Not your average dishcloths

I purchased three skeins of On Line Linie Clip 100 percent Egyptian cotton, which is mercerized — a process that give the yarn a shiny finish. I chose eggplant, royal blue and an emerald green. The pattern I used was from “101 Designer One-Skein Wonders,” edited by Judith Durant, following the not-your-average washcloths pattern. The project took just a few hours and yielded a lovely 7-square-inch purple washcloth that alternates four garter and stockinette stitch squares. The loop called for a crocheted chain, but I modified mine, using much smaller double-pointed needles (size 4) and knit an I-cord loop.
I purchased the yarn from a lovely little yarn shop at 194 Elm St., in Meriden (203-237-6446, www.yarngardenllc.com), The Yarn Garden, which has absolutely every type and brand of yarn you can think of or desire. Next up? Royal blue. Only this time I’m feeling more adventureous and will use the patterns from the book “Knitting With Balls” by Michael Del Vecchio, which offers three types of “utility cloths,” shown in the photo being used to shine up motorcycle chrome (gasp!).

They’re more complicated and the cloths can be made in 8- to 12-inch squares.
You can bet one thing I won’t be doing with them is dusting.
Not if I’m knitting them.

I’m a ‘One-Skeiner’

“101 Designer One-Skein Wonders,” edited by Judith Durant (Storey Publishing, $18.95), is one of those books knitters ooh and aah over as others would the storefront of a Godiva store.
The photos are up-front and as colorful as a Pantone wheel in this incarnation of the growing “One-Skein” franchise. Hats, purses, ties, scarves, shawls and baby items are arranged by yarn weight, so you can ogle the selection in full, then plug in those yarns that make up your stash — or go shopping for a new skein.
Delicate fingering-weight projects begin the book: a linen Christening Shawl with a generous knitted silk border; a coffee-toned Wave stitch-patterned infant’s Jumper that will make you want to shrink down to fit in one yourself; moving on to sport weight: a flowery Ring Bearer Pillow with finely beaded fringe; mohair yarn: Chicly Chevroned “Broadway” Hat in graduated yellow, orange, purple, blue; and bulky weight: a fluted Fuchsia Felted Bowl and Two-Hour handled Handbag in eggplant with a chunky button accent.
You can even post a photo of your completed work from patterns in the book at www.oneskeinwonders.com.
Each project’s designer is profiled at the back, complete with contact information. East Haddam’s Carol Martin of Farmhouse Yarn created a beret with her Lumpy Bumpy yarn in a spring garden bouquet of lapis, white, olive green, fuchsia, pink and lime.
Top of my list? Not-Your-Average Washcloths, each in mango and avocado Rowan Cotton, designed by Elizabeth Prusiewicz of Portland, Ore. She who learned to knit at age 5 from her mother in her native Poland, runs Knit Knot Studio (www.knitknotstudio.com — “home of the fastest knitter in Northwest”).
Do I need washcloths? Would I use hand-knit washcloths on body or dishes? Blasphemy! Mine will be grace my kitchen walls as tiny self-portraits — The “Me” series (Rowan Cotton Handknit, Sugar, Tangerine Dream, Slippery, Nectar, 7-inch).