The tradition is still alive! For the seventh year now I am back with a special Earth Day pattern drop – two towel patterns that are free for three days only. This year is all about the texture and I’m thrilled to share these two beauties with you. Scroll down to find the new Pelada and Marbella Towel patterns for free through Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 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 Earth Justice – and the best part is, every donation made in the month of April will be matched $2:$1!
I think it’s fair to assume (I hope) that by now we are all aware of the changes we can make in our daily lives to help prevent the pollution of our dear planet. Recycling, composting, choosing sustainable food sources, planting trees, opting for slow fashion, eliminating plastic, choosing walking over driving, saving water, reducing our consumption in general – it all contributes to a healthier Earth. We have so many choices in each day that can either help or harm the planet, and days like this are a good reminder to be thoughtful and re-evaluate where we can make positive changes.
While we can make lots of little changes in our own lives, it’s also important to remember that we vote with our dollars. Major corporations are among the biggest contributors to climate change and when we shop with them we are part of that puzzle. The top six polluting industries are fossil fuel, agriculture, fashion, food, transportation, and construction. A lack of regulations can lead to disastrous environmental impact, and knowing where your money is ultimately ending up politically is often one of the most overlooked ways of supporting the planet. Did you know that the average consumer funds politicians and PACs about three times more through their purchasing choices than through direct political contributions? Interested in learning where your favorite brands and companies stand and to which political parties they contribute? Check out Open Secrets, Goods Unite Us, and Buy Partisan where you can search for them and learn about their political donations.
Another thing to look out for when shopping is the ever escalating concept of greenwashing. Greenwashing is the “act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental benefits of a product or practice” and it preys consumers who think they are making smart purchasing choices all the while they are actually harmfully contributing to the problem. It has become a major issue in marketing as consumers become more educated on their environmental impact and seek out brands that align with their beliefs. I found this round up of 30 companies called out for serious greenwashing last year. Here is another list of the top 10 from the previous year.
On the flip side are initiatives like 1% For the Planet, a global network of businesses working to support the planet. By joining this program, businesses give 1% of their annual sales directly to their vetted environmental partners.
As crafters we are very familiar with the phrase “slow fashion” and of course taking the time to create your own clothing, accessories, and home decor makes you appreciate each piece even more. Reusable handmade bags are always some of my favorite earth-friendly projects, and I have several patterns available if you’re interested!
When I design my Earth Day towels, I usually focus on either texture or colorwork, and this year it was all about the texture! I am spending the whole month of April in Costa Rica, and I took inspiration from the small rolling waves to create timeless, serene, meditative stitch patterns.
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
2022: Cottage and Cabin Cloths
2023: Eagle Rock and Silver Lake Towels
As per tradition, these patterns will be available for free here on the blog for three days from 4/22/24 through 4/24/24. Starting on 4/25/24, 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’ve chosen to donate to Earthjustice, an organization wielding the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people’s health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change, as they are matching every donation $2:$1 during the month of April!
I urge you to take a look at their site to learn more about their work and impact!
And now, without further ado …
Please enjoy the following patterns !
The Pelada Towel
Inspired by repetitive crashing waves, the Pelada Towel is a meditative project with a serene feel. The textural fabric is calming and intriguing and makes for a quick and elegant finished piece.
Purchase the printer-friendly, ad-free PDF here.
Skill Level: Beginner (level 1)
Materials:
2 skeins Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Taupe
(worsted, weight 4; 186yds/170m per skein)
Size US 6 (4mm) knitting needles
Tapestry needle
Gauge: 19 sts x 22 rows = 4”/10cm in pattern
Sizes: One size
Dimensions:
Width: 14”/35.5cm
Length: 18”/46cm
Abbreviations:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
CO – Cast on
K – Knit
LP st – Loop stitch
P2tog – Purl 2 together
Rep – Repeat
RS – right side
St(s) – Stitch(es)
WS – wrong side
Stitch Explanation:
Loop stitch (LP st) – insert right needle between 1st and 2nd sts on left needle, yarn over and draw through a loop onto the right needle without removing any sts from the left needle. (1 st increased)
Notes: Towel is worked flat. Each loop stitch on right side rows increases the stitch count by one, which is then decreased back to the original stitch count on the following wrong side row. Due to the nature of the stitch pattern, the fabric will lean significantly – blocking the final piece will resolve this.
CO 65 sts.
Row 1 (RS): K 1, *LP st, K 2, rep from * to end of row.
Row 2 (WS): K 1, *K 1, P2tog, rep from * to end of row.
Row 3: K 2, *LP st, K 2, rep from * to last st, K 1.
Row 4: K 3, *P2tog, K 1, rep from * to end of row.
Rep rows 1-4 until work measures 18”/46cm.
Do not cut yarn, and do not pull through last st of work.
Hook loop:
Finger chain for approx. 3”/7.5cm. To do so, 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 taut. Then reach through that loop, grab the working yarn, pull through another loop and pull it taut. Continue in this manner until the chains measure 3”/7.5cm.
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.
Block work to resolve leaning. Secure and weave in all ends.
The Marbella Towel
With its tranquil texture resembling cascading waves, the Marbella Towel evokes a peaceful seaside locale. The easy repetitive stitches bring a meditative feel both during the process of making it and once complete.
Purchase the printer-friendly, ad-free PDF here.
Skill Level: Beginner (level 1)
Materials:
2 skeins Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in Silver
(worsted, weight 4; 186yds/170m per skein)
Size H/8 (5mm) crochet hook
Tapestry needle
Gauge: 16 sts x 18 rows = 4”/10cm in pattern
Sizes: One size
Dimensions:
Width: 14”/35.5cm
Length: 18”/46cm
Abbreviations:
*All Two of Wands patterns are written in standard US terms
Ch – chain
Hdc – half double crochet
Rep – repeat
Sc – single crochet
Sl st – slip stitch
St(s) – stitch(es)
Notes: Towel is worked flat from the bottom up in back and forth rows – turn at the end of each row.
Ch 57.
Row 1 (RS): Starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc across row. (56 sts)
Row 2 (WS): Ch 1, sc 1, (hdc 1, sl st 1) to last 2 sts, hdc 1, sc 1.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc across row.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc 1, (sl st 1, hdc 1) to last 2 sts, sl st 1, sc 1.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc across row.
Rep rows 2-5 until work measures 18”/46cm.
Do not fasten off.
Hook loop:
Ch tightly for approx. 3”/7.5cm. 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.
Don’t forget to share your projects made using Two of Wands patterns on Instagram with the hashtag #crewofwands so your post will get featured on my site and you’ll be in the running for monthly pattern giveaways!
Join the Crew of Wands Facebook group to connect with other makers of Two of Wands patterns for help with techniques and pattern related questions.
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.
