Linden Tree Washcloth + Hand Towel
With their bark-like stitch pattern and verdant hues, our Linden Tree Washcloth + Hand Towel invite you to cast on under the shade of your favorite tree and enjoy a peaceful afternoon of summer knitting!
A pleasing combination of ease and interest, this pattern uses intuitive repeats of simple stitches to create a furrowed surface. And since the smallest touches make a big difference, we’ve added a tidy slip-stitch edge and little I-cord loop for hanging.
The root of all this beauty is our 100% organically grown, unmercerized Cotton Pure.
With its multistrand structure, Cotton Pure is smooth and even, making the stitch pattern of this fabric crisp and clear… You just want to reach out and touch it! If you do, you’ll find it soft and supple, with a pleasing feel and a satisfying weight.
Taking some inspiration from a leafy canopy, we knit our towels in Shiso Green and Lemon Mint and our washcloths in Alabaster Cream and Heirloom White (above from right to left).
Whether you’re inspired by leaves or bark, heartwood or blossoms, pick up one skein for a washcloth and four for a towel, and watch these beauties grow!
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!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. Click here to see even more of Gianna’s designs!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoLindenTreeWashclothAndHandTowel, and #PurlSohoCottonPure. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To make one Washcloth (Hand Towel), you’ll need…
- 1 (3) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton yarn. Each skein of this sport weight yarn is 279 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 85 (650) yards required. We used the colors Heirloom White and Alabaster Cream for our Washcloths, and Shiso Green and Lemon Mint for our Hand Towels.
- US 3 (3.25 mm), straight or 24-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 3 (3.25 mm) double pointed needles for I-Cord
NOTE: 3 skeins is enough yarn to make 2 Washcloths and 1 Hand Towel!
GAUGE
20 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
SIZES
Washcloth (Hand Towel)
Finished Dimensions: 7 inches wide x 9 inches long (18 inches wide x 30 inches long)
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern works over any odd number of stitches.
SLIPPED STITCHES
Slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in front.
K1B (KNIT 1 BELOW)
Insert right needle into stitch below next stitch from front to back, knit normally (wrapping yarn around needle and pulling it back through the stitch below), and let the stitch above fall from left needle. To see a video of this technique, visit our Working Into The Stitch Below Tutorial!
PATTERN
Cast on 35 (91) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Row 1 (wrong side): Slip 2 (see Notes), *k1, p1, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1, slip 2.
Row 2 (right side): K2, *k1b (see Notes), p1, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, k1b, k2.
Rows 3–8: Repeat Rows 1 and 2 three more times.
Row 9: Slip 2, *p1, k1, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, p1, slip 2.
Row 10: K2, *p1, k1b, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, p1, k2.
Rows 11–16: Repeat Rows 9 and 10 three more times.
Repeat Rows 1–16 until piece measures approximately 9 (30) inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 1.
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.
Bind-Off Row (right side): K1, knit 2 together, pass first stitch over second stitch and off right needle.
Cut yarn, leaving an 8-inch tail. Pull it through remaining stitch.
Thread tail onto a tapestry needle. Make a loop with I-cord and weave tail into fabric at base of I-cord, then weave it through looped I-cord, and back into fabric.
Weave in 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!
dish towel
Hi Diane,
This project could certainly be made as a dish towel! If you’re interested in doing so, I’d recommend adjusting your project dimensions to be about 12 inches wide by 20 inches long. In that case, you would just need to cast on 61 stitches if you’re getting the same gauge as the pattern (20 stitches and 48 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern) and I’d recommend making a gauge swatch to make sure you’re on gauge before casting on. We have a tutorial on swatching in case you’d like to learn more: All About Gauge. Lastly, you’d need 2 skeins of Cotton Pure to make this in a dish towel size!
I hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Cat
Is the start of row 2 correct? It reads to slop the first 2 stitches and then knit into the next below. But my next below is a purl stitch. Should it not be a knit stitch? So should the instructions read slip 2 then p1 then knit into the stitch below?
