These dishtowels look really complicated to make, don’t they? I love that because, just like you want hard things to look easy, it’s a great coup to make easy things look difficult!

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

These three stitch patterns all come from Barbara Walker’s classic Treasury of Knitting Patterns and are created by the simple technique of hiding yarns behind slipped stitches. There’s no tricky stranding or two-hand knitting or even issues of tension; there’s just the easy matter of slipping stitches and watching as amazing patterns emerge!

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Slip stitch color patterns are terrific for scarves (check out Laura’s gorgeous Reversible Stripes Scarf), sweaters, blankets and even dishtowels. For these, I looked for patterns that would evoke traditional kitchen textiles: no-nonsense designs with the geometry of vintage linens.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

And for a yarn that would match these hard-working stitch patterns I chose Louet’s Euroflax 100% linen. As tough and absorbent as any fiber around, linen is a great friend to have over your shoulder when you’re cooking up something good!

Happy slip stitching! -Whitney

Update: New Materials

June 28, 2017
Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

In our Cotton Pure, these Dishtowels are a bit hefty and a lot soft. They’re also absorbent and totally beautiful! For more information and additional photos, be sure to check out our new post!

Update: New Yarn

July 16, 2021
Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Perfect for home and hitch, our Slip Stitch Dishtowels are as strong as an ox, machine washable, and absorbent, too! For this iteration, we used our new Blackbird Linen. Like the wing of a blackbird catching the early morning light, our newest yarn shines with an understated elegance that belies its hard-working character. Click here to read more!

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, and #PurlSohoSlipStitchDishtowels. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho
  • 4 skeins of Louet’s Euroflax, 100% linen. Each skein is approximately 270 yards/ 100 grams.
    • Color A: 2 skeins of Cream; approximately 390 yards required.
    • Color B: 1 skein of Caribbean Blue; approximately 225 yards required. (this color has since been discontinued)
    • Color C: 1 skein of Navy; approximately 240 yards required.

Note: This is enough yarn to make these three dishtowels plus one more.

You will also need…

Gauge

23 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Size

Finished Dimensions: 11¼ x 17¼ inches

Notes

  • Slip all stitches purlwise.
  • When changing colors, carry the new yarn up the selvedge in front of the old yarn. In this photo the Navy yarn is the “new yarn” about to knit the first stitch.
Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Patterns

Three-and-One Tweed Pattern

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

With Color A, cast on 75 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl.

Row 2 (right side): With Color C, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k3, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 3: With Color C, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k3, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 4: With Color A, k1, *slip 1 wyib, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyib, k1.

Row 5: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, *slip 1 wyif, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.

Repeat Rows 2 – 5 until piece measures 17 inches, ending with a Row 3.

Cut Color C.

Next Row (right side): With Color A, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Finish

With the right side facing you, work an I-cord on those last 2 stitches until the cord measures 3 inches from its base.

Work the last row as a k1, slip 1 wyib, yo.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Now starting at the base of the 3-inch I-cord, work an Attached I-cord down the left selvage.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Pick up 1 stitch for every 4 rows (which means picking up 1 stitch at either every Color A or every Color C stripe) until you reach the bottom corner.

Pass the first stitch over the second, cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Now, with Color A, cast 2 stitches onto a double pointed needle.

K1, slip 1 wyib, yo and with right side facing, pick up a stitch in the bottom right corner.

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

Work an Attached I-cord up the right selvage to the top corner.

Knit 1 row of a regular, unattached I-cord, then pass the first stitch over the second so that 1 stitch remains.

Using the double pointed needle with 1 stitch on it, knit the first stitch that is on the circular needle and bind off. Continue to bind off all the stitches that remain on the circular needle.

Cut the yarn and pass it through the remaining stitch.

Weave in the ends and block your new dishtowel!

Basket Stitch

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

With Color B, cast on 71 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl.

Row 2 (right side): With Color A, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k3, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 3: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k3, repeat from * to end of row.

Rows 4 and 5: Repeat Rows 2 and 3.

Row 6: With Color B, knit.

Row 7: With Color B, slip 1 wyib, purl.

Repeat Rows 2 – 7 until piece measures 17 inches, ending with a Row 5.

Cut Color A.

Next Row (right side): With Color B, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.

Finish

Using Color B, follow the finishing instructions as for the Three-and-One Tweed, above, except, for this stitch pattern, pick up 2 stitches for every 6 rows (which means picking up 2 stitches at the Color A stripes and skipping the Color B stripes).

Triple L Tweed

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho

With Color C, cast on 76 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Row 1 (wrong side): Purl.

Row 2 (right side): With Color B, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 3: With Color B, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif), k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 4: With Color A, *k2, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 5: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, *slip 1 wyif, k2, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 6: With Color C, k1, *slip 1 wyib, k2, repeat from * to end of row.

Row 7: With Color C, slip 1 wyib, k1, *slip 1 wyif, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.

Repeat Rows 2 – 7 until piece measures 17 inches, ending with a Row 5.

Cut Colors A and B.

Next Row (right side): With Color C, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.

Finish

Using Color C, follow the finishing instructions as for the Three-and-One Tweed, above. Pick up 1 stitch for every 4 rows (which means picking up 1 stitch at every other stripe of color).

Slip Stitch Dishtowels | Purl Soho