Washrug pattern for Ravelry
WashRug A Meditative Pattern
The "WashRug" forms the core of the "Flat-Lashed Spiral Rag Rug" pattern. A coil snakes around the central nautilus, and the wash rag is unceremoniously just bound off when the rag is big enough. The rug version includes a final fourth round that decreases smoothly to make a circular shape for the finished rug.
Start with two stitches, make a loop to set up the coil, then knit short row wedges into each selvedge stitch, increasing to 8 stitches by the end of the first round. A special flat lash stitch creates a smooth join, easy underneath the foot. This rug, knitted in one piece, is sturdy and machine washable, a plus over other patterns knitted in strips and then joined later by some version of seaming.
Special stitch: The flat lash stitch will be abbreviated as "flat lash" in this pattern, and is always worked on the last stitch of the row, joining the short row wedge to the next selvedge stitch on the edge of the spiral.
flat lash: Slip the last stitch on the needle purlwise, yarn forward, insert right hand needle through the next selvedge stitch on the spiral (from the back to the front with both legs of the selvedge stitch on top of the needle). Pick up a stitch by purling the yarn through the selvedge stitch, then turn work. Slip the picked up stitch knitwise, slip the next stitch purlwise, then pass the first slipped stitch over the second slipped stitch. Transfer the stitch on your right hand needle back to the left hand needle, giving the loose yarn a gentle tug when you finish. This lash stitch will get easy with practice.
Other abbreviations:
ss: selvedge stitch on edge of spiral
ssyb: slip stitch purlwise, yarn back. This forms the selvedge stitch that rims the spiral.
s1kw: slip stitch knitwise
wr: wrap next stitch and turn work
m: make (increase), all increase stitches are made with a backwards loop
k: knit
Use size 15 needles and 1 ½ inch wide rag strip “yarn”. Or try t-shirts cut into 1 inch “yarn”. Or make a dishcloth out of kitchen cotton and size 6 needles (or whatever size you like to use), stopping after the third round to make a cloth 10" (at its largest diameter) by 8.5" at its smallest diameter.
Set up loop:
Cast on 2 stitches
k2
ssyb, k1
repeat these two rows 5 more times
k1, m1, k1
in the next row lash into the taut bar in the cast on edge, carefully rolling the knitted strip up so that the cast on edge sits next to the right hand needle with the selvedge stitches on the outside of the loop
ssyb, knit 1, flat lash
There are now 3 stitches on the needles, and 8 selvedge stitches on the loop (including the ss on the needle).
Round one of spiral
Knit these 7 wedges, taking care to make the increase stitches and to have the proper amount of selvedge stitches on the spiral after each wedge (the selvedge stitch on the needle is always part of the count). Mistakes made now will propagate through the rest of the project!
First wedge:
k3
ssyb, k1, wr
k2
ssyb, k2
s1kw, m1, k2
ssyb, k2, flat lash
note: lash is made into first selvedge stitch of loop.
10 ss on spiral, 4 st on needle
Second wedge:
k4
ssyb, k1, wr
k2
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3
s1kw, m1, k3
ssyb, k2, wr
K3
ssyb, k3, flat lash
14 ss on spiral, 5 st on needle
Third wedge:
k5
ssyb, k1, wr
k2
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3, wr
k4
ssyb, k4
s1kw, k4
ssyb, k3, flat lash
18 ss on spiral, 5 st on needle
Fourth wedge:
K1, m1, k4
ssyb, k1, wr
k2
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3, wr
k4
ssyb, k4, wr
k5
ssyb, k5
s1kw, k5
ssyb, k4, flat lash
23 ss on spiral, 6 st on needle
Fifth wedge:
k6
ssyb, k1, wr
k2
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3, wr
m1, k4
ssyb, k5, wr
k6
ssyb, k6
s1kw, k6
ssyb, k5, flat lash
28 ss on spiral, 7 st on needle
Sixth wedge:
k7
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3, wr
k4
ssyb, k4, wr
k5
ssyb, k6
s1kw, k6
ssyb, k5, flat lash
32 ss on spiral, 7 st on needle
Seventh wedge:
k7
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k3, wr
k4
ssyb, k4, wr
k5
ssyb, k6
s1kw, m1, k6
ssyb, k6, flat lash
36 ss on spiral, 8 st on needle
Second round of spiral
(After knitting the first row of the first wedge, place marker in selvedge stitch below the needle to mark the end of the first round.)
1st wedge:
k8
ssyb, k2, wr
k3
ssyb, k4, wr
k5
ssyb, k6, wr
k7
ssyb, k6, flat lash
2nd wedge:
k8
ssyb, k3, wr
k4
ssyb, k5, wr
k6
ssyb, k7
s1kw, k7
ssyb, k6, flat lash
Knit the first wedge and then knit the second wedge. Repeat once.
48 ss on spiral, 8 st on needle
Wedge A:
k8
ssyb, k4, wr
k5
ssyb, k6, wr
k7
ssyb, k6, flat lash
Wedge B:
k8
ssyb, k5, wr
k6
ssyb, k7
s1kw, k7
ssyb, k6, flat lash
Knit wedge A, then knit wedge B
(52 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge A twice
(56 ss on spiral)
Wedge C
k8
ssyb, k5, wr
k6
ssyb, k6, flat lash
Ridge
k8
ssyb, k6, flat lash
Knit wedge C, then knit wedge A
(59 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge C seven times
(66 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
Knit wedge C five times
(71 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
Knit wedge C four times
(75 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
Knit wedge C four times
(79 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
Knit wedge C two times
(81 ss on spiral)
End of round 2. Place marker in last selvedge stitch (which is still on the needle-easier to do after you knit the first row of the next round).
Third round of spiral
Knit wedge C two times, then knit one Ridge
(83 ss on spiral)
*Knit wedge C three times, then knit one Ridge* four times
(95 ss on spiral)
*Knit wedge C two times, then knit one Ridge* four times
(103 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge
(104 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge C two times, then knit one Ridge
(106 ss on spiral)
*Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge* three times
(109 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
*Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge* two times
(111 ss on spiral)
Knit one Ridge
Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge
(112 ss on spiral)
*Knit wedge C once, then knit two Ridges* two times
(114 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge
(115 ss on spiral)
*Knit wedge C once, then knit two Ridges* seven times
(122 ss on spiral)
Knit wedge C once, then knit one Ridge
(123 ss on spiral)
End of Round 3. Place marker in the last selvedge stitch as before if you are making the rug version. For Washrug version, bind off the last row of the ridge instead of knitting it.
© October 2010, Rebecca Hudson (“meditative” on ravelry) Please don’t use this pattern to sell finished items.
This sample was knit with a solid green yarn and a multicolor yarn, alternating yarn every wedge.