Slipped Seed Stitch Hand Towel
Imagine a stack of soft, colorful hand towels you knitted yourself, warm from the dryer and ready to go to work in your home… It’s one of the simple yet profound pleasures in the life of a knitter, and a collection of our Slipped Seed Stitch Hand Towels, made with our new fingering weight cotton and linen Oleander yarn, is the perfect way to experience it for yourself!
These satisfyingly textured, two-color hand towels are made with an easy-as-pie stitch pattern… With no purling or fiddly colorwork whatsoever! Just knits and slip stitches, you only use one color per row, and you’ll have the four-row repeat memorized in no time, making this the ideal take-along project.
With vertical stripes on the front and horizontal stripes on the reverse, these charming towels are beautiful on both sides. Two shades of our light and lovely Oleander yarn create a compelling pattern, with the main color forming a grounding border and a useful I-cord loop for hanging.
Machine wash- and dry-able Oleander is super pretty and practical, too. Made in Italy from 50% Turkish cotton and 50% Belgian linen, its naturally humectant linen absorbs water, while its cotton component brings super touchable softness… And towels made with this yarn will just get softer every time you dry your hands!
Pick two from Oleander’s Mediterranean-inspired palette of 15 sun-kissed colors, from sandy neutrals like Pignoli Nut to earthy Burnt Sienna and sweet Coral Pink. You’ll need just one or two balls of each color depending on the size of towel you choose to make.
Cast on for these simply lovely Slipped Seed Stitch Hand Towels and bring some handmade beauty into your home… Or into the home of whoever is lucky enough to be gifted these very special towels!
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, Keith Foster. See even more of Keith’s work on his website!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSlippedSeedStitchHandTowel, and #PurlSohoOleander. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
- Purl Soho’s Oleander yarn, 50% cotton and 50% linen. Each skein of this fingering-weight yarn is 205 yards/ 50 grams.
- Color A: 1 (2) ball(s); approximately 185 (340) total yards required
- Color B: 1 (2) ball(s); approximately 155 (280) total yards required
- US 4 (3.5 mm), straight, or 16- or 24-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 4 double pointed needles for I-cord
We knit our samples in the following sizes and colors…
Small Towel- Color A: Putty Gray; Color B: Gray Spruce
Small Towel- Color A: Coral Pink; Color B: Blue Sage
Large Towel- Color A: Burnt Sienna; Color B: Pignoli Nut
GAUGE
40 stitches and 78 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
SIZES
Small Towel (Large Towel)
Finished Dimensions: 10 inches wide x 17 inches long (15 inches wide x 21 inches long)
NOTES
STITCH MULTIPLE
This pattern works over a multiple of 2 stitches + 1.
SLIPPED STITCHES
Slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in back on right side and with yarn in front on wrong side, unless otherwise specified.
CARRYING UP COLOR B
In this pattern, you will carry Color B up the front (right side) of the work. To do this, end Row 2 by slipping 2 with Color B in back and leave Color B in the front of the work when beginning Row 3. When you come to Row 1 again, simply slip 2 with Color B still in front, then pick it up to continue working the row.
PATTERN
With Color A, cast on 101 (151) stitches. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.
Set-Up Row (wrong side): K2, *slip 1 (see Notes), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Join Color B.
Row 1 (right side): With Color B, slip 2 with yarn in front, k1, *slip 1 (see Notes), k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 2.
Row 2 (wrong side): With Color B, slip 2, k1, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 2 with yarn in back.
Row 3: With Color A and carrying Color B up the front (see Notes), k2, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: With Color A, k2, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Repeat Rows 1–4 until piece measures 17 (21) inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.
Cut Color B.
Bind Off Row (right side): With Color A, k2, pass the first stitch on right needle over the second to bind off, *knit 2 together, pass the first stitch over the second to bind off, repeat from * until 3 stitches remain, leaving 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 OLEANDER + ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL YARNS
We used Oleander for this project because of its alluring earthiness and fine, soft touch. A fingering-weight yarn, Oleander is made in Italy from 50% Turkish cotton and 50% Belgian linen. It is the ultimate warm-weather knitting yarn, as light as a summer breeze and as lovely as an Italian hillside in bloom!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of free Oleander knitting patterns and cast on!
More Fingering-Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of fingering-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 Fibers
- Shop cotton yarn
- Shop linen 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!
Can this be made with cotton pure? I still have a lot on hand and would love to make this beautiful towel. If I go with cotton pure, what size needle to use and how many stitches should I cast on? Thank you!
Hi Hazel,
Thank you for writing in! Cotton Pure is slightly too thick for this pattern but you can definitely modify to use it in place of this yarn. 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 towel and that will give you your cast on number. One thing to keep in mind is that this pattern is worked over a multiple of 2 stitches + 1, so you will want to start with an even number of stitches and add 1. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Another simply beautiful Purl Soho pattern! I can imagine this as a luxurious scarf with the right yarn.
Thank you!
How do you suggest joining color B yarn?
Thank you
Hi Becki,
We recommend just starting with Color B in the same fashion you would to add a new ball of yarn. After that you can follow the instruction under the CARRYING UP COLOR B section of the pattern. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
How do you join yarn with slip stitches as the first to stitches?
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for writing in! After you slip the first two stitches, just start knitting with the new color on the third stitch of the row!
All the best,
Lili
Where do I download this pattern without all of the pics? I bought $91 worth of yarn etc and can’t find where to download.
Hi Laurie,
Thank you for asking! This pattern is available directly from our website as a free pattern which you can customize for print and download. If you’re on a desktop version of the site, you will find a “print” icon in the right column just below the “Save To Favorites” button. If you’re on a mobile version of the site, you will find a “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
You can follow the easy on-screen instructions to delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print or save. For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. To remove images, click the drop down next to the image icon and change from 100% to 0%. You can also hover your mouse over any portions of the pattern you wish to delete, and click the trash can icon that appears. Then, you can click “Print” or “PDF” along the top left of the pattern preview box to print or save the pattern!
I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
I believe there is an error in this pattern. Set-up row, and rows 1 and 2 have an odd number of stitches, while rows 3 and 4 have an even number. Can you please help me with the correction needed.
Thanks
Hi Gail,
Thank you so much for catching that! We have gone ahead and updated the pattern to reflect these changes. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
This is Becki again – I’m just not getting how to start the color b row with yarn in front – how is it joined? I’m sorry – feel a bit stupid with this – I’m not an experienced knitter but can knit and purl and slip a stitch. I’ve tried looking at videos but this is a bit different than what I’ve been able to find. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
Hi Becki,
To start knitting with Color B, all you need to do is slip the first two stitches and then knit the next stitch with Color B (not Color A)! As you keep knitting, the new strand of yarn will be completely secured. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili
I’ve cast on for my first towel today! I’m wondering whether this linen/cotton blend would be good for washcloths as well. I’ve made several in 100% cotton, but never with a blend. Thank you for another great pattern!
Hi Emily,
Yes, Oleander is a great choice for washcloths!
All the best,
Lili
Can you show me how to carry up the yarn B ?
I love the texture of this towel!
Hi Paula,
Thanks for writing in! To carry up Color B, first end Row 2 by slipping 2 with Color B in back and leave Color B in the front of the work when beginning Row 3. When you come to Row 1 again, simply slip 2 with Color B still in front, then pick it up to continue working the row. If you’d like a demonstration of this, then I’d recommend signing up for 1-On-1 Help!
All the best,
Lili
Can I make these in Santolina and Sweetgrass like the Sunday Dinner Dish Towels? They turned out so nice and I love the feel.
Hi Diane,
That’s such a great idea, and it would totally work! Just be sure to knit up a gauge swatch before beginning to make sure you choose the best needle size for the project.
All the best,
Lili
Hello,
I am struggling with this pattern. When I slip the 2 stitches at the end of rows 1 and 2, my working yarn remains behind those stitches, which seems wrong. I don’t understand the purpose of slipped stitches but I know there is a reason. Can you help with a link or some graphical help as to how to slip these two stitches correctly? I am guessing the yarn should somehow travel with them and be at the end of the row as with rows 3/4, but I can’t figure it out and on the videos I find online, it shows slipping in the middle of a row, not the end. Thank you!
Hi Diane,
Thank you for writing in! I’m happy to share that you sound right on track! The most important thing to remember is to slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in back on the right side and with yarn in front on the wrong side, unless otherwise specified in the pattern. This does mean that your yarn will be either two stitches behind or two stitches ahead though! This is what will create the neat i-cord edge on your hand towel. If you aren’t feeling confident, I’d recommend practicing over a small swatch just until you get the hang of it and to see how those edges come out nice and neat. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Would this yarn be good for light-weight baby blanket? I love the colors!
Hi Linda,
This yarn could work wonderfully for a baby blanket! Please let us know if you have any questions along the way!
Happy making,
Gavriella
Hi
Thank you for this beautiful pattern.
However, I am struggling with the first instruction.
Set-Up Row (wrong side) and then row 1?
Can you please help me understand that step?
Hi Marie,
Thank you for writing in! For the set up row, you will K2, and then work *slip 1 (see Notes), k1, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.Then for row 1, with color B, you will slip 2 with yarn in front, k1, and work *slip 1 (see Notes), k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, and finish with slip 2. I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any questions! You can also check out our handy How To Read A Knitting Pattern tutorial which has wonderful tips for reading any pattern.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
It’s me again! I’m ready to bind off. But I’m not sure of the k2 together method. My understanding is this is a stretchy bind off. Can I just use a traditional bind off?
Hi Cheryl,
You can definitely use any bind off method you prefer! We just found we liked the look of this bind off best but its completely up to you.
All the best,
Gavriella