The Long Dishcloth

Every time I do the dishes, I have to, either, lean against the counter and get wet from the sink or stand back from the counter and hurt my back by leaning over the sink and avoiding leaning against it.  I know I could have just put a towel by the sink and leaned against that, but I didn't want to waste a towel on something so trivial, so instead I made a long dishcloth that could be used both as a dishcloth and as a barrier between me and the disgusting sink water that would always soak the counter and the front of my clothes.  I didn't just want to do a normal knit, so for the first time, I did a cable, and it was so much easier than I thought it was.  I learned how to do a cable from a book, but here is an Instructable that does a great job showing you how to knit a cable.  They did it in back and I did it in front, otherwise it's the same.


Supplies:

• Knitting Needles: I used Size 7
• Cable Stitch Holder
• Lion Brand Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp in Heather Flower (you don't have to use this exact one, obviously, but you will need a dishcloth type yarn)

Directions:

1. Cast on 16
2. Knit rows 1 and 2
3. Knit 6 Purl 4 Knit 6.
4. Knit 3 Purl 3 Knit 4 Purl 3 Knit 3
5. Knit 6 Purl 4 Knit 6
6. Knit 3 Purl 3 C4F Purl 3 Knit 3
7. Repeat numbers 3-6  It only needs to be as long as you are wide, so to speak, because it is just protecting you from the part of the sink you are leaning against, not the whole sink.
8. End. Repeat numbers 3-5.  Then Knit 2 rows and cast off

My dishcloth wanted to curl and I think that is because of the three purls in k3 p3 k4 p3 k3.  I think if you increase your constant knit count on the outside and decrease the count of the second set of three stitches, it won't curl.  So say it would be k4 p2 k4 p2 k4 instead.  But I would have to give it a try first to fine out.  I didn't know it would curl until I got quite a few rows in and I had already restarted it multiple times trying to get the cable right so I just went with it.  When I use it it lays flat and that is what matters anyway :)