Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Pinwheel Dishcloth – Free Knitting Pattern

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I’m a sucker for a good dishcloth or washcloth knitting pattern, and especially this time of year it’s fun to make cloths you can use in your spring cleaning.

The Pinwheel Dish Cloth from Craftown is really cute and it’s a great way to practice short rows if that’s something you need to learn.

What’s more, you could also make this a stash-busting project by working each wedge in a different color of leftover yarn. Either way it’s a fun project that is a little more interesting to knit than a square, but still has lots of cleaning power. And cuteness.

 

Pinwheel Dish Cloth (orginally printed at Craftown.com)
Materials: 1 ball worsted weight cotton yarn, size 4mm needles. I used Anchor Magic line

for this cloth, which gave it a lovely effect – it’s a self-striping yarn.

Instructions:
Cast on 18 stitches.
This cloth is made up of 8 wedges, all exactly the same. Then the edge is sewn together,
the threads are sewn in and the cloth is complete. 🙂

Every wedge:
Row 1 and all odd rows: K across to last 3 stitches, p3.
Row 2: K3, YO, K to last st, turn.
Row 4: K3, YO, K to last 2 sts, turn.
Row 6: K3, YO, K to last 3 sts, turn.
Row 8: Bind off 3 sts, K2, YO, K to last 4 sts, turn.
Row 10: K3, YO, K to last 5 sts, turn.
Row 12: K3, YO, K to last 6 sts, turn.
Row 14: Bind off 3 sts, K2, YO, K to last 7 sts, turn.
Row 16: K3, YO, K to last 8 sts, turn.
Row 18: K3, YO, K to last 9 sts, turn.
Row 20: Bind off 3 sts, K2, YO, K to last 10 sts, turn.
Row 22: K3, YO, K to last 11 sts, turn.
Row 24: K3, YO, K to last 12 sts, turn.
Row 26: Bind off 3 sts, K across row.

Why use dishcloths? Dishcloths are re-useable and save on kitchen waste. Most dishcloths are made using cotton yarn and can be thrown into the washing machine when dirty. This makes them very hygienic, especially when compared to kitchen sponges, which sit on the sinks for days if not weeks.  Another great thing about dishcloths is when it comes to knitting the knit up quickly and are great for gift giving. Everyone needs a dishcloth.  For gifting, It’s not something that has to be in fashion or a certain colour for the recipient to like it, though there are so many great dishcloth pattern designs out there.

Looking to knit more dishcloth patterns ? Check out these dishcloth patterns on Etsy 

Comments

  1. I know what you mean. Sewing in ends is the ugly side of knitting and cehocrt. The bit they don’t really tell you about in books… I hate it until you get to that last end. The last one I can cope with 🙂

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.