For anyone looking for a bright spot in the everyday, here’s one you can hold in your hand. Our Colorful Half + Half Washcloths dip into our 10 new colors of Cotton Pure. They are a shower of cheer, a warm bath, and a cool refresh!

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

These small squares with a big presence are based on our Half + Half Blanket, a clever short-row pattern that has you knit one triangular half of a square and then the other without any picking up or seaming!

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

For this version, we boosted the colorplay, adding some simple stripes to the design options. Each washcloth is such a quick knit that it’s within reach to whip up a full set, in color combos either subtle or striking. We love the pop of our new Jonquil Yellow, but also the sweet tones of newbies Moonflower Blue and Peach Peony… Play a little!

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

Cotton Pure makes a naturally beautiful washcloth, too: organically-grown and super absorbent with its non-mercerized fiber, it also has an extremely soft touch. A most welcome gift or a self-care little treat, Colorful Half + Half Washcloths manifest a bright spot in the day!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

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, #PurlSohoColorfulHalf+HalfWashCloths, and #PurlSohoCottonPure. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho
  • 8 skeins of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton yarn. Each skein of this sport weight yarn is 279 yards/ 100 grams.
    • Color A: 4 skeins in Heirloom White; approximately 1,006 yards required for all 8 washcloths.
    • Color B: 1 skein in Jonquil Yellow; approximately 210 yards required for all 8 washcloths.
    • Color C: 1 skein in Peach Peony; approximately 150 yards required for all 8 washcloths.
    • Color D: 1 skein in Tomato Orange; approximately 180 yards required for all 8 washcloths.
    • Color E: 1 skein in Moonflower Blue; approximately 230 yards required for all 8 washcloths.

NOTE Each washcloth requires a total of 222 yards.

You’ll also need…

Gauge

24 stitches and 50 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

Size

Finished Dimensions: Approximately 12 inches wide x 11½ inches long

Notes

Short Row Shaping: Wrp-t (Wrap And Turn)

Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.

To see this technique in action, visit our Short Row Tutorial and follow along with the wrap and turn on the knit side section (at 0:30 seconds), except do not bring the yarn to the back before you turn.

Knit With Wrap

Keeping yarn in back, pick up the wrap with the right needle from front to back, then insert the needle into the wrapped stitch knitwise. Knit the stitch and wrap together. Find step-by-step photos of this technique under the Picking Up The Wrapped Stitch On The Knit Side section in our Short Row Tutorial!

Construction

Due to their construction, the dimensions of these washcloths are fixed to a set ratio. The width (i.e. the cast-on edge) can be altered by casting on any number of stitches, and the length will always be approximately 95% of the width.

Schematic

This is a basic schematic for the construction of the Half + Half Pattern.

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

Pattern

Half + Half Pattern

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

NOTE This is the foundation pattern for all the washcloths. Later we’ll detail how to add stripes and colorblocks, but this simple Half + Half Pattern makes a great washcloth, too!

Triangle 1

With Color B, cast on 72 stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Row 1 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.

Row 2 (right side): Knit to last 3 stitches, place marker (pm), k1, wrap and turn (wrp-t, see Notes).

Row 3: Knit to end of row.

Row 4: Knit to marker, remove marker, wrp-t.

Row 5: K1, pm, knit to end of row.

Repeat Rows 4 and 5 until you have wrapped every stitch except the last two, ending with Row 5.

Next Row (right side): K1, remove marker, wrp-t.

Next Row (wrong side): K1.

Cut Color B.

Triangle 2

Row 1 (right side): With Color A, k1, *knit next stitch with its wrap (see Notes), repeat from * to last stitch, k1.

Row 2 (wrong side): Knit to end of row.

Row 3: Knit to end of row.

Row 4: K1, wrp-t.

Row 5: K1.

Row 6: K1, knit next stitch with its wrap, place marker, wrp-t.

Row 7: Slip marker, knit to end of row.

Row 8: Knit to marker, remove marker, knit next stitch with its wrap, place marker, wrp-t.

Repeat Rows 7 and 8 until you have completed a wrap and turn on the second to last stitch, ending with Row 7.

Next Row (wrong side): Knit to marker, remove marker, knit next stitch with its wrap, k1.

With right side facing you, bind off knitwise to last 2 stitches, k2, leaving 3 stitches on right needle.

Make I-Cord

With remaining 3 stitches, work an I-Cord for 3 inches, working last row as follows:

Last Row: K1, k2tog, pass first stitch over second stitch and off right needle. Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail and pull through remaining stitch.

Thread tail onto a tapestry needle. Make a loop with I-cord and weave tail into fabric of washcloth at base of I-cord, then weave it through the looped I-cord, and back into fabric of the washcloth.

Weave in the ends and wet block!

Layout Options

Here are 5 more ways to play with color. All of these layouts use the above Half + Half Pattern as the foundation, and here’s how we did each one….

Layout 1

  • Post Image
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NOTE We knit this layout in two different color schemes: one using Colors E and A and one using Colors D and A. The second version is in parentheses…

Follow the Half + Half Pattern as written, casting on with Color E (D) and using it for 6½ inches of Triangle 1, ending with a wrong-side row. Use Color A for the remainder of Triangle 1, then use Color A for Triangle 2.

Layout 2

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

Follow the Half + Half Pattern as written, casting on with Color A and using it for 5 inches of Triangle 1, ending with a wrong-side row. Use Color C for the remainder of Triangle 1, then use Color A for Triangle 2.

Layout 3

  • Post Image
  • Post Image

NOTE We knit this layout using Colors C, B, and A for one washcloth and Colors D, C, and A for the other. The second version is in parentheses…

Follow the Half + Half Pattern as written, casting on with Color C (D) and using it for 3½ inches of Triangle 1, ending with a wrong-side row. Use Color B (C) for the remainder of Triangle 1, then use Color A for Triangle 2.

Layout 4

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

Follow the Half + Half Pattern as written, casting on with Color E and using it for 2½ inches of Triangle 1, ending with a wrong-side row. Use Color A for 1½ inches, ending with a wrong-side row, then use Color C for the remainder of Triangle 1. Use Color A for Triangle 2.

Layout 5

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

Follow the Half + Half Pattern as written, casting on with Color B and using it for 2 inches of Triangle 1, ending with a wrong-side row. Use Color D for 2 inches, ending with a wrong-side row, then use Color C for 2 inches, ending with a wrong-side row, then use Color A for 2 inches, ending with a wrong-side row, then use Color E for the remainder of Triangle 1. Use Color A for Triangle 2.

Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho
Colorful Half + Half  Washcloths | Purl Soho

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

More Sport-Weight Yarns

More Yarns With Similar Fiber

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!