Heel Stitch Hand Towel
We set out to make the most classic, heirloom hand towel imaginable, and our Heel Stitch Hand Towel delivers with its they-don’t-make-them-like-they-used-to feel. Conjuring up big farmhouse tables, copper pots, and claw foot tubs, it would be right at home in simpler times.
If you know your way around knitting socks, you might recognize that this same slip stitch is often employed for the heels. “Heel stitch” is stunningly simple, plus it adds cushion and durability… great for heels and hand towels, too!
Our Field Linen is perfectly kindred for this pattern. Made from 100% linen, it creates a fabric that’s fine, absorbent, and rugged. Its beauty makes hand-drying a wonderfully subtle act of appreciation. And as is suitable for an heirloom knit, it only improves with age, getting softer and softer with each wash and use.
UPDATE: NOW IN SERIF
MAY 2023
Knit in our beautiful, new 100% Peruvian Pima cotton Serif, our Heel Stitch Hand Towel is durable but soft, thick and absorbent. Its extra-long staple fiber spins into a yarn that is long-lasting, smooth, and silky, and Serif’s lively structure, with one thin thread wrapped around a fluffy, soft core, creates a wavy strand that adds depth and texture to this heirloom hand knit!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoHeelStitchHandTowel, and #PurlSohoFieldLinen. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- 2 skeins of Purl Soho’s Field Linen, 100% linen. Each skein is 295 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 443 yards required. We used the color Natural Flax.
- US 3 (3.25 mm), straight or 16- or 24-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 3 double pointed needles for I-Cord
Gauge
32 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
Size
Finished Dimensions: 15 inches wide x 25 inches long
Notes
Slip Stitches
Slip all stitches purlwise.
Stitch Multiple
This pattern works over any odd multiple of stitches.
Pattern
Cast on 121 stitches using a basic Long Tail Cast-On.
Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Notes) with yarn in front (wyif), purl to last stitch, slip 1 with yarn in front.
Row 2 (right side): K1, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k1, repeat from * to end of row.
Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until piece measures 25 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 1.
Bind Off (right side): K1, *slip 1 wyib, slip first stitch over, k1, slip first 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 the 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 Hand Towel at the base of the I-cord, then weave it through the looped I-cord, and back into the fabric of the Hand Towel.
Weave in the remaining ends and block as desired.
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!
What is the difference between:
Slip all stitches purlwise AND Row 2 (right side): K1, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib), k1, repeat from * to end of row?
Isn’t holding yarn in front slipping stitch knitwise? Confused by directions.
Clarification – there is 1 slipped stitch at beginning & end of each row – is that correct?
Thank you!
Hi Anne,
Thanks for reaching out! Slipping stitches knitwise and purlwise refers to how you insert your left hand needle into the stitch, not where the yarn is located, so you can slip a stitch purlwise with the yarn in back. To do so, you will leave your working yarn in the back of the work, insert the right hand needle into the next stitch as if you were going to purl it, and then slip that stitch over to the left hand needle without working it.
On the wrong side rows, yes, you will be slipping just the first and last stitches; however, on the right side rows, you will be repeating the section between the asterisks, so you will be slipping every other stitch across the entire row.
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Do you mean insert your right needle, not the left?
Hi Jo,
Yes, I am so sorry for the confusion, I did mean the right hand needle! I have edited my instructions above to reflect this. Thank you so much for pointing that out!
Best,
Julianna
Beautiful and will be fun to knit.
Thank you.
This will be a beautiful nostalgic knit.It’s perfect. Thank you Purl Soho!
Julie
Is there a video anywhere that shows how to knit this? Thank you!
Hello Jami,
Thank you for reaching out! While we do not currently have the resources to make a video for this stitch, I will certainly pass along the suggestion!
Happy knitting,
Marilla
Thank you once again for my free pattern – GREAT!!!
Will purchase some of your lovely linen yarn soon.
Love Jean
Could you give directions to bind off without making an I-cord loop? Love the look of this towel! Thank you for the free pattern.
Hello Lynn,
Thanks for reaching out! All you need to do is continue with the instructions to bind off until you are left with one stitch. You then pull your working yarn through your last stitch to secure it.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
I just started knitting this and have about an inch so far, but my concern is that the bottom edge is curling up significantly. When I try by hand to pull it down it doesn’t want to stay. I must have cast on wrong. I used a size 5 needle to cast on to make sure the hem isn’t too tight so maybe the bigger needle caused this curling to happen? I used the long tail cast on method. Hoping I don’t have to take it all out but fear I might.
Pam
Hello Pam,
Thank you for reaching out! A tight cast on rather than a loose one would be more likely to create curling so I think you are fine. As long as you are on gauge your towel will relax once you black it at the end.
I hope this helps and let us know if the issue continues!
Best,
Marilla
Would a maybe 3 rows of knit both front and back stop the curling. Maybe doing the 3 rows at the bottom and the top?
Hi Irene,
Thanks for reaching out! Working 3 rows of knitting both sides (garter stitch) would definitely help reduce the curling edges!
All the best,
Gianna
Thank you so much. I’m relieved to know this will relax after blocking.
Pam
I’ve got about 4″ knit and the cloth is curling up. Do you think this will straighten out when I block it? The cloth in the picture looks quite flat, but I’m a little worried.
Hello Kathy,
Thank you for reaching out! Yes, blocking will relax the fibers and eliminate any curling.
Happy knitting!
-Marilla
Good morning. I would like to know how you know how much yarn you can figure for the long tail cast on. Is there a formula you can use to help know how much yarn you will need for the 121 stitch for the cast on?
