Two years ago I started a tradition. In 2018, on a whim, I designed a couple of tea towels that I thought would be fun to share for Earth Day as a way to encourage a more zero waste mindset in the kitchen. I had no idea that I was designing what would instantly become two of my most successful patterns to this day! The and Tea Towels turned out to be some of your favorite designs, and it sparked an idea to make this annual project. Last year I released the and Hand Towels for Earth Day and they too have become top sellers. So what do I have up my sleeve this year? Introducing the Brimfield and Berkshire Dishcloths! Scroll down for both patterns.
In keeping with tradition, I’ve designed two new eco-friendly patterns – one knit, and one crochet – that will be free starting today for three days! You can find these designs below until Friday, April 24th at 11:59pm EST, after which they will return to normal pricing and join my Purposeful Patterns initiative whereby $1 from the sale of each pattern will be donated to the . The mission of the NRDC is to protect the basics – air, land, and water – and to defend endangered natural places, with an eye toward how these long-term decisions affect humans.
Last year when I designed the Barrow and Waverly Hand Towels for Earth Day 2019, I spoke about the organization and their work to save the soil, which is what many scientists and environmentalists have claimed to be a key strategy in preventing the extinction of life on earth as we know it. In the Dr. Zach Bush mentions that the Earth is so willing to return to balance if we just give her the chance. He says that just one year after implementing organic farming practices on previously barren land, an influx of animals and insects return and the fertility of the soil improves dramatically.
Sharp declines in air and water pollution have been seen in the time that our world has been put on pause due to COVID-19. Wildlife is returning to habitats previously taken over by human traffic. According to Gina McCarthy, head of the NRDC, some Indian people are able to see the Himalayas for the first time due to the veil of air pollution lifting. I hope we can all recognize how much work we still have to do and the dramatic measures it takes to reverse the damage that has been done. It will be so important for us to continue our efforts to save our planet!
While replacing paper towels with reusable dishcloths is only a small step in the enormous fight to save the planet, it’s small steps that will lead to big impact. I hope these handmade beauties will serve as a reminder to make choices each day that will help our world and future generations.
The inspiration for these designs came from classic gingham or checked towels. I put on a modern spin on them and chose unique colorwork patterns that offer a bold but sophisticated aesthetic. Each towel takes only two skeins (one of each color) of Lion Brand Yarn Re-Up, which at only $1.99/skein will cost you less than $4 per towel to make! Re-Up is eco-friendly in its own regard as it is made up of 85% recycled cotton and 15% polyester. It takes approximately 20,000 liters of water to make 1 kilogram of cotton, so by using each 70 gram ball of Re-Up instead of another kitchen cotton you are saving 1,400 liters of water.
The Brimfield Dishcloth
The Brimfield Dishcloth is an easy level knitting pattern and the techniques involved are the knit stitch, slipping stitches, and changing colors in rows.
MATERIALS:
1 skein Lion Brand Re-Up in Ecru (834-098) for Color A or approx. 114yds/105m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn
1 skein Lion Brand Re-Up in Denim (834-108) for Color B or approx. 114yds/105m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn
Size US 8 (5mm) knitting needles
Tapestry needle
FINISHED DIMENSIONS:
Width: 14”/35.5cm
Length: 18”/46cm
GAUGE:
16 sts + 28 rows = 4”/10cm in pattern
ABBREVIATIONS:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
CO – cast on
K – knit
Rep – repeat
RS – right side
Sl – slip
St(s) – stitch(es)
Wyif – with yarn in front
Notes: Dishcloth is worked bottom up in two-row stripes. Carry unused color up the side of the work. All sts are slipped purlwise.
Pattern:
With color A, CO 57.
Row 1 (RS): K.
Row 2: K 1, *Sl 1 wyif, K 1, rep from * to end of row.
Row 3: K.
Change to color B
Row 4: K 2, *Sl 1 wyif, K 1, rep from * to last st, K 1.
Row 5: K.
Rep row 2-5, changing colors as indicated every 2 rows, until work measures 18”/46cm, ending with a row 3 with color A. Do not change to color B.
Next row: Continuing with color A, rep row 4.
Bind off. Do not cut yarn, and do not pull through last stitch of work.
Hook loop:
Finger chain for approx. 4”/10cm. To do this, hold the working yarn in your left hand and use the thumb and middle finger of your right hand to reach through the loop of the last stitch, grab the working yarn, pull a loop through the last stitch and pull it taught. Then reach through that loop, grab the working yarn, pull through another loop and pull it taught. Continue in this manner until the chains measure 4”/10cm.
Cut the yarn and draw the tail through the final loop/chain. Thread tail onto tapestry needle, and secure to base of chains to form a loop at the corner of the towel.
Secure and weave in all ends.
The Berkshire Dishcloth
The Berkshire Dishcloth is an easy level crochet pattern and the techniques involved are the single crochet stitch and the single crochet 2 together decrease.
MATERIALS:
1 skein Lion Brand Re-Up in Grey (834-149) for Color A or approx. 114yds/105m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn
1 skein Lion Brand Re-Up in Navy (834-110) for Color B or approx. 114yds/105m of another worsted weight (cat. 4) yarn
Size US J/10 (6mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
FINISHED DIMENSIONS:
Width: 14”/35.5cm
Length: 18”/46cm
Gauge:
14 sts + 12 rows = 4”/10cm in pattern
Abbreviations:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
Ch – chain
Rep – repeat
RS – right side
Sc – single crochet
Sc2tog – single crochet 2 together
St(s) – stitch(es)
Notes: Dishcloth is worked flat, bottom up, in single row stripes using tapestry crochet. To do so, lay the unused color on top of the previous row and work over it with the current color. This stitch can tighten easily, so make sure to work chains within pattern loosely and evenly and give a gentle tug at the end of each row widthwise to prevent the tapestry crochet floats from pulling in on the fabric. On odd rows, single crochets are worked into chains rather than chain spaces. To change color, work the last yarn over of the previous stitch in the new color. Turn at the end of each row.
Pattern:
With color A, ch 50.
Row 1: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc across row. (49 sts)
Change to color B and carry color A.
Row 2: Ch 1, *sc2tog, ch 1, rep from * to last st, sc 1.
Change to color A and carry color B.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc into each st and ch across row.
Change to color B and carry color A.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc 1, *ch 1, sc2tog, rep from * across row.
Change to color A and carry color B.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc into each st and ch across row.
Rep rows 2-5, changing colors as indicated every row, until work measures 18”/46cm, ending with a row with color A. Do not change to color B.
Hook loop:
Ch tightly for approx. 4”/10cm. Cut the yarn and draw the tail through the final loop/chain. Thread tail onto tapestry needle, and secure to base of chains to form a loop at the corner of the towel.
Secure and weave in all ends.
Looking for other ways to reduce waste in your daily routine? Check out the and patterns!
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The patterns and photographs of items on this site are the property of Two of Wands and are for personal, non-commercial use only. These patterns files are protected by US copyright, and you may not distribute or sell them electronically or physically. Small batch sales of finished pieces made from these patterns are permitted, but seller must use their own photographs and credit must be given to Two of Wands as the designer.
