Soft Cotton Washcloths
If self-care came in a square, we imagine it would take the form of our Soft Cotton Washcloths. Great travel projects, wonderful host gifts, and perfect beach knits, make a fresh start (or finish) to someone’s day with these small wonders!
Simple linen stitch creates a fabric with a flat, woven-looking surface on one side (smooth for gentle cleansing) and a seed-stitch-like texture on the other (nubbly for getting at garden grit and ice cream drips). Tangible proof that some of the best ideas happen in the shower!
Our newly re-imagined Cotton Pure adds an extra splash of special: same spin, softness, and gauge, but now made with 100% organically grown cotton… Beautiful!
If you love the yarn used in this project, you’ll love all of our other yarn, too! Explore our 35+ lovingly created yarn collections, in nearly every natural fiber and spectacular color you can imagine… Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn shop!
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSoftCottonWashcloths, and #PurlSohoCottonPure. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To make three washcloths…
- 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton yarn. Each skein of this sport weight yarn is 279 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 93 yards required for each washcloth. (Note that you use the entire skein to make all three washcloths, so to get three square washcloths, please make sure your gauge is correct!)
- US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or 16-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 7 double pointed needles for I-Cord
Gauge
30 stitches and 52 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 8 x 8-inch square
Note
Stitch Multiple
This pattern works over an even multiple of stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 60 stitches using a Basic Long Tail Cast-On.
Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 knitwise with yarn in front (wyif), *p1, slip 1 purlwise with yarn in back (wyib), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (right side): Slip 1 knitwise wyif, *k1, slip 1 purlwise wyif, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 8 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 1.
Bind Off Row (right side): K2, pass first stitch over, *slip 1 purlwise wyif, pass stitch over, k1, pass stitch over, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2, leaving 3 stitches on right needle.
Make I-Cord
With the remaining 3 stitches, work an I-Cord for 3 inches, working the last row as follows…
Last Row: K1, k2tog, pass first stitch over second stitch and off the right needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail and pull through remaining stitch.
Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle. Make a loop with the I-cord and weave the tail into the fabric of the washcloth at the base of the I-cord, then weave it through the looped I-cord, and back into the fabric of the washcloth.
Weave in the remaining ends and block as desired.
Learn About Cotton Pure + All Our Beautiful Yarns
As special as it is popular, our Cotton Pure brings true natural beauty to this project. 100% organically grown cotton, this sport-weight yarn feels exceptionally soft and supple in your hands, and it comes in tons of gently heathered colors you won’t find anywhere else! Making something big, like a blanket or sweater? Shop our 1,000-gram Cotton Pure On A Cone collection, too!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our vast collection of (mostly free!) Cotton Pure knitting patterns and cast on!
More Sport-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of sport-weight yarns
- If you want to use a different yarn, be sure to take the time to get the correct gauge. Need help? Check our All About Gauge Tutorial!
More Yarns With Similar Fiber
- Shop cotton yarn
- Shop plant-based yarn
- Shop machine-washable yarn
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!
Thank you so much for my free pattern. What fun is to be had but seriously, what a wonderful idea.
As I have said many times your site is amazing I just wish I had the time to follow all your patterns but I do enjoy looking and there are one or two patterns I would like in the future.
Lots of love and admiration!!!
Jean.
Hi! Can this washcloth be machine-washed and dried? Thanks.
Hello Laura,
Thank you for reaching out! The reccomended care for Cotton Pure is Machine wash cold, tumble dry low.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Does this mean if I knit them with the Cotton Pure and follow the care directions that the square washcloths won’t shrink out of square? I’ve always had to knit washcloths taller than wide to account for shrinkage to get close to a square finished shape.
Hi Robin,
Great question! We have found shrinkage in Cotton Pure to be minimal to non-existent, so your washcloths should hold their shape even after multiple trips through the washer and dryer.
Best,
Julianna
Any chance for mini skeins of Cotton Pure? Then we could make one of each color just like in your photo!
Hi Cammie,
Thanks for writing in! We don’t currently have plans to offer mini skeins of Cotton Pure, but I will certainly pass your suggestion along to the product design team!
Best,
Julianna
These are lovely! If I don’t do the i-cord, will it just be a simple square washcloth?
Hi Emily,
Thanks for reaching out! The i-cord only creates the hanging loop, so you will have a perfectly lovely square washcloth if you leave it off.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Does this come in a kit at all for knitting?
