Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Summer Camp Cloth Series Preview

Hi Knitters,
I've just returned from my Northwoods excursion. We snuck away for a long weekend in northern Wisconsin which is always a treat. We stayed at this funny little "resort" that from the minute we arrived I felt as though I had stepped back in time. This spot was stuck, in a good way, somewhere in the 1950's or '60's or maybe even the '70's. It was a throw back to when all was good and simple and when a yearly visit to summer camp was a given. I really felt like I was returning to my childhood days at my grandparents' cabin in the quaint little location of Nisswa, Minnesota. It was all a little dated and rustic but always good old-fashioned fun.
Before we left I threw a bunch of hand-wound balls of Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton in my knitting bag with no real intentions. At one point the rest of the family took off from the boat house in a little fishing boat for the afternoon. Peachy and I took the joined wooden seats with the table in between. Peachy read her novel and I pulled out my Skinny Cotton and started to knit a square. That's right, a little square. Love on the lake over-took me.

Now, you know I like a good, solid knit washcloth or dishcloth. The Skinny Cotton is a treat and a half, to say the least. It is perfection for any kind of cloth and if you want stitch definition, Skinny is your girl. Well, I couldn't stop with the cloths and I couldn't stop thinking about being at summer camp.

Thus my new cloth series begins, entitled...

Summer Camp Cloth Series!
I have the first 4 cloths in the series finished! By the way, I call them cloths because they could be washcloths for you or a sweet baby or child, or dishcloths to use in your kitchen sink, or dusting cloths to gently dust your home furnishings. I use them for all of these things.

The acorn soap was freshly sliced off the block for me last week at The Soap Opera on State Street in downtown Madison. Peachy goes crazy in this shop smelling everything she can get her hands on. It is really funny. She dabbed different lotions in spots going all the way from her wrist to her shoulder. Then she would ask me to smell a certain little spot on her arm. Love her. You can order soap from them online or over the phone. It is a cool local shop.
As we hiked, boated, ran and biked I took note of all of the names of the places around our resort. Boy, are the names ever interesting in the Northwoods. All of the cloths in this series are named after some of my favorites spots at and near our family summer camp.

Here's to introducing:
Lake Minocqua...
Bearskin Trail...
Kawaga Trestle...
and lastly, Northwood Pines.

All of the cloths look fantastic from the front and back and could also be knit in different gauges and yarns. They all would make fantastic scarves by extending the length. That would be super easy and fun.

All 4 of these cloth designs are going to be bundled up and put into one handy pdf pattern for you to purchase in my online pattern shop, if interested, in the very near future. I'll let you know as soon as the pattern is available. I am hoping in a day or two.

Click here to see my online pattern shop! Please note that I am previewing the Summer Camp Cloth Series today and will have the pattern available very soon. I will have a second set available coming quickly after the first goes up for purchase.
Ahhhhh.....
best, susie

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, that's nice! What was the name of the place you were at? We just spent a week at Callaway in Georgia which sounds very similar, but also costs a fortune. They have a giant filtered lake to swim in, but the last two times we've been there I've ended up really sick from the water.

I crocheted my first washcloth about a month ago, just a simple one, but I wasn't that pleased with it. All of our towels, cloths, dishclothes, etc. are store bought and they all seem to be a standard size and we fold them into quarters - all nice and tidy. This one sort of doesn't fit the mold so to say. You can't fold it and put it with the linens and have it look right. How do you store yours?

Sarah

Terrie D. (StarSpry) said...

Looks like a beautiful vacation spot :) Your cloths look great! I love the names for this series of cloths :)

Creative Design said...

Love the cloths! Yours have a nice style to them. I sell some not as fancy ones in my etsy.com/shop/sheilalikestoknit and give them many times as gifts! Always a hit! You go to such beautiful places on your time off! Of course, if you take knitting with you....it's never time off from that! How great!

Best,
Sheila

Unknown said...

I love to read your blogs, Susan. We enjoy getaways in similar places in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan too. Thanks for sharing a piece of your life with all of us. These cloths are really pretty and would make a wonderful gift for "the hostess with the mostess"!!

MaryLou said...

I enjoy knitting little washcloths just for an easy relaxing break and just love these cloth patterns. You always make everything look so simple and natural! I will look forward to getting the patterns.

Unknown said...

Susan, you make it seem so simple... just put some yarn balls in the bag and knit away, and you'll have beautifully designed washcloth or anything in that matter.

Stefanie said...

You and your ohana take some of the best vacays!

forevermore said...

Oooohhh ahhhh - named "cloths" - love it!!! Makes them so personal!

Liz said...

Susan these will be great to include in a spa set for Christmas gifts I want to give my son's therapists! I'll keep an eye out for the patterns...

Liz said...

Susan these will make great additions to the spa set I am planning for Christmas gifts for my son's therapists! I'll keep an eye out for the patterns...

barb said...

What a wonderful weekend. You are living what I want my life to be. I LOVE camping in tents or renting cottages. I haven't been able to go since 2003. I miss it so much. I used to go camping in Canada, me, my 2 Yorkies and my Great Dane, in a tent, in the woods. I would go for a week and my 12 cousins would join me at the end of the week. At that time I would read, I wasn't knitting yet. Now, I would love to sit on the shore of Lake Huron and knit.

Your summer cloths are wonderful. I can't wait for the patterns to show up.

Anonymous said...

What a great collection of cloths—love the stitches and the colors—so pretty. I just recently finished a project with Skinny—my first ever with this wonderful yarn. I am in love—it's a dream to knit and the colors are scrumptious.

Anonymous said...

Oh! I just love what you did. Looks like the perfect xmas gift for teachers, bus drivers and the like!
Can't wait to see the patterns.

Leanne from NJ