Hi Connie,
Great question! There are a few ways to estimate how much yarn you will need for a long tail cast on with varying levels of accuracy. The easiest but least accurate method is to estimate one inch per stitch – you probably won’t run out of yarn for the cast on using this method, but depending on what needle size you are using, you may have quite a bit of excess yarn. A somewhat more accurate method is to measure your yarn by wrapping it around your needle as many times as you will be casting on stitches, so for this towel, you would wrap your yarn around your needle 121 times. The most accurate way to measure is to cast on a small amount of stitches, about 10 or 15, then unravel those stitches while holding onto the tail. You can then use this length of yarn to measure off how much you will need for the full cast on. For instance, if you cast on 10 stitches, you will need to measure out 12 times the length of yarn used to cast on 10 stitches to figure out how much you will need for the full 121.
Best of luck and I hope that helps!
Thanks so much for this information! It’s very helpful!
Thank you so much for your time in this matter.
I’m making this towel for a Christmas present. Is it suppose to be a kitchen towel or bathroom guest towel? I’m excited to make this towel no matter what the purpose. Thanks Roda
Hi Roda,
Thanks so much for the kind words and for writing in! You could use this towel for either purpose! Linen is a very sturdy yarn that holds up well to the demands of the kitchen, but also creates an elegant fabric that looks perfectly at home in a guest bathroom.
Best,
Julianna
Is it possible to get confirmation of how to adapt this pattern for circular needles?
Hello Julie,
Thank you for reaching out! If you are knitting this towel flat but with circular needles there is no need to adapt. You do everything exactly the same as if you were knitting with straight needles.
I hope this helps and happy knitting!
-Marilla
Hi!
So to clarify the ‘Row 2’ instructions, do you alternatively slip a stitch and then knit one until the end? Also, is the wrong side when you flip over the needle after casting on? I’m a beginner so these terms are not easily recognized.
Thank you for the pattern!
Micaiah
Hi Micaiah,
Thanks for writing in! Yes, it sounds like you’ve got it! To keep track of which side is the right and wrong side, I would suggest placing a removable stitch marker or tying a piece of contrasting color yarn through the scarf after completing the first wrong side row, so you know whenever that side is facing you, you will be working a wrong side row.
I hope that helps, and happy knitting!
Julianna
I was always leary of a slip stitch pattern. I thought it was beyond my level of experience. You have reformed me I love this pattern it is very easy and beautiful.
I just wish I could afford the field linen, believe me, if I could I would be making these hand towels left and right.
Thank you for all the wonderful free patterns you provide. I check out your site periodically.
Thank you.
Rachel
Pattern calls for 2 skeins…..is this knit holding 2 together?
Thanks.
Hi Julie,
Thanks for reaching out! You will be using just one strand of Field Linen to knit this hand towel, but due to the size of the towel, you will need two skeins to complete. When you finish the first skein, you can use our instructions for Adding A Ball Of Yarn to join the second ball and complete your towel!
Best,
Julianna
Which needle.length would be best? And I’ve only used bamboo needles – is that ok for this linen yarn? When do you recommend metal needles? Thanks!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for writing in! You could easily fit these towels on a 12″ straight needle or a 24″ circular needle. Bamboo is fine if that is what you are comfortable with! Bamboo needles tend to have more grip and might be preferable for slippery yarns, while many knitters find they can knit faster with super slick metal needles – however, needle material really comes down to personal preference.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Will this pattern work with your Cotton Pure? If so, how does that change the material requirements? Is there anything else to consider ? Thanks
Hi Julia,
Thanks for writing in! I think these hand towels would be absolutely beautiful in Cotton Pure! It is just a little thicker than Field Linen, so I would recommend knitting a gauge swatch in pattern using a US 4 needle. You can then measure your stitches per inch, multiply by 15 inches, and round to the nearest odd number to determine how many stitches to cast on. This might affect the required yardage slightly, but I think you will still need two skeins per towel.
Happy knitting!
Julianna
Hi,
Could you explain this statement:
‘pattern works over any odd multiple of stitches.’
I’m used to seeing ‘odd number of stitches.’ The word ‘multiple’ has me a bit confused.
I like the idea of the pattern but I want to make a smaller size. 15x 25 is a little too big for me.
I received my Field Linen yesterday and this pattern caught my eye.
Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.
Stay safe,
ST
Hi ST,
Thanks for reaching out! This is just another way to say you need to cast on an odd number of stitches, and any odd number will do!
I hope that clears things up!
Julianna
Hello, will I have to block the towel after every wash to prevent curling?
Hi Olga,
Thanks for reaching out! Due to the nature of this stitch pattern, curling shouldn’t be an issue! However, for the care of Feild Linen, we do not recommend machine drying this yarn, so when you wash the towel we only recommend machine washing on a delicate or hand wash cycle in cold water and lay flat to dry!
Warmly,
Gianna
Hi, I would love to make these for a gift and I just wanted to see how many towels can be made from the two skeins? Is it one towel per two skeins? I just want to make sure I order enough yarn. Thanks in advance for your time.
Hi Meagan,
Thanks for reaching out! These would be beautiful gifts! For one towel you will need 2 skeins of Field Linen.
I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!
Gianna
Can I use Cotton Pure for these towels?
Thanks.
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
Yes, you can absolutely use Cotton Pure for these towels! The only thing you’d need to change about the pattern is the number of stitches you cast on, in order to achieve the same dimensions. 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 (15 inches) and cast on the nearest odd number. Then you can follow the pattern as written!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili – I did figure out that Cotton Pure yarn is sport weight and Field Linen is worsted weight. Right? I will give it a try using Cotton Pure. Thank you for your help .
Hi Barbara,
Cotton Pure is sportweight, but Field Linen is actually fingering weight!
All the best,
Lili