Dot Stitch Knit Dishcloth (Free Knitting Pattern)
To download your FREE PDF click here.
Introduction
As much as I wish my little corner of the internet was making me a full-time income, it’s not yet. I do work at home though, which I enjoy very much. Sometimes when I’m in meetings that I don’t need to present or speak a lot in, I’ll have a knit or crochet project to work on while I’m listening.
I was sitting at my desk one day and wanted to make something small to break up the larger projects I’m working on (I love making blankets!). I had this large cake of Bernat Handicrafter on my desk already and thought “I’m going to knit a pretty dishcloth.” I’ve been wanting to make a dishcloth using some new stitch patterns for a while now and it finally happened.
I by no means consider myself a pro knitter. I taught myself to knit through YouTube about 5 years ago now. I’ve learned a lot in those 5 years, but I find myself gravitating towards projects with easy stitches that produce beautiful results.
I tend to do this with most of my new designs.
Inspiration
I’ve never made any knit dishcloths before and had been wanting to for quite some time. I’ve also been trying to waste less and making your own dishcloths for washing dishes and other cleaning is a great way to do so.
If you’ve never seen the Dot Stitch before, you’re in for a pleasant treat. Not only is it a super easy stitch to work up, but it’s also slightly textured giving your fabric a beautiful, timeless look, which is also great for light scrubbing. I’ve seen many projects using the Dot Stitch but have never made one myself. And so became the Dot Stitch Knit Dishcloth.
I decided to go with a small garter stitch border for a couple reasons. First, I think borders look nice and gives your finished project a very nice finishing look. Second, if you’re a beginning knitter and you don’t know, Stockinette Stitch curls, A LOT. With the small garter stitch border, it lays flat instead of your edges curling.
About the Yarn
For this free washcloth pattern, I used Bernat Handicrafter which is a worsted weight cotton blend yarn. It is a slightly stiff but still slightly soft yarn.
For projects like this, I always recommend using yarn with natural fibers such as cotton, linen, hemp, etc. I wouldn’t recommend using anything too soft. It’s just not very practical for items that you’ll be using to clean.
Some other yarns I would recommend for this project are:
- Lion Brand Yarn 24/7
- Lion Brand Yarn Touch of Linen
- Premier Yarns Home Cotton
Whatever type of yarn you use, I recommend using the needle size that the yarn calls for.
Techniques Used
One of the things I love most about this project is its elegant simplicity. This easy pattern is nothing but knit and purl stitches, making it a great project for a beginner knitter and seasoned knitters alike.
The Dot Stitch Knit Dishcloth is a great way to practice knit and purl stitches for beginners and also a beautiful and easy, mindless make for more advanced knitters.
This simple pattern starts with a small garter stitch border using only knit stitches. You’ll then get into the body of the dishcloth which is an easy 8 row repeat. Most of the body is made in Stockinette Stitch with scattered purl stitches which gives it that beautiful texture.
I’ve written the free knitting pattern to be 10″ x 10″. It would be very easy to work this dishcloth to any specific size. Simply add or subtract the necessary number of stitches to the beginning cast on and continue in pattern until you reach your desired length, minus about half an inch for the border.
You could even substitute for a different yarn weight if you’d like it thicker or thinner.
I made mine in solid colors (cream and black) to go with the neutral decor in my home. These dishcloths would also look great in some self-striping cotton yarn. I’m thinking I might make some colorful ones for my kids’ bathroom!
The second dishcloth I made, I wanted to add a loop or hook to it. For this optional finishing, simply knit an I-cord 2-2.5″ long and attach it using the tails from the I-cord. I attached it to the corner I finished at, but you can attach it to any corner.
This is a great idea if you want to hang your new dishcloth.
This dish cloth will become a timeless staple for any kitchen or bathroom.
