Flowerfield Hand Towel
Cheerful blocks of color, like the orderly rows of a flower farm in bloom, grow across our Flowerfield Hand Towel. This free knitting pattern’s bouquet of color comes courtesy of Cotton Chirp, our 100% Peruvian Pima cotton yarn, packaged in 4-color bundles of colorful mini balls!
You’ll work your towels with a simple slip-stitch pattern, alternating colors every two rows. The right side ends up with a waffle-y checkered look, while the back has a lovely nubble… Marvelously touchable from both sides!
As you knit, you’ll create a super neat, super easy I-cord edge along each side. It’s totally straightforward and only requires some slip stitches. You’ll finish off with an I-cord loop for hanging, with our helpful I-cord Tutorial to walk you through it.
Cotton Chirp makes an ideal hand towel: non-mercerized for better absorbency and made from exceptional Pima cotton, which is beloved for its softness, durability, and luster, and it’s machine wash- and dry-able, too!
A pleasing light worsted/DK weight that works up quickly, Cotton Chirp is also super fun to knit. It is wonderfully soft in your hands, and its colors are so cute, you won’t want to stop knitting until you get to the next one.
Each Flowerfield Hand Towel is made with one vivid, 4-color bundle of Cotton Chirp mini balls, plus one 100-gram ball of Heirloom White, and you’ll use up every last yard… Always a satisfying finish!
Pick from our 8 cheerful Cotton Chirp bundles for your Flowerfield Hand Towel and cast on to be transported to a colorful oasis of brilliant blooms every time you dry your hands!
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 even more of Gianna’s work on her Instagram!
Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Want to print this pattern? On desktop, find the “print” icon in the right margin, and on mobile, scroll to the end of the pattern for it. Use the on-screen instructions to remove anything you don’t want to print!
Materials
To make one Flowerfield Hand Towel, you will need…
- Main Color (MC): 1 ball of Purl Soho’s 100-gram Cotton Chirp, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton yarn. Each ball of this light worsted/DK weight yarn is 232 yards/ 100g; approximately 232 yards required. NOTE: The 100-gram size only comes in Heirloom White.
- Contrast Colors 1–4: 1 of Purl Soho’s Cotton Chirp Bundles, 100% Peruvian Pima cotton. Each bundle includes four 58-yard, 25-gram balls of light worsted/DK weight yarn; approximately 232 total yards required. We used the Wild Poppy, Mint Citrus, and Ebb Tide bundles.
- US 5 (3.75 mm), straight or 24-inch circular knitting needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 5 double pointed needles for I-Cord
GAUGE
23 stitches and 43 rows = 4 inches in stitch pattern
NOTE: We used every last yard for our hand towels! To avoid running short, be sure to check your gauge, avoid cutting your swatch yarn and reuse it, and keep tails short.
SIZE
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 15 inches wide x 25½ inches long
NOTES
SLIP STITCHES
Slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in front.
STITCH MULTIPLE
This stitch works over an odd number of stitches.
PATTERN
With Main Color (MC) and using a basic Long Tail Cast On, cast on 85 stitches.
Set Up Row (wrong side): Slip 2 (see Notes), purl to last two stitches, slip 2.
Drop MC, but do not cut yarn.
Join Contrast Color 1 (CC1).
*Row 1 (right side): With CC1, k3, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 2: With CC1, slip 2, purl to last two stitches, slip 2.
Rows 3 and 4: With MC, repeat Rows 1 and 2.
Repeat Rows 1–4 sixteen more times, or until piece measures approximately 6½ inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 4.**
Cut CC1 and join CC2.
Using CC2 instead of CC1, repeat from * to ** one time.
Cut CC2 and join CC3.
Using CC3 instead of CC1, repeat from * to ** one time.
Cut CC3 and join CC4.
Using CC4 instead of CC1, repeat from * to ** one time.
Cut CC4.
With MC, 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 Chirp + All Our Beautiful Yarns
Cotton Chirp 25-gram mini balls are the perfect cotton yarn for your most cheerful knitting! Think playful colorwork, like stripes or log cabin projects, and also piles of small knits, like baby booties and washcloths. In bundles of 4 coordinating colors, this light worsted/DK-weight yarn is made from 100% Peruvian Pima cotton, which has a lustrous finish and an incredibly soft and supple hand. Choose from 8 chirpy palettes, or pick up all of them with the 32-color bundle!
More Free Knitting Patterns
- Be sure to explore our growing collection of free Cotton Chirp knitting patterns and cast on!
