A lot of times beginning knitter and crochet books will tell the new crafter to make a scarf.
Boooring!
Your first project will probably look like crap, so why torture yourself with a huge time-suck like a scarf that you won’t wear anyway? But a washcloth can be both crappy AND useful all at the same time.
The reasons why I think washcloths are great starting projects:
- It’s small, and can be worked up in a few hours even if you are a slow Knooker.
- You’ll get to practice casting on, knitting and/or purling and casting off.
- It’s small enough you won’t have time to get bored.
- It’s portable, you can hide it in your purse and Knook at work.
- Washcloths are useful all year long, scarves are not.
- If you need to rip back or frog the whole thing, it’s only a few rows.
- If it looks ugly you can always use it to scrub your kitchen counters or bathroom.
- If it’s really ugly you can always toss it in the trash and never speak of it again.
“Washcloth? What washcloth?” 
I’m happy to present to you, my first Knooking Patterns:
Knooking 101 & 102: Washcloths are a Knookers Best Friend
Who knew swatches could be so useful?
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Download one or both, depending on how adventurous you’re feeling! Knitting 101 is a Garter Stitch Washcloth, and Knitting 102 is a Stockinette Washcloth with a Garter Stitch border.
There is nothing particularly special about these patterns except that I wrote the directions with the new Knooker in mind, with some tips for dealing with the holding cord and links to the tutorials in case they are needed. Simply click on the patterns below to download.
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I’d love to see how your projects turn out. Please link us up in the comment section and our Ravelry group! For more fun washcloth patterns, I highly recommend the ones at Knitting Knonsense. They have ABCs and 123s, not to mention animals, seasons, holidays and more. Quick and fun!
Comments on: "Your First Knooking Projects" (15)
“a washcloth can be both crappy AND useful all at the same time.”
Plus quick and simple. Ingenious! I love your style !!
I’ve just joined your Ravelry group. I love what you are doing. I’m looking forward to lots of new knooking patterns
just found you. what a great thing you have done.can not wait to give this a good try. so will hope this left handed person can do it. thanks
cathy
Thanks you so much for bringing this to us! I have been trying to figure out how I could make knit and purl stitches using a crochet hook without using the tuscanian method. This is perfect! On my way to join your Ravelry group
I just found this and I love it. Knitting has been hurting my arm, and crochet is really my first love anyway. I made the Knooking 102 cloth, and I am hooked! (Yes, pun intended!) I joined the Ravelry group as well! I had to create my own hook, I just taped a piece of cording to the bottom of a hook I had, and it worked great. I will be trying to get some “real” hooks, however. (Can you have enough?) I am now trying another washcloth design, the basic one with the yarn overs. Thanks for bringing this information to us!
Wow! I’ve been wanting to knit for a long time…I can knit & purl but it’s always been slow going for me so I just stuck to crochet–I learned how to do tunisian crochet but this…waayy closer to knitting. Thanks so much for this! I guess I’ll be following Michelle’s strategy until I get one of those hooks!
Hi Photogenic,
I lead our crochet club at Debbie Macombers A Good Yarn Shop in Port Orchard, WA.
The ladies (no men yet – but they are free to join) would like to learn knooking and I am setting up a class.
Would it be ok to make copies of your two washcloth patterns to use in the class.
Thank you in Advance.
Andrea
I would love to learn knooking but if I cannot download your instructions for this simple washcloth, I cannot properly learn and I can’t download unless I upload something I don’t know how to do..(?????). You might want to think about giving a newcomer a little wiggle room.
I’m sorry you are having difficulty downloading the patterns. If you look carefully at the top of the box surrounding the pattern you should see three options: Download, Print and Fullscreen. Have you tried clicking on them to save the patterns?
Knooking – washcloths are a good way to learn – and with enough of these sewn together will make a nice afghan.
Now all I have to do is find a knooking needle. Seems to me that knooking is like knitting with 1 needle (being a crochet hook instead) with the cord being the other needle.
found a knooking kit at walmart! Yay!
I recently saw a knook kit at Walmart, and then looked it up on the internet. It seems an interesting concept – the speed of crochet with the look of knitting. I just wish the developer had taken it to the next level – circular needles with a regular knitting needle at one end and a crochet hook at the other. It would be like easy continental knitting! No trying to spear your stitches on a floppy edge, no having to pull the cord along. Does anyone know of a device like this? That type of knook I would buy!
I recently learned to crochet. I love it. I tried knitting first but felt stupid when I could not even cast on. I seem to love the knit look though, and also have a habit of crocheting very tight. Would the knook be alright for someone who can not master the art of knitting?
I also like the fact that I can crochet a beanie from start to finish in about 3 hours. Is this just as quick?
Always wanted to try this knooking