Trökni

I made a kitchen hand towel for mom for her birthday.


I'm annoyed by the dirty splotch on the yarn. The facecloth came as a set of four, one of which had dirty spots that I didn't notice until I got home and opened the package. I carefully didn't use that cloth... and then ended up with a splotch from the yarn. *sigh*

I'm going to make mom at least one more, but I only had the one done in time.

I decided to write up the pattern while I was knitting it, so that I don't have to keep reinventing it. While knitting, I was getting an "Ikea" vibe from the colour, and so decided to come up with an Ikea-like name for the pattern. I don't know fake-Swedish, but decided that German is close enough. "Trocknen" means "dry", which is what hand towels do. Then I added a gratuitous umlaut (Ikea is fond of umlauts, from what I've noticed), and changed the "nen" to "ni", to make it more name-like. Hence, Trökni.

I've written up the pattern, but I'm not sure how readable it is for people who aren't me. I'd appreciate any feedback you can send me.

Tröckni

Supplies:

12" sq washcloth
kitchen cotton (not quite half a ball)
US 5 needles, plus 2 spare double pointed needles, US 5 or smaller
two stitch markers
3/4" button (for different button sizes, adjust button hole size)

Gauge: 5 sts per inch (20 per 4 inches)

Abbreviations:

ws: wrong side
rs: right side
nrs: new right side ("right side" switches for the top of the strap)
nws: new wrong side
pm: place stitch marker
| : indicates stitch marker position
ssk: slip two stitches knitwise (changes orientation), knit these two stitches together
k2tog: knit two stitches together
dpn: double pointed needle
ss-p2tog-tbl: slip two stitches knitwise, then purl them together through the back loop (for instructions with pictures, see: http://techknitting.blogspot.com/2009/10/purl-decreases-p2tog-p2tbl-ssp.html )

Cast On:

Pull a 50"+ length of yarn from the ball (see Note 1), and place a slip knot there, leaving the yarn attached to the ball. With wrong side facing, sew/cast on 60 sts over needle and through washcloth, sewing from right to left with the point of the knitting needle to the right, spacing evenly (see Note 2). Sew stitches from back to front, so that stitches are sitting properly on the needle for knitting the first row.

Note 1: My stitches only skimmed the edge of the washcloth. If you plan on making deeper stitches, allow for more yarn.

Note 2: You may be able to use weave of cloth to assist with spacing. If the weave doesn't help you with spacing, use a washable marker to make small marks every inch, and place 5 stitches between each pair of marks.

Pull out slip knot, start knitting with end of yarn attached to ball.

Row 1 (ws): knit
Row 2-3: knit
Row 4: k18, pm, k24, pm, k18
Row 5 (ws): p3, k4, p4, k4, p3 | p6, k4, p4, k4, p6 | p3, k4, p4, k4, p3
Row 6 (rs): k1, ssk, p4, k4, p4, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k3, p4, k4, p4, k3, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p4, k4, p4, k2tg, k1
Row 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 (ws): knit the knits, purl the purls (keep pattern from stitch below)
Row 8 (rs): k1, ssk, p3, k4, p3, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k2, p4, k4, p4, k2, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p3, k4, p3, k2tg, k1
Row 10 (rs): k1, ssk, p2, k4, p2, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k1, p4, k4, p4, k1, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p2, k4, p2, k2tg, k1
Row 12 (rs): k1, ssk, p1, k4, p1, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p4, k4, p4, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p1, k4, p1, k2tg, k1
Row 14 (rs): k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p3, k4, p3, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k4, k2tg, k1
Row 16 (rs): k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p2, k4, p2, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k2, k2tg, k1
Row 18 (rs): k1, ssk, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, p1, k4, p1, k2tog, k1 | k1, ssk, k2tg, k1
Row 20 (rs): k4, transfer these four onto first spare dpn | k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1 | k4 (16 stitches remining)
Row 21 (ws): k4, transfer these four onto second spare dpn | k4, fold knitting so that first dpn is in front, knit next four stitches through stitches on both front and back needles
Row 22 (rs): k4, fold knitting so that second dpn is behind, knit next four stitches through stitches on both front and back needles (8 stitches remaining)
Row 23, 24: k8

Following rows: (k1, p1)* rib for approximately 2.5" (6-7 cm), or desired length, stopping after what was a wrong side row, but is now a right side row.

Next three rows: knit (two purl ridges on new right side).

Next row (nrs): k3, sl1 stitch to dpn & hold in back, k1, k1 from dpn, k3

3/4" button: knit 5 rows stockinette on left four stitches

Leave a loose float, and knit 5 rows stockinette on right four stitches, catching float in centre edge stitches. (Alternately, break yarn and weave in ends later.)

Next row (nrs): k3, sl1 stitch to dpn & hold in back, k1, k1 from dpn, k3
(nws): p2tog, p4, ss p2tog tbl
(nrs): ssk, k2, k2tog
(nws): p2tog, ss-p2tog-tbl, pass first stitch over second, break yarn and pull through.

Weave in ends, sew on button so that purl ridges on ends of strap line up.