Chinese Waves Dishcloth

Thanks to the conference I was running this week, I'm almost done with a
set of 4 dishcloths for my father's 81st birthday (he's taken over all the
dishwashing), in a stitch of my own design (she says modestly, bowing ever
so slightly to the applauding crowd). It makes the dishcloth thicker and
more stable than just using garter stitch. I call it Chinese Waves (and if
you pass it on to someone else, please credit me). It's based on garter
stitch, so there's no purling, and it doesn't curl up. I've been using
Sugar 'n Cream and #7 needles, and casting on 45 stitches, but any odd
number of stitches will do.

Row 1: Knit across (this is the right side)

Row 2: *K1, Slip 1* repeat between * across, ending K1.

Row 3: Knit across

Row 4: K2, *Slip 1, K1* repeat between * across, ending K2

Keep working in pattern until piece is square, finishing with a wrong side
row.

Cast off in knitting on the right side.

I usually slip the slipped stitches as if to purl. But you can also slip as
if to knit, which twists the stitch when you knit it on the next row,
making a slightly tighter fabric. I like both ways equally well.

The yarn carried across the back of all the slipped stitches makes little
curves across the dishcloth, which look like rows of little waves, hence
the name.

Helen Voelker

helen-v@blueox.ccbr.umn.edu