can be pulled up over the mouth and nose for a quick thaw in really frigid temps!

Infinity Scarf: For a feminine more grown-up variation, knit your cozy cowl double in length (or even longer if you wish) and create your own infinity scarf. Wrap it around loosely twice for a longer scarf or more (length permitting) to get a bit more warmth and coziness.

Add Your Own Flair: Sew on a fun button or add a unique pin. More advanced knitters might wish to work in a ribbed stitch or cables. Very beginning knitters might be more comfortable working the project entirely in garter (knit) stitch. 

A Note to Beginning Knitters or Older Children: This is a great project for first time knitters. If you or your older child are new to knitting, there are great books out there and--even better--great videos and tutorials online. Better yet? Find a relative or friend who knows the craft to teach the basics! This project can be worked entirely in garter (knit) stitch as noted above if you're new to knitting and haven't yet learned the purl stitch. Additionally, soft, chunky yarns are very forgiving to errors. Don't sweat the mistakes, embrace them as the beauty and charm of the craft! Your kids won't notice the dropped stitch or unplanned line created by a repeated purl row. They will just be so pleased to have something cozy, warm and one of a kind!

This project is so quick and simple. You can make one. You can make a dozen. You can take it on the go and even knit one up on a long car trip (presuming you are not the driver and that you don't get motion sickness). They make a lovely gift and [very slightly] increase the chance that your little ones will be bundled and appropriately prepared for the cold windy days of winter!

Happy Playing!