Darlene
Hi Darlene,
Thanks for writing in! We don’t offer a kit for this project, but you only need to order Cotton Pure along with a set of US 7 knitting needles from to complete a set of three washcloths.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Oh, my! Such perfection! Holiday gifts for all! Perfect hospital and airplane knitting!
Julie
I love the simplicity of the linen stitch and I-cord loop! Your patterns are always elegant…even if it’s just a wash cloth. I’m wondering if this “fabric” would translate well into a dish cloth, maybe 12 by 18? Any suggestion on yarn amount? Thank you!
Hi Tami,
Thank you so much for the kind words! I think a matching dish cloth would be a lovely project! A 12 by 18 dish cloth would take about one and a third skeins of Cotton Pure, so you would be able to make two matching washcloths with the leftover yarn for a complete kitchen set.
Happy knitting, and please do let us know how it turns out!
Julianna
I, too, would like to make a 12×18
hand towel with the cotton pure and linen stitch pattern. How many stitches should I cast on for the towel? I absolutely love everything about Purl Soho!
Hi Julianna,
Thanks for being in touch! We agree, this pattern would make a lovely hand towel. For a 12″ wide cloth we recommend casting on 90 stitches and following the above pattern to your desired length.
Happy knitting!
Gaby
Any idea about shrinkage amounts?
Hi Marie,
Great question! We have found shrinkage in Cotton Pure to be minimal to non-existent, so your washcloths should stay the same size even after multiple trips through the washer and dryer.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Started this last night. Turning out lovely. Question on the I-cord. I’ve looked at your I Cord tutorial and it’s done with double point needles but those aren’t mentioned in the Materials section. For the washcloth, is the I-cord to be made on the same Size 7 needles or do I need double pointed?
Hi Laura,
Great question! If you are using a circular needle for the washcloth, you can use the circular needle for the i-cord as well by sliding all the stitches to the opposite end of the needle at the end of each row, just as you would with double pointed needles. If you knit the washcloth on straight needles, however, you will need to use double pointed or a circular needle to work the i-cord.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Thanks Julianna, that’s what I was thinking, as I’m using circular, but just wanted to double check, as I’ve never knitted an I-cord before. I’m making some for both my mother and my daughter for their birthdays next week. As someone else mentioned, it really is an elegant design – simple, modern, yet timeless – for a washcloth. The best I’ve come across so far.
You can do the 3-stitch i-cord with straight needles, but it is fussier: k3, transfer 3 stitches from right needle to left needle purlwise.
Cheers! Is this pattern suitable for an absolute novice? Thanks much!
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for reaching out! While these washcloths are definitely beginner friendly, they do include several stitches and techniques right off the bat. To knit linen stitch, you will have to be able to knit and purl, as well as slip stitches with the yarn in front or back as directed, and, at the end of the washcloth, knit the i-cord loop. All of these techniques are fairly basic, but if this is your very first project, it might be a lot of techniques to learn at once. We do have videos for all of these techniques on our tutorials page if you are feeling up to the challenge! You may also want to consider our Pebble Dishcloths which are a great learn-to-knit project!
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi. I have the yarn and pattern but I’m a novice. I was happy to read about the tutorials page (so great) but I can’t figure out which tutorial is for this slip knitwise and purlwise linen stitch. (I know how to cast on and I know the difference between knit and purl.) thank you!
Hi Jill,
Thanks for reaching out. I’m afraid that we don’t actually have tutorials for slipping stitches! However, I’d be happy to describe how to do them in this comment. To slip a stitch purlwise, just insert your right needle into the stitch as if to purl, don’t actually purl it, and transfer the stitch to your right needle. To slip a stitch knitwise, insert your right needle into the stitch as if to knit, don’t actually knit it, and transfer the stitch to your right needle. I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
What weight is this yarn considered to be?
Hi Abby,
Thanks for writing in! Cotton Pure is a sport weight yarn.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I’ve made it through about an inch of this project, but I’m noticing the slip 1 purlwise wyib on the wrong side is essentially just leaving the same stitch unworked and is curling the bottom edge up towards my working rows. I must be doing something wrong, but I can’t figure it out, help!
Hello Samantha,
Thank you for reaching out! The first thing I would suggest is to make sure that you have 60 stitches. All of your slipped stitches should be on top of stitches that were worked on the previous row.
I hope this helps and let us know if you have any further questions!
