Knitting

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Knit a Heart-Shaped Washcloth

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how to knit a heart-shaped washclothI wanted to do a little pattern for Valentine’s Day, but I really don’t love making holiday themed things that you feel like you can’t or shouldn’t use the rest of the year.

A washcloth, though, can be used all the time, and it’s a sweet reminder for someone you love or for yourself, to give yourself a little love as you go through your daily routine.

This is a really quick and easy project, worked in Garter Stitch, with a little increasing, a little straight knitting and a little decreasing.

I happen to have a lot of red yarn, so I made mine red, but you can make your heart shaped washcloth whatever color you like.

What You’ll Need

Gauge is not important for this project, but I got about 5 stitches per inch/2.5 cm in Garter Stitch.

Finished cloth is about 7 inches (almost 18 cm) across at widest point and about 5.5 inches (about 14 cm) tall.

How to Knit a Heart Shaped Washcloth

Cast on 3 stitches.

Knit 1 row.

Knit in the front and back, knit 1, knit in the front and back. 5 stitches.

Knit 1 row.

Knit in the front and back of the first stitch, knit to last stitch, knit in front and back of last stitch.

Knit 1 row.

Repeat these 2 rows until you have 31 stitches.

Knit 10 rows straight. how to knit a heart-shaped washcloth

SSK, knit 13, k2tog.

Turn and work just these stitches. Knit across.

SSK, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog.

Repeat these 2 rows until 2 stitches remain. Bind off.

Join yarn to remaining 16 stitches and work in the same manner, with decreases at each end of every other row, until 3 stitches remain.

SSK, Knit 1.

Bind off.

Weave in ends.

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Add a Little Lace to Your Knitting Patterns

If you’re new to lace knitting or just aren’t sure how to incorporate the technique into garments, check out these tops and sweaters that use lace as a decorative element.

The easiest lace out there is eyelets, and you can practice them plenty with this eyelet covered sweater from Knitcro Addict. It uses light/DK weight yarn and is worked in four pieces knit flat. It’s intended to be a little cropped and a little oversized, and includes sizes XS to XXL in the pattern.

If you’re in parts of the world where it’s getting colder as you read this, the Nora sweater from Bummbul might be a good choice. This is actually a great one for learning lace because it’s worked in super bulky yarn, which makes it easier to see what you’re doing and makes the lace super graphic. This one just comes in one size, with a 42 inch (106) cm bust, but that could fit a variety of people depending on how much ease you like.

Minimi Knit Design has a cute allover lace cardigan worked in one piece from the bottom up. It’s worked in lace weight mohair held double, which maybe isn’t the best for those new to lace (because it can be hard to rip out) but it sure is pretty. Sizes range to fit from 30 to 66 inches/76 to 168 cm bust measurements.

If you’d rather not have lace all over your sweater, you can knit the Lumi sweater from Originally Lovely, which has a chevron lace pattern on the yoke and is otherwise worked in reverse stockinette stitch. (It’s worked inside out so you don’t have to purl every stitch.) The pattern has 9 sizes from XS to 5XL and uses worsted weight yarn.

Or try the super romantic sookie blouse from Trust the mojo (available on Ravelry). This sweet top is started working flat from the bottom up and has a V-neck and I-cord edgings. The sleeves are worked separately in the round, and the pieces are all joined together to work in one piece to finish off the top. It comes in eight sizes and is available in English and French.

You can also pair lacy sleeves with an otherwise plain top, like on the Starflower Wrap from Annelise Driscoll Gingrow. This intermediate pattern makes a wrap sweater with generous lacy sleeves and a double wrap belt. The pattern has nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, and is available for free from Hobbi.