Bells' hand towel

Now that she's received it safe and sound, I can share the hand towel I made for Bells.

It's based on this pattern, but I made a few alterations to both simplify it and to suit the yarn I was using.

If you're interested in making it, the pattern goes something like this:

Using 8ply cotton on 4mm needles Cast on 64 stitches using colour 1.

Knit 3 Rows

Using colour 2
K7 *P2,K4* repeat to last 3 stitches, K3.
K3, P4 *K2, P4* to last 3 stitches, K3.
Repeat these two rows 3 more times. This should give you 8 rows total in colour 2.

Change to colour 1, repeat above 8 rows.

Change to colour 2, repeat above 8 rows.

Continue in this fashion until you have 8 stripes (excluding the knit stripe along the bottom in Colour 1)

Change to colour 2.
1: K2Tog across the row (32 sts)
2: K across row
3: K2Tog across the row (16 sts)
4: K across row
5: K2Tog, k across row to last 2 sts, K2Tog (14 sts)
6 - 24: Knit across row (so knit 19 rows)
25: K2Tog, k across row to last 2 sts, K2Tog (12 sts)
26: K6, yo (for buttonhole), K6 (13 sts)
27: K across row
28-30: K2Tog, k across row to last 2 sts, K2Tog (7 sts)
Bind off.

Place and sew button in appropriate place.

If you like you can give it a light steam block. You also don't need to cut the cotton at the end of each section, you can carry or twist it up the side. It may mean that there's a litle but of alternate cotton running up one side, but I don't think this looks too messy. And it's easier than sewing in ends!

This comes out as a bit of a loose weave, depending on your tension, so you could knit two strands together if you want to make it a dense fabric.

This one was made using 8ply Heirloom cotton in purple (675) and lime green (678), purchased from here for the aussies.

Enjoy :)