Softest Cotton Washcloth + Bath Mat
Bring super-soft handmade pleasure to your everyday routines with our free Softest Cotton Washcloth + Bath Mat knitting pattern, knit (yes, this amazing fabric is actually knitted!) with our supremely cuddlesome new Witch Hazel yarn!
In this easy-as-pi pattern, you knit the circles from the center out using simple increases. Stop early for a washcloth or keep on going for a bathmat. The washcloth takes just one ball and a few hours, or use 8 balls to create a 22-inch bath mat that your toes will get lost in!
100% incredibly soft Pima cotton, this yarn bursts with delicate, feathery strands. It is a joy to knit and creates a plush and fluffy fabric that gets even better when machine-washed and dried!
Make a 3-color set of Softest Cotton Washcloths with our Witch Hazel Bundles, each palette inspired by an evocative natural setting: Fjord’s moody blues, Dune’s sandy shades, and the delicate pinks and tans of Seashell. Pick a single color for a coordinating bath mat, and sink into the softest cotton ever!
The Softest Cotton Washcloth + Bath Mat pattern is a fabulous and fun way to experience our charismatic Witch Hazel yarn. Knit something that will make you smile every 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!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Gianna Mueller. See more of Gianna’s designs on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSoftestCottonWashclothAndBathMat, and #PurlSohoWitchHazel. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To make one washcloth (bath mat), you’ll need…
- 1 (8) ball(s) of Purl Soho’s Witch Hazel, 100% Pima cotton yarn. Each ball of chunky/bulky-weight yarn is 48 yards/ 50 grams; approximately 45 (384) total yards required. We used Glacier Blue and Heirloom White for our bath mats and every color of Witch Hazel for our washcloths.
- Optional: US 8 (5 mm) double pointed needles, to begin project if you prefer not to use Magic Loop
- US 8 (5 mm), 24-inch circular knitting needles, whether you’re starting with double pointed needles or doing Magic Loop
- Bath Mat Only: US 8, 47- or 60-inch circular needles (NOTE: If you’re using Magic Loop, you can use just the 47- or 60-inch needles throughout, but they may be a bit unruly at the beginning of the project when you’re working only a few stitches!)
- Optional: A spare needle, one or two sizes larger, for binding off
- A stitch marker
And if you want to make a few color-coordinated washcloths, our Witch Hazel Bundles include 3 colors of Witch Hazel and make 3 washcloths, or our 9-Color Bundle to make 9 washcloths!
FJORD: Glacier Blue, Pewter Gray, and Classic Denim
DUNE: Heirloom White, Beach Pebble, and Chamomile Yellow
SEASHELL: Pink Opal, Clay Pot, and Whole Wheat
GAUGE
14 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch, unblocked
NOTE: This is not the gauge of the finished project, but if you get this gauge for a flat swatch, your finished projects will end up roughly the right size!
SIZES
Washcloth (Bath Mat)
- Finished Diameter, Unlaundered: 8 (24) inches in diameter
- Finished Diameter, Machine Laundered: 7 (22) inches in diameter
NOTE: When you run Witch Hazel through the gentle cycle of a washing machine and dryer, it shrinks a little bit and also gets denser, softer, and even more amazing!
NOTE
MAGIC LOOP
Because these projects start at the center and double in stitches every time you work an Increase Round, we found it easiest to use the Magic Loop technique. As the pattern progresses, there will be enough stitches to easily fill up your needles so you’ll no longer need to use Magic Loop and can just work in the round.
For more help with Magic Loop, visit our tutorial here!
If you prefer to start on double pointed needles and switch to circular needles when you can, that’s fine, too!
PATTERN
Using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast 9 stitches onto shorter circular needles, dividing the stitches between needles for Magic Loop (see Note). (Or if using double pointed needles, cast 9 stitches onto 3 needles and change to shorter circular needles when you have enough stitches to.)
Place marker and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.
Knit to end of round.
Increase Round: Knit front and back (kfb) into every stitch to end of round. [18 stitches]
Knit 3 rounds.
Repeat Increase Round. [36 stitches]
Knit 6 rounds.
Repeat Increase Round. [72 tstitches]
WASHCLOTH ONLY
Knit 8 rounds.
Go on to Finishing section below.
BATH MAT ONLY
NOTE: Change to longer needles when necessary.
Knit 12 rounds.
Repeat Increase Round. [144 stitches]
Knit 24 rounds.
Repeat Increase Round. [288 stitches]
Knit 16 rounds.
FINISHING
Bind off loosely knitwise, using a spare needle a size or two larger if necessary to ensure piece lays flat.
Weave in ends and gently machine wash and dry to shrink a bit (see Sizes section, above).
Learn About Witch Hazel + All Our Beautiful Yarns
We designed this project to highlight the delightful sprouty-ness of Witch Hazel (yes, this fabric is indeed knitted!). This yarn brings not only whimsy and charisma but also an incredibly soft and cushy feeling. A uniquely textured chunky/bulky-weight yarn, it is 100% super soft Pima cotton and an absolute joy to knit!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of Witch Hazel knitting patterns and cast on!