Some Other Free Knitted Dishcloth Patterns I Love
- Easy Basketweave Knitted Dishcloth by Love.Life.Yarn
- The Easiest Knit Dishcloth by Six Clever Sisters
- Double Moss Stitch Dishcloth by Nimble Needles
- Nanas Favorite Dishcloth by Kristi Kittelson for AllFreeKnitting.com
- Textured Easy Knit Dishcloth by Petals to Picots
Skill Level
Beginner
Gauge
17 sts and 26 rows of stockinette stitch is 4″ x 4″ (10x10cm)
Gauge is not crucial for this project.
Finished Measurements
10” (25 1/2 cm) by 10” (25 1/2 cm)
Materials
25 yards/44 grams Bernat Handicrafter
US Size 7/UK Size 7/4.5mm needles (straight or circular, whichever you prefer)
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends
Scissors
Measuring tape or gauge swatch measuring device (if desired, gauge is not crucial for this project)
Notes
– The Dot Stitch uses multiples of 4 + 3 if you would like to resize your dishcloth smaller or larger.
– * * indicates a repeat
– (xx) at the end of a row/round indicates how many total stitches for that row/round
Stitch Index
CO – cast on
R – row/round
BO – bind off
K – knit
P – p
Pattern
Foundation
CO 43 using the German Twisted cast on or your preferred method
R1-6 k (43)
R7 k4, p35, k4 (43)
R8 k5, p1, *k3, p1* until 5 sts remain, k5 (43)
R9 k4, p35, k4 (43)
R10 k (43)
R11 k4, p35, k4 (43)
R12 k7, p1, *k3, p1* until 7 sts remain, k7 (43)
R13 k4, p35, k4 (43)
R14 k (43)
R15-54 repeat R7-14
R55-58 repeat R7-10
R59-64 k (43)
BO loosely knitwise (use whichever method you prefer).
Finish off and weave in ends!
To download your FREE PDF click here.
Final Thoughts on the Dot Stitch Knit Dishcloth
This is the perfect pattern for learning new stitches or expanding your knitting skills for new knitters. Seasoned knitters will love the repetition and the beautiful texture of this easy dishcloth.
Quick projects like this make great holiday gifts. If you’re looking for simple designs using basic stitches, this cotton dishcloth would make a great gift for any family member.
This free knit pattern would also be a great dishcloth to make for markets. A set of dishcloths in your favorite cotton yarn make ideal items/bundle items to sell.
I hope you enjoyed this fun project. Bookmark this blog post or pin it to your favorite Pinterest board to share and reference later!
Happy knitting!
Final Thoughts on the Margot Market Bag
I hope you love this crochet market tote bag pattern! Making your own bag for shopping at the farmer’s market or grocery store is a great way to reduce the use of plastic bags.
Speaking of plastic bags, do you know what plarn is? It’s plastic yarn made from cutting plastic bags from the grocery store.
To read more about plarn and how to make it, check out How To Make Plarn (Plastic Yarn) And Crochet With It. I even made a version of the free crochet bag pattern here with plarn and I absolutely love how it came out! It was the perfect size to hold a LOT of produce at the farmers market but was still easy enough to carry.
You can use plarn to make all types of reusable bags and other crochet projects too. Get creative with what you make.
If you’re looking for some plarn crochet project inspiration, check out Free Plarn (Plastic Yarn) Crochet Pattern Roundup.
Sharing is caring and a great way to support small businesses like mine at no additional cost! Bookmark this blog post or pin it to your favorite Pinterest board for later and to share with your friends.
Happy crocheting!
PLEASE READ: THIS PATTERN AND ITS CONTENTS ARE THE SOLE PROPERTY OF YARNIQUE (CHANTAL CAMPSEY) AND MAY NOT BE ALTERED, SOLD, OR REDISTRIBUTED IN ANY WAY WITHOUT PERMISSION FROM ITS AUTHOR. YOU MAY, HOWEVER, SELL AS MANY FINISHED PROJECTS AS YOU DESIRE, I JUST ASK THAT YOU REFERENCE MY BLOG AND/OR SHOPS FOR CREDIT FOR THE PATTERN.
