Learning: The Spike Stitch

I've had a photo of the spike stitch over at a  Pinterest  board of crochet items I wanted to make. I had wanted to try this and yesterday I saw the pattern for it  at Crochet Me,  reminding me to get started.
So I got started, using Elann's Lara cotton in marine, oasis and butter. One change I did was to use hdc for the spikes, which made for a defined strip, which is okay for this.The stitch is easy to learn. The cloth made is stiff, but I'm using cotton. I'm going to try it on worsted wool. I thought of making a dishcloth but instead will make a sewing needle case.

Sweet Little Doily

I've had a very busy week of designing one-skein cotton wonders culminating into a very nice potholder/hotpad I made for a swap at Crochetville, more dishcloths, coasters, coin purses, and learning the spike stitch (pictures next post). I also designed and finished a bucket hat. So after the crocheting frenzy, I rewarded myself with this sweet little doily from an old Magic Crochet magazine. Size 10 white thread with size 7 steel hook, pretty for a coaster. It took me two Leverage episodes to make.

New Dishcloths/Washcloths

Washcloths of 100% cotton, 8" x8", single crochet ripples. I'm making several, eventually for sale for $6.99 each. Colors: Spa white, goldenrod, kiwi, thus far. I might add an aqua or ice blue.

I love these, especially the white. They fit in with my "spa" bathroom, hold soap well, great exfoliant, durable, washable, and very pretty. I'm also making goat milk soap bars in creamy white and kiwi green like the washcloths, with the "Twilight"-type calming fragrance, and a blood orange energizing fragrance to eventually sell. I'm trying out the soap fragrance to see if the colors will change. Last February I made chocolate-scented soap and the colors and the fragrance changed over time.

Below are several new dishcloths I made for my own use. I've been making and using crocheted dishcloths for years, using a hodge podge of different patterns, sizes and shapes. This time I'm using the single crochet ridged pattern, 6.5"x 6.5";  fits in my hands, holds soap, doesn't ravel, washes well, stays in shape, stays pretty. The tri-colored one in the middle was my take on the candy corn colors :)

More later.