[Jeaninem71]

I have found several dishcloth patterns that I like, but would like to make them into pillows. Is there a simple way to enlarge these patterns such as just multiply each stitch by 10?

Thanks,
Jeanine

 

[butterscotch555]

just increase the stitch count and follow the pattern then that will probably work, I love the patterns that tell you what the stitch count of each pattern repeat is so that you can then make it as big as you want. Sure does simplify matters. If your pattern repeat is say 5 stitches plus any border stitches then say you want 5 repeats of the pattern, 5(pattern stitches) x 5(repeats) +3(left border stitches) +3(right border stitches) =31 stitches for your pillow or whatever you need.

Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you even more.

 

[Jeaninem71]

What if it doesn't tell the stitch count? I guess I can experiment a little.

 

[butterscotch555]

What if it doesn't tell the stitch count? I guess I can experiment a little.

can you post some of the pattern? 1 or 2 lines of the pattern should be enough if it keeps to the same stitch count per line. Sometimes you'll find one that will change but most of the time each line will be the same stitch count for each pattern repeat.

 

[butterscotch555]

Or better yet a link to the pattern either here or PM me and I'll see if I can figure it out for you. If it's paid for pattern don't put it on here cause of copywrite issues.

I love dishcloths and have made lots of them.

 

[Jeaninem71]

I can figure out the number of stitches a pattern has, but how do I take for example a 6" square dishcloth and make it a 14" square by keeping the pattern looking the same.

I know that there are patterns that give the multiple of stitches that the pattern is on and I can knit up a swatch and then figure out the stitches per inch, but what if the pattern doesn't give that multiple number? Do I just need to knit it up and then figure that out?

I just thought if there was some type of easy way or an equation I could do it would be faster than knitting up the pattern first.

Thanks for your help

What if it doesn't tell the stitch count? I guess I can experiment a little.

can you post some of the pattern? 1 or 2 lines of the pattern should be enough if it keeps to the same stitch count per line. Sometimes you'll find one that will change but most of the time each line will be the same stitch count for each pattern repeat.

 

[Southern Perl]

I have a pattern that I use for a dishcloth and it can be made into a baby blanket which is a wonderful pattern you could use. Or......do you want a design in the center of the pillow? You make this easy pattern from 4 stitches to the size you want it, and then decrease to make a square. Let me know if that will do and I will copy it for you. It's supersimple.
KathyM

 

[Schoeneckwren]

Bigger needles? Double the yarn?

 

[Marianne818]

I have a pattern that I use for a dishcloth and it can be made into a baby blanket which is a wonderful pattern you could use. Or......do you want a design in the center of the pillow? You make this easy pattern from 4 stitches to the size you want it, and then decrease to make a square. Let me know if that will do and I will copy it for you. It's supersimple.
KathyM

I'd love to have the pattern for the baby blanket! Still learning to knit and love making the dishcloths. So maybe I could make the blanket? Thanks!!!

 

[RoxyCatlady]

I can figure out the number of stitches a pattern has, but how do I take for example a 6" square dishcloth and make it a 14" square by keeping the pattern looking the same.

I know that there are patterns that give the multiple of stitches that the pattern is on and I can knit up a swatch and then figure out the stitches per inch, but what if the pattern doesn't give that multiple number? Do I just need to knit it up and then figure that out?

I just thought if there was some type of easy way or an equation I could do it would be faster than knitting up the pattern first.

Thanks for your help

Ok, so if you are told to cast on 24 stitches (just pulled a number from the air) to get 6 inches, then fourteen inches would be:
24 sts to 6 inches, therefore 8 sts to 2 inches. 6 inches plus 6 inches plus 2 inches is 14 inches. Therefore - 24 + 24 + 8 stitches = 56 stitches.

Simple math.

THEN - within that 56, you need to make sure you have the correct number of stitches for the repeat - any remainder is your border. If the numbers don't work out perfectly even, you choice is to have the borders not match perfectly - eg. 5 sts one side, 4 the other, or you could add or subtract one stitch - 55 or 57, in the example above... One stitch won't really make a difference to the total.

This is, of course, assuming you get the exact measurement of 6 inches for the original pattern....

But at least it gives you a starting point.

 

[chrissyf]

if you are making a dishcloth with a border...increase just the border stitches...if your border is 4 stitches then either double it to 8 stitches on each side or add two stuitches to each side to "half-double" it. I do this all the time with crochet patterns i don't see why knitting would be any different especially when it is much easier to count stitches per row in knitting

 

[Schoeneckwren]

I made children's scarves last Christmas out of dishcloth pattern. I just made the pattern (It was a lady bug) AND THEN WHEN I was done, I continued up the scarf in seed stitch until it was long enough (4 feet). Then I reversed the pattern and did it from the top of the chart down so that when the scarf is on, the lady bugs are both right side up.

 

[Southern Perl]

Washcloth
Cast on 4 stitches
K2, yo and knit across
Continue until you have the 44 stitches for the dishcloth. Then expand to the length you would want for a pillow or for a blanket
For the decrease rows you
K1, K 2tog, yo, K 2 tog and knit across.
Do the same until you have 4 remaining stitches. You can thread a pretty ribbon through the open holes for a baby blanket, etc.
Great and easy pattern.
Kathy M

 

[Butterfly3]

Right now I'm knitting a Heart WashCloth. It has 3 hearts going across. The instructions tell me to repeat certain rows. So if I wanted to make more hearts to make it longer, I would continue repeating the pattern. Since it's just garter stitch in between I can add as many stitches as I want after the first several border stitches for the hearts. Hope this helps you!

 

[Jeaninem71]

But, I would like to enlarge the hearts on a pattern too so that it just isnt a repeat. In other words, I want to keep the same number of hearts, but make them bigger. I want the pattern to look the same as it does originally, just larger in scale.

Is there any easy way to do this rather than making a whole new pattern?

Thanks

Right now I'm knitting a Heart WashCloth. It has 3 hearts going across. The instructions tell me to repeat certain rows. So if I wanted to make more hearts to make it longer, I would continue repeating the pattern. Since it's just garter stitch in between I can add as many stitches as I want after the first several border stitches for the hearts. Hope this helps you!

 

[darski]

get out some graph paper and work out the stitches you want for your heart. Just a warning - if you double the number you get something 4 times as large.

eg X is your heart stitch you double that and get XX

but that just makes it twice as wide. You need to do

XX
XX

to get the correct stitch pattern.

and yes you have to make a new pattern to do this.

 

[Southern Perl]

Did you see the pattern for the dishcloth that can be made into the baby blanket that I posted? I don't know how to copy and post it directly to you as I am just learning how to do this posting. For some reason I can't post pictures from my ipad because it seems they are blocked. I can do it on my computer though. Let me know if you have any questions.
KathyM

 

[knitterbee]

I would work it out on graph paper. Follow the pattern by putting an X in each square for the stitches in the heart in the center of the paper. Then I would add Xs around to enlarge to the size you want. If the pattern is in a graph instead of directions, put the graph in the center of your paper and then make more around. If you don't have knitting graph paper (there are rectangles instead of squares) you need to make the pattern look a little stretched but knitted it will look right. Knit stitches aren't square, they are wider than tall.

 

[darski]

http://www.tricksyknitter.com/pages/knitters-toolbox/knitting-graph-paper.php

you can dl the knitting graph paper from that site