An old/new yarn to hate

I have been working on a package for my secret pal and my goal for this round is to include one handmade item in each of three packages. Since I have all of the contents of the first package ready to go, I spent Tuesday night re-reading my pal's blog trying to find inspiration to make her something. Then, I went through my stash to see if anything called out to me and there it was- an unused skein of Crystal Palace cotton chenille in bright blue. I have had this yarn for a few years now; it was one of two skeins destined to become the flower face cloths from Weekend Knitting. After finishing about 2/3 of the first one I gave up on the idea of finishing the face cloth. I thought it was because I was working with bamboo needles (which I hate,) but after picking up the yarn again and trying it on three different types of needle I realize that I hate this yarn. I made the Mason Dixon Washcloth with the yarn and it came out beautifully, but the knitting was a constant struggle with the yarn. Cotton chenille is now officially banned from my stash.

Here is the facecloth tied closed with some yummy soap inside.

Here is the open facecloth. Normally it wouldn't look so wavy, but I didn't want to take out the cord.

I really like the pattern for the Mason Dixon washcloth from the Mason Dixon Knitting book; I am not sure why I passed over it before. I love the way you can thread ribbon through the eyelet holes and make a little spa gift bag. This pattern is moving to the top of my gift pattern list. I am going to try it again using Blue Sky organic cotton, yummy!!

Since I am on the topic of Mason Dixon Knitting, a book that I just can't put down, I decided to buy my secret pal a copy. She is a southern knitter, but probably not one who would think to buy a $30 knitting book even though it is filled with projects that she would adore. In my research I discovered that Elmore-Pisgah the maker of Sugar and Cream yarns, a favorite of the Mason Dixon girls, is now offering a Mason Dixon Knitting yarn pack with colors featured in the book. I bought her the pack to go with the book in her May package.