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for reaching out! Our design team took a look through this pattern, and they’ve confirmed that it’s correct as written. You can absolutely work a k1b into a purl stitch–just insert your needle underneath the purl bump! I hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Hi! In the note it says that you can make a hand towel and 2 washcloths with 3 skeins. Looks to me like you need 3 skeins just for the hand towel.
Typo in note?
XOX
Hi Holly,
Thanks for reaching out! Actually, you will be able to make 1 Hand Towel and 2 Washcloths with 3 skeins. If you add up the yardage for a hand towel (650 yards) and for two washcloths (85 yards each), you’ll find that you need 820 total yards to make all 3 items. Since 3 skeins contain 837 yards in total (279 yards x 3), then that means that there’s enough yarn for everything!
All the best,
Lili
There seems to be a problem with the pattern. I’m pretty sure I followed the directions correctly, but the Ks & Ps didn’t line up the way they appear in the photos. Thanks.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for reaching out! Our design team took a look through this pattern, and they’ve confirmed that it’s correct as written. If your project isn’t turning out as expected, I’d recommend sending a photo of your work so far to [email protected] so that we can take a closer look at what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili
I’m confused by the instructions. it seems like there is an error in the instructions.
To get a rib you need to purl the purl bump on the reverse side.
so if the third stitch from the edge in row 1 (ws) is knit, then on row 2 (rs) the third stitch from the edge would need to be purled, not k1b
could you please check
thanks
ka
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for writing in! Our design team took a look through this pattern, and they’ve confirmed that it’s correct as written. The pattern is not actually a rib; it’s columns of seed stitch within the columns of knit-below stitches. So it works a bit differently from ribbing!
All the best,
Lili
ok, thanks for the clarification… I will try again!
it worked! proving once again that I should trust the pattern! my apologies for doubting. and many thanks to Lili for saying what is going on, that was really helpful
You’re very welcome, Katherine!
All the best,
Lili
For row 2; the K1B is into a pearl stitch, not a knit stitch as in tutorial.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for reaching out! You can absolutely work a k1b into a purl stitch as well–just insert your needle underneath the purl bump. I hope this helps clarify things!
All the best,
Lili
I am not sure that these instructions are correct. Row 1 ends with K1, sl 2. Row 2 begins K2, K1b.
How could one K1b into what would be a purl stitch? Should the instructions for rows 2 and 10 be reversed?
I am looking forward to using lots of my Pure Cotton yarns!
Thank you.
Hi Frances,
Thanks for reaching out! Our design team took a look through this pattern, and they’ve confirmed that it’s correct as written. You can absolutely work a k1b into a purl stitch–just insert your needle underneath the purl bump! I hope this helps clarify things.
All the best,
Lili
Thank you, Lili!
I really appreciate your reply and will definitely be casting on some stitches soon. (I can see from other comments that I was not the only one wondering about K1b into a purl stitch. It’s very kind of you all to reply to each of us.)
Best wishes and happy knitting to you all.
You’re very welcome!
All the best,
Lili
I don’t see an explanation for the K1b stitch anywhere. Please explain.
Hi Martha,
Thanks for reaching out. We provide an explanation of the k1b stitch in the NOTES section! Here it is for quick reference though:
K1B (KNIT 1 BELOW)
Insert right needle into stitch below next stitch from front to back, knit normally (wrapping yarn around needle and pulling it back through the stitch below), and let the stitch above fall from left needle. To see a video of this technique, visit our Working Into The Stitch Below Tutorial!
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
As I begin row 2 I’m to knit 2 but when I turned the work to row 2 the working yarn is in the front. Is this correct? If so, do I just put it to the back?
Hi Kristi,
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds as though you slipped the final 2 stitches of Row 1 with the yarn in back, rather than in front. I’d recommend undoing these last 2 stitches and redoing them, making sure to bring your yarn to the front of your work before you slip them. That way, when you turn your work to start Row 3, the working yarn will be in back!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks for timely reply!
ROW 2 CONFUSION & EXPLANATION!
If you were thrown off by row two (like I was), here’s my explanation of the use of k1b in this pattern.