More Chunky/Bulky-Weight Yarns
- Shop our collection of chunky/bulky-weight yarn
- 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 all our beautiful cotton yarn
- Shop machine-washable yarn
- Shop plant-based 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!
I would like to make a square washcloth instead of a round one since i can’t knit with 3 needles. What would be a good pattern and what size needles would I need.
Hi Dee,
Thanks for writing in! You can totally make a square washcloth if you want. I would recommend casting on 25 stitches and knitting in garter stitch until the washcloth is square. This will result in an approximately 7×7-inch washcloth, which has approximately the same surface area as our original circular design so you won’t run out of yarn!
We used size US 8 (5mm) needles to knit our samples, but we highly recommend knitting up a gauge swatch in pattern to determine what size you should use. You may need to size up or down your needles in order to get the correct gauge! If you would like to learn more about this, we have a handy tutorial called All About Gauge.
Hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any more questions!
All the best,
Lili
Thanks so much for your excellent advice. It really does help.
D
I can’t knit! But I do crochet. Is there a pattern similar for us?
Hi Wendy,
Thank you for writing in. I’m sorry to say we don’t currently have a crochet version of this pattern but our Crochet Candy Ornaments could be a great option to get you started. I’d just suggest using a 5-6mm crochet hook. You could even play around with adding more increase rows!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi! Could this be crocheted instead of knitted or will it not look right?
Hi Madison,
You could definitely crochet a beautiful version of this pattern! Our Crochet Candy Ornaments could be a great option to get you started. I’d just suggest using a 5-6mm crochet hook. You could even play around with adding more increase rows!
All the best,
Gavriella
Love the idea of a “speckly” bath mat—switching colors every row. Do think alternating 3 colors would work? Or should I possibly use 2 so the carrying would be less obvious (hoping for a mat that would look great on either side)?
Thank you, Lydia
Hi Lydia,
That sounds like such a fun idea! I’d recommend using as many colors as you’d like. Since this yarn is quite fluffy, your edges could be nicely hidden under all the fibers. I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Wish Lydia could post a photo of her finished speckly bath mat! 😉
I would like to make a rectangular bathmat instead of the real one. What do you suggest as far as needles and cast on amount of stitches?
Hi Rita,
Thank you for writing in! I am afraid this is a little tricky. You will want to first begin with a gauge swatch. You will then measure your stitches per inch an multiply that number by your desired width. This will give you your cast on number. I’d recommend using a 5-6mm needle for your project but unfortunately it would be difficult to recommend an exact amount of yarn for this custom project. I recommend finding a project with similar dimensions and made in a bulky weight to get an idea of how much yarn you will need.
Alternatively, after you have created your gauge swatch you can weigh it in grams and divide 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 bath mat.
I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Hello, This yarn looks as if it might knit up to make a unique cardigan- do you have any thoughts ? Do you have any suggestions for any easy cardigan patterns? If i did use for a cardigan with another similar yarn, what category is this yarn?
Hi Debie,
That sounds like such a cool idea! Witch Hazel is a bulky weight yarn so I’d start your search with a cardigan similar in weight. You can then swatch to make sure you are happy with the fabric and customize from there! I’m afraid I don’t have a recommendation for a pattern with this style but you should find lots of results online! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
I would like to make a long bath mat, 20 inches wide, 30 inches long. How many skeins would I need and how many stitches should I cat on with a number 8 needle? Thank you
Hi Magdalen,
Thank you for writing in but I am afraid this is a little tricky to answer. You will want to first begin with a gauge swatch. You will then measure your stitches per inch and multiply that number by your desired width. This will give you your cast on number. I’d recommend using a 5-6mm needle for your project but unfortunately it would be difficult to recommend an exact amount of yarn for this custom project. I recommend finding a project with similar dimensions and made in a bulky weight to get an idea of how much yarn you will need.
Alternatively, after you have created your gauge swatch you can weigh it in grams and divide 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 bath mat.
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
Hello! My daughter and I are in love with this new yarn and pattern! My daughter would like to replace her current bath plastic scrubby with these. So she asked if I could make it double thick.
I’m wondering how thick these washcloths knit up to.
And if not very thick, would I knit with two strands held together to make it extra thick?
Thank you for the advice!
Hi Christy,
Thank you for such kind words! We are very excited about these too! Knitting with strands held double would be a great idea to get a wonderfully dense fabric. Another option would be to make two, sew them together or even half way around the edges leaving a little opening for a soap bar! I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Oh thank you – this is very helpful! we love the idea of two together with room for a soap bar!
You are very welcome! I am so glad you love the idea!