-Marilla
Yes, I have 60 stitches but still can’t seem to locate the issue.
It seems the unworked stitch occurs every 6th stitch when I follow the pattern above.
Hi Samantha,
This is mysterious! It is hard to give you a definitive answer without being able to see your work in person. Maybe it would be helpful to knit a small swatch with perhaps 10 stitches to practice Linen Stitch. Every row should begin with a slip stitch and end with a knit stitch. I would also be careful to make sure that your yarn is oriented correctly when doing your slip stitches (wynf vs. wynb).
I hope this helps! Let me know if it doesn’t and we can keep working through it!
Best,
Marilla
I came up with a similar pattern years ago – most often 30 stitches, with the yarn doubled, tripled, or three colors held together and the appropriate needle, with or without a loop – as much-requested potholders for family and friends.
Love your version!
I love working this pattern! Is anyone else having trouble with their gauge though? I had to drop down to size 5 needles to get close, and I’m still at 8 1/2 in. on my finished edge. I didn’t realize that I knit that loosely, my sweaters always turn out fine!
Hi Dawn,
Thanks so much for the kind words! We haven’t had any other reports of gauge issues with this pattern, but it is not uncommon for even experienced knitters to find that they suddenly knit much looser than usual when using cotton, silk, or linen yarns. If you are used to knitting with wool or other animal fibers, knitting with a yarn that has very little stretch like Cotton Pure can feel quite different and throw off your normal tension! I would also suggest making sure you are keeping enough tension on the yarn when slipping stitches and moving your yarn from the front to back of the work and vice versa, as this could also make your linen stitch turn out a bit loose.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Julianna
Ok, thanks so much for the info!
I had the same issue! My first try was 10 inches wide! And the stretches looked much further apart than the pictures. And when I pulled tighter I had trouble getting the needles through the loops to knit and purl.
Still trying to figure it out. Thinking about dropping the needle size as well.
Hi Camden
Thanks for writing in! It sounds like dropping your needle a few sizes might help this out! I usually have to go down in needle size when knitting with plant fibers and yarns with less stretch. I hope you give it another try!
Happy knitting
Jessica
Love the pattern! But while the edge at the end of the knit side (left edge when looking at the right side) looks lovely, even and tidy, the edge at the end of the purl side looks terrible! And idea what I’m doing wrong?
Hi Cindy,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! At the beginning of the Row 2, you will slip the first stitch with the yarn in front, but will then have to move your yarn to the back of the work in order to knit the next stitch. To do this correctly, you should be moving your yarn between the needles, the same way you would if you were switching from a purl to a knit. I hope that fixes the edging, but if not, please feel free to send us a picture of your work at [email protected] and we will be happy to see if we can troubleshoot this a little better!
Best,
Julianna
I had the same issue! I fixed it by knitting the last stitch on the wrong side through the back loop. I couldn’t figure out why it was happening though!
Hi! When looking at the “right” side of this washcloth, the left selvage is a mess. Any advice?
Do you have a video of purling after slipping 1 Knitwise wyif?
Thank you! Frances
Hi Frances,
Unfortunately we do not have a video of this step – I’m so sorry about that! It’s not uncommon for the selvage stitch to look a bit odd, because all variations in tension in each row tend to work themselves out towards the edges. I would suggest giving the yarn an extra tug after slipping the second to last stitch of Row 2 to keep the final knit stitch extra tight, and at the beginning of Row 1, be gentle when slipping the first stitch so it doesn’t get stretched out. Another commenter was able to tidy up this edge by knitting the last stitch of Row 2 through the back loop, which will tighten it up as well, so you might want to try that method!
I hope that helps!
Julianna
Hi Cindy,
I was having the same problem of having one edge look beautifully and the other look wonky when I was doing a small swatch on different needle sizes. What I ended up doing is for row 2 that first slip instead of doing it knitwise I did it purlwise wyif and it gives an even edge on both sides instead of trying to remember to knit in back loop of the last stitch when I got to end of row 1.
Hope that helps
I am loving making these. I have also been trying to find the pattern for an older wash cloth of yours that I really like. I am sure it was called Log cabin wash cloth. Do you still have the pattern..?
Thanks
Hi Vicky,
Thanks for reaching out! Yes, here is a link to our New Log Cabin Washcloths! The original yarns used for this project are unfortunately no longer available, but they would be just lovely knitted up in our Cotton Pure and Lantern yarns. They are slightly different in gauge than the original, so we recommend using a US 6 or 7 to achieve the same rustic look!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
brilliant thanks. I am in the UK so often have to use other but similar yarns.
