monks cloth with crochet edge

I was excited to see monk’s cloth in Walmart! It’s like the cloth that cross-stitchers use, with a very regular, square weave that is easy to see and easy to stitch into. “I can crochet right into the edge!” I said.

So I planned a square cloth shawl with a crocheted floral trim. I made the flowery bits, which would be joined as I crocheted along.

Luckily I thought to wash the cloth first. It shrank quite a bit. It also fluffed up a little, and a flaw that I found after getting the fabric home resolved itself and I can’t even see it now.

monks cloth with crochet edge

The decorative stitching added some interest to the stark whiteness of the cloth. And also, it was fun! I love decorative stitches, and it’s a good thing, because it took a long time to stitch across each side.

After zig-zag stitching around the cut edges, I folded the edges under and crocheted (*sc, sk 1 space in the fabric, ch 1*, repeat bet *s) all around the square.

Before starting the floral trim, I tried it on.

Oh no.

It looked like I was wearing a tablecloth.

I folded it this way. No joy. I folded it another way. Still no good. I squinted my eyes just so. Nope. I put it away for a day or two.

flowery bits for crocheted trim

That did not help. It still looked like a tablecloth, and there’s nothing sillier than a plump, stern-looking, middle-aged lady wearing a tablecloth. Even if it has a pretty crocheted trim.

Well, now we have a new tablecloth.

But what about my shawl? I found some pretty fabric to match the flowery pieces I already crocheted. It’s not the kind of fabric you can easily crochet into, but I figured out a solution to that problem, and will report on it later.