Happy Earth Day! For the 5th year in a row, I’m celebrating this special day with my favorite tradition – the release of two special towel patterns, free for three days only! I am thrilled to add these two patterns to my stack of eco-friendly designs and to be able to offer them to all of you for free for a limited time! Scroll down to find the new Cabin and Cottage Cloth patterns for free through Sunday, April 24th, 2022 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 Cool Earth.
Earth Day, of course, is a chance for us to celebrate all this beautiful planet provides to us and an opportunity to re-evaluate how we are giving back to her. Sustainability has become a key component of nearly every industry, and knitwear biz is no different. Recycled fibers, repurposed projects, and an emphasis on slow fashion have all gained momentum in recent years, both in the handmade sector and in the high fashion world as well.
The mission of saving the planet can seem overwhelming, but the small steps we can take each day to help protect the Earth do add up. Eating less meat, choosing to support sustainable clothing and furniture brands, shopping local, utilizing public transportation, selecting eco-friendly energy sources, among many other things all make an impact. While you may not be able to live a completely carbon neutral life, making as many eco-friendly choices as you can is always better than making none at all.
Even when it comes to making your own clothes, there are things to consider, such as your fiber choice. When it comes to the yarn industry, just like the fashion industry, there are a lot of discussions on sustainable and eco-friendly fibers. Acrylic often gets a bad rap for releasing microplastics into waterways, but there are other benefits to it such as accessibility, affordability, and the fact that it causes less allergies. Many “eco-friendly” yarns are actually problematic as well. Did you know, for instance, that it takes up to 2700 liters of water to produce one cotton shirt, or that wool production is linked to several harmful impacts on the planet? It’s a complicated and layered conversation, and it seems that most choices come at an expense.
I think it’s important to consider these things before we pass judgment on others for their choices. We do not see the full lifestyle of an individual through their social media personas, so there’s really no way to know what choices they are making behind the screen. Perhaps the person using only acrylic yarn is vegan. Perhaps the person buying organic cotton eats red meat every day. Each has a positive and negative impact. I try to remind myself of this while I try to make better choices where I can and when I can.
Committing to reusable bags is another small way to help reduce your footprint, and what better way than to knit or crochet those items too!? Here are a some of my favorite bags that are great for all kinds of shopping, grocery or otherwise:
Even though I am totally slammed working on my spring/summer collection, I couldn’t let Earth Day pass without designing the Cottage and Cabin Cloths. It’s something I look forward to each year, and I’m always jotting down sketches and ideas to a notebook where I keep all of my ideas for future towel patterns.
This year my inspiration came from the idea of a cozy seaside or mountaintop escape. Maybe it’s because I’ve been cooped up in the Catskills working on the new collection, or all of the British crime dramas set in the vast and mysterious countryside that I’ve been watching, but the mood is definitely rustic and functional.
Read about the inspo behind the previous four years’ towels here:
2018: Alsace and Marseille Tea Towels
2019: Barrow and Waverly Hand Towels
2020: Brimfield and Berkshire Dishcloths
2021: Bistro and Mercantile Kitchen Cloths
As per tradition, these patterns will be available for free here on the blog for three days from 4/22/22 through 4/24/22. Starting on 4/25/22, they will only be available for purchase as printer-friendly, ad-free PDFs. The PDFs are part of my “Purposeful Patterns” initiative, whereby $1 from the sale of each pattern will be donated to a worthy cause.
This year I chose to support Cool Earth, a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing climate change through the protection of rainforests, by giving control back to the people who live in them. According to their site,
“Indigenous peoples and local communities have lived in balance with rainforest for thousands of years and are the real rainforest experts. They are people who face extreme injustice whilst living on the front line of the climate crisis. We champion the relationship between people, rainforest and climate.
Cool Earth exists to give cash direct to rainforest communities, to fund projects that create choice, tackle the root causes of deforestation and protect vital carbon sinks. This is our mission. To back people, to protect the rainforest and fight the climate crisis.”