Hi, I love these! I’ve made 2 so far, but just went to use one for the first time and it completely lost it’s nice square shape in the shower. Now, it’s a strange rectangle shape. I want to give these as gifts, but don’t want them to become wonky whenever anyone uses them. Any tips to get it to stay in shape?
Thanks!
Marcella
Hello Marcella,
Thank you for reaching out! Knit washcloths do to tend to loose their shape over time with wear and tear, especially if it is hanging from a hook, the weight of the wet cotton will pull the washcloth downwards. To reclaim its shape I would recommend Blocking it, pinning it into the desired shape, and then letting it air dry.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hello. I am eager to order and try your Cotton Pure yarn for spa wash clothes to give as gifts, but the colors I’m interested in (warm rock, gray birch, heirloom white) have been out of stock for some time now. Any idea when you might be getting them in?
Thank you!
Hi Joanie,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately we do not have an exact date for when these colors of Cotton Pure will be back in stock, but our mill is currently making it and we are hoping it will arrive very soon. You can sign up to be notified when we get it back in stock. To do so, go to the product page, select the color that you are interested in and enter your email address. When that yarn and color arrives, we will email you right away!
Best,
Julianna
Hello, I have been knitting off and on for a year and wanted to try a new pattern. It was going well until I was knitting too late and saw the next morning that I had knitted the incorrect rows so the pattern was off. I took out the rows back to where it was correct, but am not sure how to tell if the yarn in back on correctly and not twisted. Any tips on what to look for on the slipped stitches?
Best,
Heather
Hi Heather,
Thanks for reaching out! Even in a slipped stitch pattern like this, the stitches should all be oriented on the needle in the same direction as usual, so that the front leg of the stitch is sitting to the right of the back leg. It is very common for some or all of your stitches to be twisted after taking out a few rows and putting your work back on the needle, so if you come across any twisted stitches, you can just turn them so they are oriented correctly before knitting or purling them.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
I would like to make these larger. Am I correct to assume that all I need to do is to cast on an even number of stitches? Would 80 work?
Hello Katherine,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes! This pattern works over an even multiple of stitches, so 80 stitches will work great.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi… two questions… do these lose their shape after repeated use and washing? And, after you use it (and drape it over a towel rack for future use) how long does it take to dry?
I am interested in making wash, hand, and bath towels but various internet sites say hand-knit towels don’t retain their shape and take forever to dry between use.
Thanks!
Hi Nora,
Thanks for reaching out, and i apologize for the long delay! It is true that cotton wash cloths can get a bit pulled out of shape if you are soaking them completely and hanging them to dry, such as if you are using them to scrub dishes or wash your face, and can take a few hours to dry; however, they should snap right back into shape after a quick trip through the washer and dryer. If you are using them for less intense activities, such as drying off after washing your hands or wiping up quick spills, they should dry fairly quickly and stay just as good as new!
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hello, When I do the gauge square, do I knit in pattern or ??
Thanks!
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for writing in! For this pattern, our gauge measurement is given in the stitch pattern, so you should knit your swatch in pattern.
Best,
Julianna
Just finished my first of the three from one skein and started the second. I noticed that the long tail cast left the beginning edge a bit wavy. On my second I’ve used a loose cable cast on and the edge is more neat/straight. Took a number of tries to get the stitch right, but, having the hang of it, these are lovely cloths!
Hello! I have a question about binding off. Do I leave the yarn in front after I’ve slipped one stitch purlwise wyif when I’m slipping off the next, or do I move the yarn to the back? Thank you for the great pattern!
Hi Emily,
Great question! It actually doesn’t matter whether you return the yarn to the back of the work before or after binding off a stitch, but I find it easier to bind off with the yarn in the back. You can bind off with the yarn in whichever location is most comfortable for you!
Best,
Julianna
I tried to order Cotton Pure; most of the colors are ‘out of stock’.
Will you notify when all colors are available? Also, how many oz or gm are the skeins?
Thanks,
Hi Reiko
Thanks so much for writing in! We will certainly be getting more Cotton Pure back in stock, and right now we do not have a firm ETA, we hope that it will be soon. Please sign up to be notified when we get it back in stock by going to the product page, selecting the color that you are interested in and entering your email address. When that color arrives, we will email you right away! The skeins are 100 grams and 3.5 oz.
