Super simple kitchen rag #2

 

EN: This guide is written both in English and in Danish

DK: Den her guide er både på engelsk og dansk.

(US): half double crochet (HDC) * single crochet (SC) * Picot Stitch * slipstitch (SLST)

(DK): Halv stangmaske (HSTM) * Fastmaske (FM) * Picot * kædemaske (KM)

 REP = repeat / GENT= gentag

RW= row / RK = række

ST= stitch / M= maske

CL= cluster (x3ST) / KL= klynge (x3M)

RD= round / OMG= omgang

A Picot edge is made of SC, CH & SL ST 

En Picot består af FM, LM & KM. 

So you need the basics, your hook, yarn, needle and scissor. This clusterfuck of yarn here are scraps from a sock project, this means it's wool - I prefer wool for kitchen rags because it's absorbant, but remember to wash them at a low temperature and dry hanging. I mean no need for drying flat and all that like you normaly would with wool, this is a kitchen rag for fucks sake. hahaha who cares if it's bent out of shape while drying.

ROW/RÆKKE 1 

First you make a basechain, I made 30 again (simply because I prefer that size) and because row 2 is a single crochet row, we need +1 (31 in total). Because I chose to have something resembling a pattern here. Turn your work and make a single crochet into the second stich from the hook, and then single crochet untill the end of the row, chain 1 and turn your work

CH30+1 - turn - SC in 2nd ST from hook - SC in all ST till end - CH1 - turn.

LM30+1 - vend - FM i 2nd M fra pind - FM i alle M til slut - LM1 - vend

ROW/RÆKKE 2 & 3

For rows 2 and 3 we're going to work in half double crochet, so because it is height wise between a single and a double, I find that a chain 1 is the best, unless you want a weird loop. So you go down into the first stitch from the hook, and make a half double crochet stitch, you continue with making a half double crochet stitch in every stitch till the end, chain 1 and turn. And then you do the exact same again, chain 1 and turn your work.

HDC in 1st ST from hook - 1 HDC in every ST till end RW - CH1 - turn - REP for RW3

HSTM i den 1ste maske fra pind - 1 HSTM in alle M til slut RK - LM1 - vend - GENT for RK3

ROW/RÆKKE 4 

Row 4 is a single crochet row, so make a single crochet stitch in the first stitch and work a single crochet into every stitch till the end, chain 1 and turn. And in some way, row 4 is the same as row 1. creating a single crochet row on each side of the two half double crochet rows.

[row 4] 1 SC in every ST till end RW

[række 4] 1 FM i alle M indtil slut RK

REPEAT/GENTAGELSE

[row 1 to 3] SC till end of RW1 - CH1 - turn - HDC till end of RW2 - CH1 - turn - HDC till end of RW3 - CH1 - turn -  REP till desired size

[række 1 til 3] FM til slut RK1 - LM1 - vend - HSTM til slut RK2 - LM1 - vend - HSTM til slut RK3 - LM1 - vend -  GENT til ønsket størrelse

BORDER/KANT (rd/omg 1 & 2)

For the border, you continue "row 4" the single crochet row around the corner, so instead of the chain 1 to turn and make a new row. You make a cluster in the corner stitch. And that way work your way around your project untill you make it till the first corner again, you make a cluster there too, and if you change colors like I did, this is where you do it. A good tip is to place your "tails" above your stitches so you trap them inside your work, and won't have to sow them in. For the second row of the border you continue with single crochet all the way around, clusters in corners. 

[rd 1 & 2] CL in corner - SC1 in every ST till end RD. REPx4

[omg 1 & 2] KL i hjørne - FM i alle M til slut OMG. GENTx4

ROUND 3 / OMGANG 3

When you finished the two rounds of single crochet and clusters, you find yourself back at the "original" row.  See because a picot calls for a single crochet in two stiches, there is no need to skip anything, so you just jump right out into making your picot row until you make it to the next corner, if you have 30 basechain stitches, you should end your picot in the secondlast stitch before the corner. but if not, just wing it (i'll tell you how)

[round 3] 1 PICOT in all ST till end of RW. (note picot covers 2 st)

[runde 3] 1 PICOT i alle M til slut RK. (bemærk en picot dækker 2m)

INTERMEZZO SABOTAGE

And this was when my cat Pippi decided to join me, because cat reasons. 

Like the almighty queen of evil fluff she is.

CORNER/HJØRNE

Cat finally gone, and we can get around to the corners. See I chose to make fancy corners. You can just make a cluster if this is too weird, or if your count is off, and you don't end your last picot one stitch before the cluster. So.. you make a single crochet into the next stitch, then chain 3, and make a slip stitch into the first stitch of the cluster, then you chain 4 and slip stitch in to the second stitch of the cluster, and in the corner stitch, you chain 5 and slip stitch into the same stitch - repeat on the other side of the corner (that's why the numbers are on the image), and go back to your picots. The reason you need that single crochet going into the corner, is to make that 'dip' like on the other side, where there is a single crochet as the start of the picot. Symmetry and all that.

[corner] SC in last ST before CL - CH 3 - SL ST into next ST - CH4 - SL ST into next ST - CH5 - SL ST into same ST - CH4 - SL ST into next ST - CH3 - SL into next ST 

[hjørne] FM i sidste M før KL - LM3 - KM in i næste M - LM4 - KM ind i næste M - LM5 - KM ind i samme M - LM4 - KM ind i næste M - LM3 - KM ind i næste M

Congrats! You can both have your cake and eat it! 

It's no problem to skip the picot border, or the chainspace corners. you can just make a round of single crochet around if you want. I do however suggest you do that, to give some shape to the rag.