A Little Dishcloth Crochet

It was my birthday recently...to give our Flower Daddy an easier time, I have a little crib-sheet in my Evernote...with a few things (mostly books!) that I have been drooling over.  Which he cleverly referred to.

Well, I was given Homespun Style and Poppy Treffry's book.  I still haven't had a proper chance to look through either of these.  Although, I have flicked through Homespun Style a number of times - goggling at the images...such pretty colours and textures and ideas, ideas, ideas!  In my head, my house decor looks like some of the featured houses.  In reality, it is a mess.  Toys, books, projects, clothing, DIY tools/materials, boxes of outgrown toys/clothes strewn everywhere.  If we were to have as much colour and pattern in our house, it would make me feel claustrophobic.  And make the house look like a Real Mess.

{What is the deal with little girls watching themselves wee (when on the toilet)?!  It makes the wee go EVERYWHERE!!!!}

Anyhow, I really would like a bit more colour injected into our house.  In little accessories here and there.  I keep thinking about the cute dishcloths and handtowels in the book.  The cute Crochet dishcloths and Crochet handtowels.  I mean, is that even practical??

Just look at that pile of pretty colours, textures and patterns.  Doesn't it give you the wanties...or is that just me?

I thought, maybe I should give it a go.  With a simple crochet pattern.  That makes a nice thick cotton fabric.

So, this is what I made.....it is a little rectangle of Rico Creative Cotton in turquoise (36).  I used a 4mm hook.

I made it like this (UK abbreviations):

Chain 35 (you need an uneven number of chains)

First row - dc in all the stitches, starting 1 ch from your hook (so, 34 stitches).  Turn
Following rows - ch1, dc in the same stitch, *tr in next stitch, dc in next stitch*.  Repeat *-* until the end of your row.  You should finish with a tr.  (34 stitches)  Turn.  Repeat until you are happy with your length.  [in your following rows, you dc in a tr and tr in a dc...make sense?  As long as you finish with a tr and start with a ch & dc, you are doing great!]
Final row - ch1, dc across.

Fasten off and weave in your ends.

The resulting fabric is quite dense and thick.  A little stiff, but not rigid, with decent 'drape'.

I think that it would make brilliant wash cloths - for faces or dishes...but also fantastic placemats!  Can you imagine a table full of pretty stripes or different coloured placemats under pretty coloured crockery?  Flower Daddy didn't think it was a great idea.  But then he does like grey and black and boring man colours...  Or coasters, or, or, or?!

So, here is the whole rectangle.  (My photo's really suck today)  A pretty little turquoise scrap of woven cotton.  Now, the question is: do I have the courage to use this for its intended grubby baby finger/mouth cleaning purpose?

There is one other page I keep returning to in Homespun Style.

I just love this indoor-outdoor space.  Do you see the plants (roses?) growing in the corners?  And the paving slab floor?  It really is just a glorified greenhouse.  I could definitely see myself using one of these.  A pretty and comfy and warm space for us to chill while the girls burn themselves out in the garden....sigh....

One question though: how do you keep the bugs out?!