Best
Jessica
I absolutely love this stitch pattern, except for one thing. Like a couple other people commented, one of the edges looks beautiful, but the other edge looks raggedly. I discovered that a simple change to the pattern makes both edges look the same. For Row 2 (right side), instead of “Slip 1 knitwise wyif”, I “Slip 1 PURLWISE wyif”. This simple change creates an edge that looks just like the other edge. Easy peasy!
Hi Kay,
Thank you for the great tip! I hope this helps out any other knitters who are having problems with their selvage stitches!
Best,
Julianna
I can’t seem to figure out how to slip 1 knit wise with yarn in front as the very first stitch in the row. Can someone help? Thank you!
Hi Renee,
Thanks for reaching out! Slipping the first stitch knitwise with the yarn in front can definitely be a little tricky at first, but I’d be happy to help clarify this instruction for you! I find it helpful to think of it like I’m going to purl the first stitch; I have the working yarn in front but then instead of inserting the needle from right to left as I would to purl, I insert the needle from left to right to slip the first stitch off, making sure to keep the yarn in front. Once the stitch is slipped to the right needle, you’re all set to work the next purl stitch! If you’re still having trouble visualizing it, you can write to us at [email protected] and we’d be happy to help you further there!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Hello! I am attempting to choose between the Heirloom White and the Warm Rock.
The washcloths have several completed examples/photos of colors, but none with coordinating color names. Any chance the finished products could be labeled so as to get a better sense of the contrast among colors?
Hi Lissa,
Thanks for reaching out! I’m happy to provide you with the colors of our samples! If you take a look at the last picture above, showing all the washcloths laid flat and slightly overlapping, the colors from left to right are Beach Rose, Rosy Red, Tomato Orange, Warm Rock, Heirloom White, Linden Green, Crystal Blue, Blue Gale, Waterdrop Blue, Silver Quartz, Gray Birch, Wild Lavender, and Pink Allium.
I hope that helps!
Julianna
I’d like to make the Softcotton Wash Clothes in the linen stitch. Can you confirm that the gauge with a #7 needle is 30 st x 50 rows? I’d also like to read the comments before ordering the yarn but I can’t manage to have the comments show up when I click the “56 comments” in red lettering under the Save to Favorites box. Can you tell me how to access these comments? Thanks, Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Thank you so much for getting in touch, and I apologize that our comments aren’t available at the moment! We are experiencing a few technical difficulties with our site right now, but our web team is hard at work to get everything restored as quickly as possible. The comments should be back in the next day or two!
Yes, we did indeed get 30 stitches and 50 rows to four inches using a US 7 needle! That might sound like a lot, but linen stitch is a very dense, compact stitch so you end up with significantly more stitches and rows per inch than you would in stockinette or garter stitch.
I hope that helps and happy knitting!
Julianna
This pattern also works up beautifully in Field Linen! I knit it on size 7s and the resulting fabric is less dense than what’s pictured above, but still beautiful. The nubbly side is good for a stimulating scrub, and I can wash my face with the smooth side.
Knitting with linen or cotton can be humbling. I usually knit with animal fibers and get nice even stitches. My washcloths have loose spots and edge wobbles. I started over several times before embracing the imperfections. Now I love them. Who knew a humble fiber + a humble knit = serious luxury at bath time?
Hi Cara,
Thanks for reaching out and for your kind words! I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying your washcloths and thank you for sharing that you used Field Linen and it worked very well for this pattern!
All the best,
Gianna
Hello. I am working on some of these washcloths. I really like the fabric this pattern creates, and your cotton yarn is great.
I’m on my second washcloth now, and I’m wondering if you can help me. The right edge when I’m starting my wrong side rows looks neat and regular – a set of V’s down the edge (I wanted to include photos, but this field won’t allow that), and the right edge when I’m starting my right side rows is all wonky and garbled and crooked. Do you have any advice that would help me have neat edges on both sides? Thanks so much!
Hi Kerith,
Thanks for reaching out! I am happy to help, you can send us some photos of your work to our email [email protected] and we can troubleshoot further from there!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hello, is this cotton yarn colorfast? I’d love to make red or red/orange dishcloths. Thanks!
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for writing in! Yes! Our Cotton Pure yarn is colorfast, so it is a perfect option for colorwork, I think the red and orange dishcloths would be adorable!
