Free Beginner's Crochet Dishcloth Pattern :: and Learning to Read a Pattern

If you've been following along with my Blue Corduroy Crochet Lessons series, you now should know how to make a slip knot, do a chain stitch, and single crochet.  

Ready to make a cotton dishcloth and practice your new skills?

This Free Crochet Dishcloth Pattern is the perfect way for you to put your new skill into action creating a useful item.  There are three variations on the single crochet stitch to help you improve your skills and keep you interested.  One is the basic single crochet, the second helps you get in the rhythm of skipping stitches and doubling up on stitches, and the third is a combination pattern including chain stitches and single crochet stitches. 

Reading a Crochet Pattern

Learning how to read a crochet pattern can take a bit of practice.  The key is understanding the abbreviations used.  It can feel a bit like cryptic code solving.  Because we're starting off with a basic pattern, there are only 2 abbreviations you need to crack this code!

CH = chain stitch.  The pattern will tell you when to chain stitch and how many to do.  

SC= single crochet. The pattern tells you when and where to make each single crochet.

The other thing I find useful when following a pattern is to not get overwhelmed with trying to understand the whole pattern all at once.  If I just take it one direction, one stitch at a time, then I usually find it much easier to comprehend.

The pattern will also suggest what yarn to choose and which crochet hook to use.  So you don't have to wander around the yarn shop getting distracted by all the beautiful options!

Enjoy making your cotton crochet dishcloths, I'd love to see yours when you're done!

Enjoy making your cotton dishcloths, I'd love to see yours when you're done!

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How to Play Hopscotch Like a Kid

Do you remember how?  I thought my girls might be too old now to want to play hopscotch, but we were just all out in the street, remembering and learning the fine strategies of this centuries old game, and loving it! 

When I brushed up on the rules, I read that it was a game the Roman soldiers used to play to practice coordination.  Can you imagine a bunch of grown men playing hopscotch?

As soon as we started playing, I was instantly eight again.  Long skinny tan summer legs, and stringy blonde hair and all.  There's something about playing that does that to you.  Makes you feel like a kid again.  And I liked that.  I wonder if the Roman Soldiers got that same feeling when they played. 

I also liked that my girls were having fun.  They didn't think they were too old to play either.  Why should they.  It feels good to feel like a kid.  To just play.  Not worry about the dishes, tomorrow, or what other people are thinking.  I'm thankful that my ten and thirteen year old are still just girls and enjoy playing like the girls they are.

Well, do you remember how to play hopscotch?  

1)  You'll need to gather some place markers.  We painted some rocks to use as our markers, but quickly decided as we played, how much easier it was to use bean bags.  The bean bags stayed right where they were thrown, rather than rolling away like the rocks did.  But you could use what ever you have.  My neighbor told us she used a chunky link of chain, it was her hopscotch winner when she was a kid.

2) Grab your chalk and draw your grid.  10 spaces total.  I'm sure you could get creative with your design.  We stuck with the classic model.

3) First player throws their marker into space #1, hops over that space, and into every space up to ten, one foot at a time, unless the spaces are next to each other, then you can put two feet down into each space (like our 4 and 5 spaces).  When you get to ten, you turn around (feel free to put both feet down here, or to make it more challenging you'll have to only stay on one foot while your turn).  When you make your way back before you get to where your marker is, you bend down, pick it up, then hop into that space and off you go.

4)  If you did all of step 3 without falling out of the squares you get to go again.  Try throwing your rock, bean bag, whatever into space #2.  If you make it repeat the rest of step 3.  If you miss your throw, set your maker back into the previous space and let the next player take their turn.

5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you make it up to #10.  The first person to get their marker to the top space wins!

Wikihow has the full directions plus some fun variations to hopscotch.

Let the Children Play had a great idea of extended hopscotch to help with number counting, and extra energy!

And if you can't get enough of hopscotch and want some more fun games to play this summer, you may find some fun ones on this post from The 36th Avenue

Crafting with kids :: Fourth of July American Flags

The girls just love waving American flags on the fourth of July, and this year we made our own!  We invited a couple friends over, got out the paints, and made a fun afternoon of it.

My first plan of action, always, when crafting with kids, is to gather my materials ahead of time.  We headed to the beach to collect our flag poles, aka driftwood.  We also got the acrylic paint, fabric glue, foam paintbrushes, and a star hole punch from our local craft supply shop.  And then I cut some white sheets into rectangles.

The girls kept the far left side of the flag white, since that will be the part that rolls around and gets glued to the driftwood.  Red stripes, and a blue field to start with.  Best to let this layer dry for a few minutes.

Next step was to make a star stencil with the star hole punch.  The girls were extra excited about the stars!

Painting over the blue field with the star stencils and white paint.  Make sure the blue paint is well dry before you do this step.

I loved all the star patterns.  No two flags were alike.  Maybe not historically accurate, but who's counting. 

The final step was putting a line of glue on the back of the blue edge of the flag, put the driftwood on the glue, roll the fabric around the wood once and put another line of glue down to hold the fabric in place.

And then forever wave your banner high!