The tutorial video shows them using a k1b on a knit stitch, which I think is contributing to the confusion. We’re using it in this case to CONVERT a purl stitch INTO A KNIT stitch. So as the lovely blog helpers have said above, the pattern IS correct. You have to trust the process. You’ll have ribbing in between the k1b’s and it’s just an offset when you get to row 9. Another point where you have to trust the process because then you’ll be knitting on knits and purling on purls like we all thought it would be in the first two rows. Follow the pattern as written and you’re golden! I hope this helps!
Hi – I am wondering if I am doing something wrong. I have knitted two wash clothes from one skein of the pure cotton yarn and I still have quite a bit of the skein remaining! The way I read the pattern it indicated one skein one wash cloth. Which is true. But there is so much yarn remaining after just one wash cloth.
Hi Stacey,
Thank you for writing in! That is a great question! One skein of Cotton Pure is actually enough to make 3 wash clothes as each one uses approximately 85 yards. The yardages provided include both the small washcloth size and the larger hand towel size which uses 650 yards. I hope this helps clarify but if you have any other questions, please let us know!
Happy making,
Gavriella
I would love to make a baby blanket with this pattern and yarn. How many skeins. And what is the size of the towel vs a baby blanket..?
Hi Melanie,
Thank you for your question! To modify this pattern you will want to start with a gauge swatch. You will then measure your stitches per inch and multiply that number by the desired width of your blanket and that will give you your cast on number. One thing to keep in mind is that this stitch pattern is worked over an odd number of stitches.
After you have created your gauge swatch you can weigh it in grams and divide by the square footage (in inches) of your swatch by the total number of grams. This will give you your grams per square inch which you can then use to calculate your yardage for the desired size of your blanket.
I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
How much yardage is needed to just make one hand towel?
Hi Abby,
You can find all of the material requirements in the Materials section of this pattern but I am also sharing it here for quick access:
To make one Washcloth (Hand Towel), you’ll need…
1 (3) skein(s) of Purl Soho’s Cotton Pure, 100% organically grown cotton. Each skein is 279 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 85 (650) yards required. We used the colors Heirloom White and Alabaster Cream for our Washcloths, and Shiso Green and Lemon Mint for our Hand Towels.
I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions!
Happy making,
Gavriella
So you need 3 skeins to make one hand towel but you’ll have enough left for 2 washcloths, right? If you only want to make 1 hand towel you still need 3 skeins. (Or you can make a dish towel with 2 skeins.) Yes?
Hi Kristin,
I think a better way to break this down is by the yardage itself. One wash cloth is 65 yards while one hand towel is 650 yards. Each skein is 279 yards. So if you have 3 skeins that is 279 x 3 = 837 yards total! I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any other questions and I’d be happy to take another look!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hello! Did this yarn replace Buttercup Cotton? Does it knit up the same?
Thank you!
Hi Jeanette,
This yarn is just a tad bit thicker than Buttercup Cotton and is more of a true sport weight. I’d say it knits up quite lovely and we know you won’t be disappointed!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hello! I just noticed that in Gavriella’s response to Kristin on June 10th at 1:00PM states that the washcloths each take “65” yards. Pattern says “85” yards each. 0lease confirm 65 or 85.
85 x 2 = 170. 170 + 650 (towel) = 820
3 skeins at 279 each = 837
Note: one comment states that a 3rd washcloth could be made but approximately 17 yards remain.
Thank you. We appreciate your help and patience!
Oops! The yardage is definitely 85! We will be sure to make that edit to the comment.
All the best,
Gavriella
When I slip 2 stitches purlwise on the odd-numbered rows, my stitches make an awkward row beginning and ending. What am I missing in the slip two stitches technique? The slip two stitches seem especially “off” when followed by a purl stitch. Is the working yarn carried in front of the two slipped stitches before purling?
Hi Martha,
We’re sorry to hear that you’re running into trouble with this pattern! Would you please send a photo of your work to [email protected]? That way, we can better visualize what’s going on!
All the best,
Lili