Happy knitting!
Gianna
Is cotton pure a worsted weight or fingering weight cotton yarn?
Thank you, Carol D.
Hi Carol,
Cotton Pure is actually a sport weight yarn, with a gauge that falls around 5.5-6 stitches per inch. If you’re looking for a fingering weight cotton, then I’d suggest our Buttercup Cotton, and if you’re looking for a worsted weight option, then Blue Sky Fibers Worsted Cotton is a great option!
All the best,
Kelsey
I’m finding an inconsistency in starting the rows in linen stitch in this pattern, from say the dishtowel linen stitch pattern. I’m not sure how to slip a stitch knitwise wyif at the beginning of the row. It’s only that one moment, at the beginning of the row because the last stitch in the preceding row is a knit so the yarn is in back–not sure how to bring it forward or if it matters, but when I try different techniques, the edge changes.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! Slipping the first stitch knitwise with the yarn in front can be a little bit tricky the first time you do it, but I have a trick that I’ve found helps me when I encounter this direction! I like to think of it as though I’m going to be purling the first stitch, that way I can bring my yarn to the front as if I were going to purl normally. Then, instead of working a purl, I insert my right-hand needle knitwise into the first stitch and slide it off off the needle. Since my yarn is still in front, I’m all set to purl that second stitch! Or, if I’m working Row 2, after slipping the first stitch, then I immediately bring my work to the back so that I can work the next knit stitch.
I hope this helps clear things up, but if you’re still having trouble visualizing it you can reach out to us at [email protected] for additional assistance!
Warmly,
Kelsey
Thanks! that solution is what I ultimately implemented but I wasn’t consistent at the beginning so my edge is a little “edgy”!
Hello,
I’m a relative beginner to knitting and am working on your 8″ square washcloths with I-cord. The instructions are to begin every row with Slip 1 knitwise wyif. Most tutorials only talk about slipping one knitwise wyib, but I’ve slipped mine with what I believe to be yarn in front. The edge doesn’t look very nice so I imagine I’m doing something wrong. Anybody able to clarify??
Hi Laurie,
Thanks for reaching out. As with many things in knitting, there are multiple ways to work slipped stitch edges! Because the working yarn will get pulled tighter once you knit the second stitch of each row, the first slipped stitch should look nearly identical whether it was slipped with the yarn held in front or in back. (And even if you slip both stitches wyib, you’ll still get one of each direction on the edges, since it happens on the right side once and on the wrong side the other time.)
If you’re noticing that your edge doesn’t look very nice, the most likely culprit is tension! You’ll need to maintain a very even tension for this technique to really shine. We would also be happy to take a look at your work! Feel free to send along photos of your washcloth to [email protected], and we can troubleshoot more.
All the best,
Lili
Hello. I am just looking at my newly purchased yarn and like the description on your website, the recommended needle size to use is 3-5. I guess I am correct in assuming that the knit won’t be too loose when using a size 7 as recommended in the pattern instructions.
Hi Molly,
Thank you for writing in! We suggest using a US 7 for this pattern but you can use any size that helps you achieve gauge. The gauge for this pattern is 30 stitches and 52 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern. If you are getting more stitches per 4 inches, you will want to size up on your needles, if you are getting less stitches per inch, you will size down. I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hi, I was wondering if I can use the buttercup cotton for this pattern?
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for reaching out. You can certainly use Buttercup Cotton for these washcloths, and you’ll just need to modify your cast-on number in order to make sure the dimensions come out correctly! To figure out your cast-on number, you will want to first knit a gauge swatch in pattern. Once you know how many stitches you are getting per inch, you can multiply that number by the width (8 inches) and cast on the nearest even number. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili
I bound off my washcloth and realized I had made a mistake two rows down. I can’t seem to “unravel” my bound off edge and now I am trying to put stitches back on my needle to reknit the last few rows. Is there a trick to unravelling linen stitch and picking back up the stitches on to your needle!
Hi Lorraine,
The most secure way to unravel and make sure that you get all the stitches safely back on your needles is to put in a lifeline! You can do this by using a tapestry needle to thread a piece of scrap yarn through one leg of each stitch on one row. Then, you can rip back without fear of losing any stitches! Once you’ve unraveled to the point of the lifeline, you can slip those stitches back onto your needles and remove the scrap yarn. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili