Loom Knitters Circle Magazine

Pinwheel Dishcloth
by Isela Phelps

The Pinwheel Dishcloth was born after studying one of my favorite books by Barbara Walker. After trying some of the different shapes in the book, hexagons, octagons and even some parquet squares and trying these on needles and then on the looms, I came upon the little circular shape. At first glance, all I saw was a swirl and I imagined the top of a hat. The circular shape is formed by working short rows—a row that is not worked to the end, just partially. The small circle was done on just 17 stitches, for a bigger circle, simply cast on more stitches. Go on, go to the Directions and read how you can adapt this to a different project.

Materials

Loom: 17 peg, extra small sett/gauge knitting loom. Child size hat loom was used in sample.

Yarn: 2 skeins of Knit Picks Comfy; one skein in color Coral, one skein in color Crème Brulee (you can make about 3 dishcloths from the 2 skeins).

Notions: tool, tapestry needle, scissors.

Size: 6 diameter

Gauge: 11sts and 22 rows=2 inches

Stitch Patterns: garter stitch (knit one row, purl one row)

Pattern Notes:
• Knit refers to Knit Stitch (not e-wrap)
• A=Coral
• B=Crème Brulee

ADAPT ME DIRECTIONS

Adapting to bigger/smaller sizes: A pattern is usually a good starter, a guideline but if you want to make this particular pattern bigger or smaller try the following:

1. Work a garter stitch swatch (a knitted piece that is at least 6 inches wide by 6 inches tall). Obtain the gauge.
2. Once you have your gauge, determine the radius that you want your pinwheel to be.

Let’s assume that you have a gauge of 11sts per 2 inches of work, so about 5.5 sts per inch. You want a round cushion that is 20 inches in diameter (10 inch radius). Based on the gauge of 5.5sts per inch, you will need to cast on 55sts (5.5 x 10). Now you have the number of stitches you need to cast on.

3. After cast on, be sure working yarn is ready to begin a clockwise row (ready to wrap from right to left).
4. 1st row: Knit all stitches. (moving from right to left)
5. 2nd row: Purl all stitches. (moving from left to right).
6. 3rd row: work all stitches in Knit Stitch except the last three. Wrap the next stitch then turn and purl to the beginning of the row.
7. 4th row: work all stitches in Knit Stitch except the last four. Wrap the next stitch then turn and purl to the beginning of the row.
8. Continue in this manner, working one stitch less each row until the shortest row only has 3 stitches. Then comes a consolidation row where you pick up all the wraps and you knit to the end of the row. Each time you reach a peg with a wrap, pick it together with the stitch and treat it as one. The next row, purl back to peg 1.
9. Repeat from 4-8 until you have created 6 wedges (including the first one). Do not bind off the last stitches Graft or kitchener the last row to the cast on row. If you prefer to bind off, simply seam the bind off row to the cast on row.

Special note: if you want to have one stripe of a different color, cast on an odd number of pegs (3, 5, 7, etc.) .

With the above, you should be able to create any size circle—think big rugs, or tiny little patches to decorate around the holidays. Whatever you do, have fun!

When changing colors, do not cut, simply leave them to the side and pick up the other color.

With A: cast on 17sts (I found the chain stitch to be the best cast on for this type of item).

Row 1: With A: Knit to the end of row (peg 1 to peg 17)

Row 2: Purl (peg 17 to peg 1)

Row 3: Change to B: Knit to the last three stitches (peg 1 to peg 14). Pick up stitch from peg 15 and wrap peg, place stitch back on the peg.

Row 4: Purl (peg 14 to peg 1)

Row 5: Change to A: Knit to the last four stitches (peg 1 to peg 13). Pick up stitch from peg 14 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.
Row 6: Purl (peg 13 to 1)

Row 7: Change to B: Knit to the last five stitches (peg 1 to 12). Pick up stitch from peg 13 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 8: purl (peg 12 to 1)

Row 9: Change to A: Knit to the last six stitches (peg 1 to 11). Pick up stitch from peg 12 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 10: purl (peg 11 to 1)

Row 11: Change to B: Knit to the last seven stitches (peg 1 to 10). Pick up stitch from peg 11 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 12: purl (peg 10 to 1)

Row 13: Change to A: Knit to the last eight stitches (peg 1 to 9). Pick up stitch from peg 10 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 14: purl (peg 9 to 1)

Row 15: Change to B: Knit to the last nine stitches (peg 1 to 8). Pick up stitch from peg 9 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 16: purl (peg 8 to 1)

Row 17: Change to A: Knit to the last ten stitches (peg 1 to 7). Pick up stitch from peg 8 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 18: purl (peg 7 to 1)

Row 19: Change to B: Knit to the last eleven stitches (peg 1 to 6). Pick up stitch from peg 7 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 20: purl (peg 6 to 1)

Row 21: Change to A: Knit to the last twelve stitches (peg 1 to 5). Pick up stitch from peg 6 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 22: purl (peg 5 to 1)

Row 23: Change to B: Knit to the last thirteen stitches (peg 1 to 4). Pick up stitch from peg 5 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 24: purl (peg 4 to 1)

Row 25: Change to A: Knit to the last fourteen stitches (peg 1 to 3). Pick up stitch from peg 4 and wrap peg, place stitch back on peg.

Row 26: purl (peg 3 to 1)

Row 27 (consolidation row): Change to B: Knit the entire row, picking up the wraps along the way (each peg with a wrap, treat the wrap and the stitch on the peg as one and knit them together).

Row 28: Purl (from peg 17 to peg 1).

One Wedge Completed. Complete 5 more wedges (for a total of 6)

Repeat from Row 1-Row 28.

FINISHING

Remove the stitches from row 28 and place them on a needle and graft the stitches with the stitches from the cast on row. Or, Bind off the entire last row and then seam the bind off row to the cast on row.

Steam block and it is a loomy circle!

About Designer:

Isela lives with her husband and two children in beautiful Cache Valley, Utah. During the Spring and Summer months she spends her time outside cycling, running and doing a bit of swimming; when she gets a little bored or has to put her training on hold she picks up the needles or looms and designs a few patterns. You can read more about her adventures at her PurlingSprite blog.

Contact Isela.