Dishcloth Tutorial with Happy Colors

That Lolly from This Domestic Life is my crafting idol! Because she is my idol, her wishes are my command. ;-). She inquired about a plaid dishcloth "how to" from my last post, and seeing how I need additional writing practice, another tutorial was born:

Seems like I put red in everything I make lately, probably so that I can photograph whatever it is with the same old red tulips. :-) Perhaps it's time for a different prop...I've been eyeing some red geraniums but am waiting until Mother's Day to purchase them. Mother's Day is the day that marks no more frost for the season here in our parts.

I chose these colors because of a comment on my post about color from My Little Kaleidoscope Light. She indicated that she liked aqua and pale yellow with red. I had never thought about using these colors together so I dug out the closest colors I had in cotton to these colors, put them with white, to see how they would look. Boy, are they happy! Reminds me of a birthday party with clowns. :-) I think the colors she had in mind may have been different; nevertheless this is my ode to "My Little Kaleidoscope Light".

Well, here are the results, this is an easy pattern; however, a few little quirky things that are easy to show in real life but a little more difficult in writing. I'll try my best.

The Plaid Dish/Wash Cloth

A few things to keep in mind with this pattern:

1) Count in fives: (Owwww, five is my favorite number, hence I love this pattern.) Five single crochets and five rows before a color pattern change. (Squares of color; however are 6 x 6)

2) Carry the alternating color along with you behind your stitches except for the squares of colors on the ends (the fifth row of each color pattern will be an exception to this exception). If this is confusing hopefully the photos will help out.

3) When changing colors be sure to bring the color through the two loops. See photos below.

O.K. If I haven't frightened you with this detailed gibberish then here's the lesson:

Gather supplies.

Once again I used Sugar 'n Cream...best part: some were in my stash and the rest were on sale for $1 each at Michael's last week. Yeah!!!

A=White

B=Turquoise

C=Yellow

D=Red

CH 31 with "D"

Switch to "A" in last CH, turn

Rows 1-5, 11-15, 21-25: 

*5 SC "A"

 5 SC "B" (Bring "A" with you behind your work)

5 SC "A" (Bring "B" with you behind your work)

5 SC "B" (Bring "A" with you behind your work)

5 SC "A" (Bring "B" with you behind your work)

Pull "A" in front of your work and leave it there so that it's waiting for you as you come back around

5 SC "B" (Remember, do not bring "A" with you to the end as you will turn and use "B" again) CH 1, turn

Repeat from * 4 more times

On the 5th row do carry "A" with you as you will switch to this color once you turn

Rows 6-10, 16-20, 26-30:

*5 SC "A"

 5 SC "C" (Bring "A" with you behind your work)

5 SC "A" (Bring "C" with you behind your work)

5 SC "C" (Bring "A" with you behind your work)

5 SC "A" (Bring "C" with you behind your work)

Pull "A" in front of your work and leave it there so that it's waiting for you as you come back around

5 SC "C" (Remember, do not bring "A" with you to the end as you will turn and use color "C" again) CH 1, turn

Repeat from * 4 more times

On the 5th row do carry "A" with you as you will switch to this color once you turn

With color "D" SC around edge one time (3 SC in each corner)

SS around edge

CH 7 to form ring and SC around ring to form loop to hang.

 Here are some of the instructions in photos:

31 CH with "D"

 On last CH slip in color "A" and turn

5 SC but on 5th SC while two loops are on hook slip color "B" through the two loops as below

SC 5 Color "B"

(This is how you switch colors, pull new color through both loops)

See how the turquoise yarn string is to the left, hold this against your chain and crochet it along the back of your SC because in 5 stitches you will need that color again. :-)

Continue this pattern of alternated "A" and "B" back and forth for 5 rows

Then switch to "C" and "A" for 5 rows

Alternate these two sets of 5 rows until you have 6 sets.

Here's more detail:

 This is the 5th row turn and switch to color "A"

CH 1 with the color "A" and turn.

Here's switching from  "A" to "C"

Here's that last 5 SC where you bring "A" in front and leave it there so it will be waiting for you when you come around. (This is last square where you DO NOT work "A" against your work to bring with you.)

An example of switching from "A" to "B"

With color "D" SC around edge with 3 SC in each corner then slip stitch around edge.

7 CH to form ring and then SC as many in the ring as needed to fill it up. SS to attach.

Done!!!

I did not test this pattern after it was written, so I hope it works. This was a tough one to explain, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!