Hi. I love this pattern and the yarn looks beautiful! When I saw the first photo, before I read the post, I thought the photo was of the entire project (one bath mat that had the blue bath mat attached under the white one and the washcloths attached all around the two). I’m thinking of trying to replicate the photo but wanted to see if you had any thoughts on how to join all the pieces together. Since they are on top of each other, I figured it should be pretty simple to sew them together with the With Hazel and the stitches should be hidden in the matts/washcloths. Do you think that would work?
Hi JC,
That sounds like such a cool idea! I’d recommend sewing them together with a similar color thread. To make them extra secure, I’d recommend sewing them where the pieces will overlap! I hope this helps!
All the best,
Gavriella
Please offer this in more colors. My master suite is in shades of green, and it would be an instant buy if I could get it green shades. Our purchased rugs are just looking so sad. Now to try and figure out how to make a shower loofah instead of having those plastic netting ones with this.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for sharing that! I will be sure to pass your message on to our team to consider expanding this palette!
Happy making,
Gavriella
Hi, love this so much! I’d like to make a larger circlular bath mat, with alternating concentric circles. Of course I don’t want the circles to be the same width because that would be too easy, and I’m totally happy to just wing it on that front—but how many skeins total do you think would do it for say a 30” circular mat?
Hi Mary,
Glad to hear you love this project! You will need 15 skeins of Witch Hazel to make a bath mat that’s 30 inches in diameter!
All the best,
Lili
Hi,
I was curious if I could use this yarn to crochet a semi circle bathmat of about the same diameter and if it would use about the same amount of yarn ?
Thank you !
Hi Stephanie,
That sounds like a great idea! One thing to keep in mind is that crochet takes up about 30% more yarn. Since you are only making half a circle, you should be fine with the same yardage suggested here. I hope this helps but please let me know if you have any questions!
Happy making,
Gavriella
Amazing! Thank you so much !!
You are very welcome!
I couldn’t decide which bundle to get for these washcloths, so I got them all! They knit up so quickly that I had them all done in a short time, and now I have a head start on holiday gift making!
One word of advice: be very careful not to drop a stitch! You’ll never find it amongst all that fluff!
Hi Heide,
We are so happy to hear you are enjoying these wash clothes! Please let us know if you have any questions along the way!
Happy making,
Gavriella
If I purchase the double pointed needles to knit the washcloth. Should I get the 6 inch or 8 inch?
Hi Susan,
Thank you for writing in. You could use either size for this pattern and it really is just about preference! I hope this helps but please let us know if you have any other questions!
All the best,
Gavriella
Thanks, Gavriella. Unfortunately the yarn is not on sale any longer. If I could get the sale price I would like to purchase. As you can see my question was posted on Aug 2nd when the sale was going on. Thanks!
Hi Susan,
Could you please email us at [email protected]. We’d be better able to help you from there. I’ll keep an eye out for your message in the meantime!
All the best,
Gavriella
I cannot get this pattern only to print. It either wants to print one page or the whole thing. I just want the pattern.
Hi Judy,
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re running into problems printing out this pattern! I’d recommend using the print function on our website to print out any of our free patterns. Here’s how that works: If you’re on your computer, you’ll 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 the “print” icon below the pattern and above the comments.
Click on this button, and a window will pop up where you can delete whichever parts of the pattern you don’t want to print. When you hover over any image or a text block, it will be highlighted in yellow and a “trash” icon will appear. Just click on this icon to delete anything that’s not necessary to the pattern! For example, you may decide to shorten the pattern by omitting certain images or the list of materials. Then, just click on the “Print” button in the upper left-hand corner of the pop-up window!
All the best,
Lili
These are just so darn cute, I got yarn in each color. But. I just finished my first washcloth and even though I cast off with a #10 needle it still looks a bit like a beret….
Wondering if I should add a few increases on my last round before binding off? Any thoughts on making that work? I have the materials to make quite a few more!
Hi Carolynn,
It sounds like your bind off is quite tight. We’d recommend going up a few needles sizes just for the bind off or adding a stretchy bind off method to finish your washcloth. That will allow your project to lay nice and flat!
All the best,
Gavriella
Mmm, I did go up from a #8 to a #10. I guess I could go even bigger. You don’t like the increase idea or don’t think that would work?
Thanks for the response!
Hi Carolynn,
I think trying an even larger size, or just making sure to keep your tension very loose is still the best way to go! But you could absolutely try out your increase idea too!
All the best,
Lili
Can two circular needles be used instead of magic loop? It’s how I knit socks so I’m used to the method. But I can’t quite picture if it will work here.
Hi Chris,
Yes, you can totally use two circular needles for this pattern!
All the best,
Lili
love this yarn. wondering how it would crochet as opposed to kitting it . thinking of doing a blanket, either striped or in squares, which could also be knit, thoughts?
Hi Carol,
I’m so glad you love Witch Hazel! It’s definitely possible to crochet with, and it works up to a similarly plush fabric. You may need to push the fluffy strands out of the way to view each stitch–that’s the only thing that might make crocheting more difficult than knitting in this case!
All the best,
Lili