Generator for Even Dishcloth Patterns?

pinktoque · 06-30-2009, 10:42 AM

So let me explain.

There are thousands of fantastic dishcloths out there. In search of a good dishcloth to make into a set for my boss recently, I came across many dishcloths that I thought would make a neat "granny square" for a blanket. Things like a maple leaf pattern and an american flag pattern (I'm an american living in canada) and all kinds of love/wedding ones, and the list goes on and on. I saw a cute paw print one that I'd love to make to represent our pets. I was thinking that if I made a bunch of these dishcloth "squares" in something soft instead of cotton, I could put them together to create a blanket. And this blanket could be full of squares that represent various things in my husband and I's life together so far... and it could be a fantastic Christmas present.

Here's the problem. There's no "standard" size for dishcloth patterns. Some you CO 40, some you CO 32, some you CO 48, and then some you go for 50 rows, some 45 rows, etc. (You get the idea -- they're not all the same size/dimensions.) I was thinking of downloading all of the free patterns and trying to find a way to "make it work" and pick a height/width that seems average and reduce or increase patterns as needed to make them fit a standardized size, but... that may not be the best way to go about it. I need each square to be a standard size to make seaming them together on all sides doable.

So, my question... are there generators out there or some software I can use to create charts/graphs of these items where I am able to specify SET dimensions, i.e. 40 stitches wide by 50 stitches tall and make images I want to use get fitted to that? I've not created a pattern from a chart before in that way - (we're not talking about dishcloths that have fancy patters that require certain stitch counts, just the typical garter border + stockinette center with the shape of the image in garter) but I assume it'd be fairly easy once I got the hang of it.

What do you think? Is this a lost cause? What do you think the easiest route to go about this is? Should I just use what's already out there and do my best to add/reduce a few rows as needed to make the patterns fit a set size or should I try to re-create these into set dimensions myself? If anyone has any other suggestions on how to go about this project I'd love to hear them

Thanks for your input!

P.s. I've tried the knitpro generator and it doesn't seem to do what I'm thinking. Yesterday I uploaded a silhouette image of a moose to test it out, and even when I chose a set dimension and told it portrait, it turned out landscape and the number of rows/stitches I had specified were ignored. :(

auntcrafty · 06-30-2009, 03:55 PM

I haven't heard of a pattern generator like that, but I'm sure the more experienced knitters will have better advice.

I have a few thoughts, though ~
1. Tinker around with the border on each one to get the finished size you want -- add or subtract to get the cloth to the size you want
2. I've seen squares that have had to had a row of crochet around them to get them equal in size
3. When I've tried to get the same sized square to add to other knitters, I have had to adjust my needle size -- going up or down depending upon my swatch.

AH1OZ · 06-30-2009, 03:58 PM

thats a great idea!

I think the easiest way to do it would be to find all the patterns you like, and than take the largest one and covert the others to that size by adding boarders

you wouldnt have to increase the size of the pattern, just add the amount of stitches around it to make it the correct size

if someone has a program, than that would be cool! i would like the program for it!

margz3 · 06-30-2009, 04:03 PM

That would be wonderful! What I have done is find one that I like (I guess in the "larger" size) and create my own charts using excel. I try to use the basic chart of the design I like and fit it into the dimensions of the grid that I am using. So, if my main design was say, a heart, I chart it out - then use the same grid, erase what I have filled in for the pattern and use the chart outline (size) to put in the next design - always having the same number of cast on sts and rows.

Does this make sense?

pinktoque · 06-30-2009, 05:15 PM

Thanks for all of the suggestions! I think I'll go make a list of all of the patterns I want to use for this (or print them off) and then adjust the borders of the smaller ones to fit the largest one in the set. I think this makes more sense in the long run and will be easier than re-creating an entire pattern for every square I want to use.

I'll just need to pick a "neutral" square to use for fillers once I see how many designer squares I have picked out.

I'm thinking that perhaps I need to wait and see what colors we do in the living room after we buy a house later this year and then pick some varying shades of those colors in a soft acrylic to make the blanket out of? Then it can be a throw or afghan for the couch in the living room. Or I can live on the edge and not worry about colors matching and do whatever, lol. Might end up with a colorful patchwork looking finish, but so what, right? As long as it's all the same weight acrylic and I'm using the same needle size for all.

That's something else -- once I get dimensions to match up I should probably be sure I'm using the same size needle for each square, too, right? Gauge shouldn't be super important on a dishcloth, as long as I'm creating a uniform piece with the same dimensions, same yarn weight/type and same needles?

suzeeq · 06-30-2009, 06:14 PM

Make the squares to the same dimensions as the others have suggested. You may have to use different needle sizes as some patterns draw in more than others like cables so you may want to use a larger size needle. Sometimes you can make them a few stitches less depending on the pattern stitch repeat - for example, on a cable pattern use less sts in the plain knit (or rev st st) between cables to get the square the right size.