Knit Dishcloth

This is a fun and easy dishcloth to knit. I love the simple, but elegant design on the border. But mostly, I love using these in my kitchen ~ they are my favorite dishcloth.

This recipe uses Sugar & Cream 100% cotton yarn. It sells for $1.27 a roll and I can knit 2 dishcloths per roll with some extra left over. I roll my yarn into a ball so that it doesn't tangle.

Use size 10 or 10 1/2 needles. I've used smaller before and it makes a smaller dishcloth with a tighter knit. There is a video tutorial at the bottom of the page at KnittingHelp.com - Knitting Tips if you want to make your own needles! I think it would be a fun preparedness project. =)

Increase Side:

• Cast on 4 stitches. (I use the single cast on ~ see the Single Cast On video on this page if you are new to knitting or need a refresher.)

• Knit 2, then on the 3rd knit the back door then the front door then knit the last one regular. Now you have 5 stitches. (This is just as it sounds ~ when you knit the back door, you knit on the back side but you don't pull it off, then you knit normally (in the front) and pull it off. This gives you an increase of one stitch. I'm not sure what this is called so I am not sure which video to recommend.)

• Next row ~ knit until 2 are left on, then knit back and front door then the last one regular. Now there are 6 stitches.

• Next row ~ do the same thing again to make 7 stitches.

• Next row ~ knit 3 regular, yarn over (YO) then knit to the end. (To YO, wrap the new yarn around the needle once then knit regular. The YO will be adding one stitch each row.  ~ There is a YO video on the increase page @ Knitting Help)

• Continue until 40 stitches are on the knitting needle.

The yarn over not only increases the stitches, it also creates a hole that will make a pattern along the border, like this:

Decrease:

• Next row ~ knit 2 regular, knit 2 together, YO, slide one (slip one) from the left needle onto the right, knit one, then pass the slipped stitch over and off the right needle and then knit to the end. (I say "Slip One, Knit One, Pass the Slipped Stitch Over" (sl1, k1, psso) when I do this part. There is a video for both these decreases on the decrease page @ Knitting Help. The first one is "k2tog" [Knit 2 together] and latter is called "SKP" [Slip, knit, pass]. It helps me to understand the stitches. In this row, we decrease (k2tog), then we increase (YO) to make the hole for the design, then we decrease with the slip, knit, pass [SKP or Sl1, k1, psso]).

• Repeat until 8 stitches are left. Knit 2 together to make 4 stitches.

• Knit one row regular. Cast off. (I use the basic knit bind off [video here] To cast off, knit one, knit one more then pass the first stitch over the 2nd and off the needle, repeat until the end and then put the yarn through the last hole, pull tight. Then weave the yarn into your dishcloth.}

You can print the pattern (without my commentary) if you would like to give it a try!



And here is the finished dishcloth. I knit this in the car on our last trip to Montana. It took me about 3 hours, but I am a slow knitter. =)

I made this for a young lady for her hope chest. I will give it to her with the pattern so that she can make some more. =)



Note: This "recipe" was given to me years ago, handwritten on a recipe card. I do not know its origin. If you know where it came from (and I'm not supposed to share this), please let me know.