Last Friday, I went to “summer camp” . . . for the first time since I was a surly 14-year-old!
Okay. So it wan’t like . . . sleep-away camp or anything. It only lasted 3 hours and we didn’t make s’mores. But the arts-&-craft activities were really awesome!
I signed up for the MDK Summer Camp this year . . . where we sat around on Zoom and knit mini Sinkmates dishcloths with designer and instructor Lorilee Beltman. And . . . why, you ask . . . did I sign up for summer camp in the first place? Well. Here’s why:
- First, Lorilee Beltman is an awesome instructor. She used to own a yarn store in Grand Rapids near where I lived and worked. I visited her shop often. (There is likely still yarn from her shop in my stash.). It was nice to spend time with her again, now that she’s living in Seattle.
- Second, I love the Sinkmates pattern! I knit a few from Lorilee’s original Sinkmates pattern years ago (back when the pattern was just one-color with a contrast i-cord border). Now, Lorilee has updated her design to include so many options your head will spin! I was eager to get my mitts on her update!
- Third, I wanted to try the Rowan Cotton yarn for some dish cloths anyway. And the color pack MDK put together for camp was bright and summer-y and fun.
- Fourth . . . ummmm. . . there was a badge.
It was a great experience all around. Lorilee is a phenomenal teacher — and although I really didn’t need a class to learn the specific techniques (the dishcloth pattern is expertly written, and will be easy-to-manage for most knitters), I did get some great tips and tricks — and I learned why gauge/needle size matters for this particular pattern. (Those little minis are a great way to swatch! But if you’d rather not, just trust the pattern and use a bigger needle for the beginning i-cord than you do for the body of the dishcloth.)
As you can see from my photos, I’ve moved on to knitting the full-size version of the dishcloth now. I love the pattern! The directions are clear. The finished product is neat and tidy (with that i-cord edging up the sides!). There are so many design options that you can riff forever. And that Rowan Cotton? It. Is. A. Dream. (I will never be able to knit a dishcloth with Peaches-and-Cream again, I’m afraid.)
(I’m sure many of you will be wondering . . . what am I going to do with those minis??? Well. They make great screen cleaners . . . )
I am One Happy Camper!
(And I got a badge!)
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If you’re interested in making some Sinkmate Dishcloths and are thinking about buying the pattern, have I got a Camper Deal for you! Lorilee gave all the campers a discount code for her pattern . . . to share with our friends when we “got back home.” So. You can get $3.00 off the pattern on Ravelry with the code FRIEND. But, hurry! The code is only good through July 31!!! (Here’s the link to the pattern on Ravelry.) EDITED TO ADD: I heard through the grapevine that there’s an issue with the code on Ravelry right now, but they’re trying to fix it. Sorry for the hassle . . . I’m sure it’ll be fixed soon. AND EDITED AGAIN: It’s FIXED! The code works now! (Hurry . . . use it before July 31!)
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How about you? What are you making this week?
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PS . . . I finished my Sinkmate this morning while I drank my coffee. Super quick knit. (Stripes just knit up faster, don’t they?) And I love the yarn. (Love.) Can you say . . . new potato chip knitting?
Too. Much. Fun!! (and thank you, I will use that FRIEND code!)
This is a great pattern and I can see why you went to Summer Camp! I’m going to have to try these and with Rowan Cotton, too. (Even better than making lanyards at camp!)
There are some really cute patterns in that pack.
Glad you had a good time at camp and the bonus? No mosquito bites.
I love that I-cord edge and loop…. And I wish I loved using knitted dishcloths, because it’s such a great way for me, to practice new patterns, experiment, and get a little instant gratification! I just can’t stand how prone they are to getting stinky. Do you have a trick? (I switched, many moons ago, to the quick-dry Swedish cloths for that reason.)
I love this pattern and that I-cord edge with the hanging loop is brilliant. This could be just the thing to get me out of my current knitting slump!
I’ve been thinking of getting this pattern and now I have a discount code! Thank you. I love the I-cord edge and little hanging loop. Brilliant! Good to know about Rowan cotton too, because I can’t stand peaches & cream (hurts my hands).
I was so tempted by camp but things were WAY too busy around here!! That.Patch! I think it was last summer that I ordered some Rowan Handknit Cotton and took off on a dishcloth jag — I just knit until I used up every last bit — that yarn is SUPER dreamy and my Peaches & Cream has all been donated. There’s no turning back! Thanks for the coupon code!
Blast it… the Rav>Paypal connection appears to have a problem this morning!
I am just the sort of person who will sign up if I earn a badge (perhaps it’s from lingering resentment that I never got to do Girl Scouts as a kid?). Looks like a lot of fun, with the added benefit of ending up with some cute and useful items!
These look beautiful! Well done, camper! Thanks for signing up.–your camp counselor.
I have wondered what those minis were good for — thanks for the expo. Sadly, I have a massive stash of Sugar- and Peaches ‘n’ Cream acquired many years ago at a general store in Buffalo WY. They had the widest selection of colors in those yarns than I had ever seen. I have knit that stash down considerably, but maybe I need to just donate the d*mned stuff and get myself some Rowan Cotton.
Thanks for the discount code! I’ve purchased the pattern. They look like a lot of fun to knit.
Well done Kym. Those dish cloths look like fun and the I-cord edge makes them neat and tidy, something I always like. I have never liked to knit with Peaches and Cream. My LYS carried the Rowan Cotton so I may have to give it a try. It certainly comes in lots of pretty colors.
How fun! I bought one of the “sets” from MDK last year to knit some dishcloths which went out into the world last Christmas. I think the Rowan Cotton might be more durable as well as more fun to knit – as the spin is tighter. What do you think? This pattern looks really fun!
how fun! and Kym, your enthusiasm is contagious … not that I’m getting excited about knitting dishcloths, just getting energized and enthusiastic about the new few things I’m going to do. thank you! (also, I just finished a shawl with a 2-stitch i-cord edge and it was so much fun to knit – I looked forward to slipping that first stitch on each right side row because it just looked pretty!)