Giving back through my Purposeful Patterns initiative is another small way I aim to make a positive impact, and I love taking the time to learn about incredible organizations like Cool Earth.
Please enjoy the following patterns !
The Cabin Cloth
With a sophisticated rustic look, the Cabin Cloth feels both modern and classic. The simple stitches play back and forth to create a cozy, woodsy-chic textured fabric.
Purchase the printer-friendly, ad-free PDF here.
Skill Level: Easy (level 2)
Materials:
2 skeins Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Taupe
(worsted, weight 4; 186yds/170m per skein)
Size H/8 (5mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Gauge: 16 sts x 14 rows = 4”/10cm in alpine stitch
Dimensions:
Width: 13”/33cm
Length: 18”/46cm
Abbreviations:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
Ch – chain
Dc – double crochet
Fpdc – front post double crochet
Rep – Repeat
RS – right side
Sc – single crochet
Sk – skip
St(s) – Stitch(es)
WS – wrong side
Notes: Towel is worked flat from the bottom up in back and forth rows – turn at the end of each row. The ch 2 at the beginning of each dc row counts as a stitch; therefore, skip the first stitch of each dc row and work the last st of each sc row into the top of the turning ch from the row below.
Ch 53.
Row 1 (WS): Starting in 2nd ch from hook and working in the back bumps of the foundation ch, sc across row. (52 sts)
Row 2 (RS): Ch 2 (counts as a st here and throughout), dc across row.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc across row.
Row 4: Ch 2, *fpdc around the next dc 2 rows below and sk the sc behind it, dc in the next sc and sk the dc below it, rep from * to last st, dc in last st.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc across row.
Row 6: Ch 2, *dc in the next sc with a fpdc below it, fpdc around the next dc 2 rows below and sk the sc behind it, rep from * to last st, dc in last st.
Row 7: Ch 1, sc across row.
Row 8: Ch 2, *fpdc around the next dc 2 rows below and sk the sc behind it, dc in the next sc with a fpdc below it, rep from * to last st, dc in last st.
Row 9: Ch 1, sc across row.
Rows 10-61: Rep rows 6-9, 13 more times.
Rows 62+63: Rep rows 6 and 7, 1 more time.
Do not fasten off.
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.
The Cottage Cloth
With its charming and classic appeal, the Cottage Cloth is ideal for any home. Simple repetitive stitches come together to form a sophisticated pattern with a countryside feel that’s both intriguing and comforting.
Purchase the printer-friendly, ad-free PDF here.
Skill Level: Beginner (level 1)
Materials:
2 skeins Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Ecru
(worsted, weight 4; 186yds/170m per skein)
Size US 6 (4mm) knitting needles
Tapestry needle
Gauge: 22 sts x 32 rows = 4”/10cm in seersucker stitch
Dimensions:
Width: 13”/33cm
Length: 18”/46cm
Abbreviations:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
CO – Cast on
K – Knit
P – Purl
Rep – Repeat
RS – right side
St(s) – Stitch(es)
WS – wrong side
Wyib – with yarn in back
Wyif – with yarn in front
Notes: Towel is worked flat. All stitches are slipped purlwise. A stitch chart is provided below.
CO 71.
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1 wyib, *K 2, P 1, K 1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K 2.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1 wyif, P 1, *P 1, K 1, P 2, rep from * to last st, P 1.
Row 3: Sl 1 wyib, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K 2.
Row 4: Sl 1 wyif, P 1, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to last st, P 1.
Row 5: Sl 1 wyib, *P 1, K 3, rep from * to last 2 sts, P 1, K 1.
Row 6: Sl 1 wyif, K1, *P 3, K 1, rep from * to last st, P 1.
Row 7: Sl 1 wyib, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to last 2 sts, K 2.
Row 8: Sl 1 wyif, P 1, *K 1, P 1, rep from * to last st, P 1.
Rows 9-144: Rep rows 1-8, 17 more times.
Rows 145+146: Rep rows 1 and 2, 1 more time.
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.
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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.