More Light Worsted/ DK Weight Yarns
- Shop our entire collection of light worsted/DK-weight yarns (What does DK-weight yarn mean, really? Our guide to DK yarn will answer your questions and demystify.)
- 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 (What helps cotton keep its cool? Learn all about this soft, natural fiber in our guide to 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!
What is the stitch repeat so I can make it bigger please?
Hi Stevie,
Thank you for asking! This stitch works over an odd number of stitches.
All the best,
Gavriella
The pattern uses 4 contrasting colors, but only 3 are mentioned:
Wild Poppy, Mint Citrus, and Ebb Tide bundles. What is the fourth?
All the best, Marianne, Denmark.
Hi Marianne,
Thank you for asking! Wild Poppy, Mint Citrus, and Ebb Tide are the names of the 4-color bundles we used. Each bundle includes 4 colors of yarns. I hope this helps clarify!
All the best,
Gavriella
I have the EbbTide bundle. If I want to make the towel AS Pictured, what colors did you use for the Main color, CC1, CC2, CC3, and CC$
Hi there,
Thank you for writing in! For this bundle, we used the following:
EBB TIDE
CC1: Deep Verdigris 6723
CC2: Clear Turquoise 6724
CC3: Soft Blue 6725
CC4: Seven Seas Blue 6726
I hope this helps!
Happy knitting,
Gavriella
I am at the bind off stage and I bind off way too tightly. I tried to loosen up, but not enough. Would it help to use a larger needle ?
Hi Kaye,
Yes! We would suggest going up a needle size if you are finding your bind off too tight.
All the best,
Gavriella
Hi there
Im about to start the hand towel. At what point do I add the heirloom white? Is this knitted with 2 strands?
Darling patterns for holiday gifts.
Thank you Patricia
Hi Patricia,
Thanks for writing in! Since Heirloom White is the main color (MC), you’ll cast on and knit the Set-Up Row with this color. Then, you’ll start knitting with the first contrast color (CC) on Row 1! You’ll be alternating colors every other row, so you’ll only be knitting with one strand at once.
All the best,
Lili
Hi Lili
Thank you for hour helpful comments.
Best to you,
Patricia
Hello again,
When I get to Row 1, ‘slip 1, knit 1,: does the yarn go in front or behind the slip stitch?
Seems like it would be obvious, but Id like your help
Thank you
Patricia
Hi Patricia,
In this pattern, you’ll slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in front!
All the best,
Lili
Thank you Lili
Best
Patricia
Bonsoir,
J’essaie de faire les serviettes, je ne comprends pas comment on tricote le point de suture.
Pouvez-vous le détailler en français svp ?
Je vous remercie,
cordialement
Hi Marie-Pierre,
I’m so sorry that you’re running into difficulties with this pattern! Could you let us know more about what’s confusing about the stitch pattern? While none of our customer service staff speaks French, we’re eager to help you get started, with the aid of Google Translate!
All the best,
Lili
stuck on row 3 and 4 of the Flowerfield hand towel.
instructions state
*Row 1 (right side): With CC1, k3, *slip 1, k1, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
Row 2: With CC1, slip 2, purl to last two stitches, slip 2.
Rows 3 and 4: With MC, repeat Rows 1 and 2.
Rows 1 and 2 are with cc1. Where does the MC come in?
Hi Ella,
Thanks for writing in! Rows 3 and 4 are with the MC! You repeat the same steps as Rows 1 and 2, just with the MC instead of the CC this time.
All the best,
Lili
Do I need one entire ball of the white for one towel?
So, if I buy several bundles, I need to buy one ball of white for each bundle? Thank you. Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for writing in! That is correct! For each bundle, you will need one full ball of heirloom white!
Happy making,
Gavriella
I followed the pattern and knitted about 4 inches, the edge is curl so bad — I have to use my hand to open the fabric in order to see the stitches. Any idea why and how can I change it.
Thank you
Vivienne
Hi Vivienne,
I’m so sorry that your hand towel is curling so much! Because this project is knit in what is essentially a variation on stockinette stitch, there will always be a bit of a natural curl to the fabric. Once you block your project after finishing it, that should minimize the rolling significantly, but there will likely still be some due to the nature of the stitch pattern. If this bothers you, I’d recommend adding more of a border to the hand towel! You can use a symmetrical stitch (like garter stitch, ribbing, seed stitch, etc.), and this will help prevent the edges from curling at all. Hope this helps!
All the best,
Lili