it only took 6 days...

My mom taught me to knit when I was just a wee one (probably five or six).  I've never really had a flare for it or been particularly good at it (there always seemed to be a problem with my stitch tension) and I often don't finish my projects because I'm SO unbelievably slow (hence the title of this blog...it really did take me 6 days of knitting sporadically to finish this but note: it only takes my Mom an hour or two)! 

The only things I've ever really been able to complete (aside from a couple of basic scarves that took me months to make) are dishcloths.  My Mom made them a lot when I was a kid (it was all we used come dish-doing time) and taught me how to make them a number of times since I always forgot how.

Last week I felt like making one since it had probably been a few years since I last made one and I needed to be taught again!  WOW I'm good.

Here is what she taught me:
Start out with 100% cotton yarn.  I've always used Bernat Hanicrafter http://www.bernat.com/product.php?LGC=handicraftercotton  (this yarn is usually only about $1.89 at Wal-Mart and comes in so many colours and patterns. This one was free since my Mom gave it to me!) and size 10 knitting needles. 

This time I used metal needles but I usually prefer plastic since they're not as slippy-slidey and you're less likely to lose a stitch off the end. 



 

Start by casting five stitches onto your needle. 

Knit one row.

Knit two, add a stitch, knit to the end of the row.  Continue to knit two, add a stitch and knit to the end of the row and you'll start to see the corner of the cloth take shape, like this:

Just keep knitting two, adding a stitch, and knitting to the end of the row until you end up with 45 stitches on your needle (obviously I needed longer needles) like this:

 

Then you start decreasing stitches.  All you have to do is this:
Knit two, knit two together, knit to the end of the row.  Do that for each row until you're left with 5 stitches on your needle and cast off the last five stitches...AND YOU'RE DONE!  Here's my finished cloth:

 

You always have the option of crocheting a coordinating colour around the edge (which is what Mom always does) but I have no idea how to do that!  I'm sure she's shown me a few times but crocheting is lost on me so this is how my cloth will stay! 

NOW.  If you've made it to the end of the blog you have a chance to win this cloth!  All you have to do is either comment below or e mail me at twillandtwine@gmail.com and tell me why you want it! 
I'll randomly draw a winner that will be announced on my next blog post!  A note to whomever wins: make sure you wash and dry it before using it! 

Good luck!