After having had a bit of a disappointment with my knitted blanket, I decided to do some very familiar and easy knitting to cheer myself up and made another knitted dishcloth. I've been using knitted dishcloths for washing up for the last couple of years and they are wonderful. They don't scratch glassware but are tough enough to scrub away at fairly stubborn spots, they cut down on the need for plastic washing-up brushes and brillo pads (my consumption of both have dropped dramatically since using knitted dishcloths) and, best of all, they can be chucked in the washing machine on a very regular basis - and you can't do that with a plastic brush.
However, after two years continuous use my dishcloths were looking a bit the worse for wear so a couple more were needed (I'm going to relegate the old ones to bathroom cleaning duties,) and I thought I'd knit some in my own 'knife, fork and spoon' design. I worked this pattern out a few years ago now and have always knit it from a very scrappy chart I did. I thought I'd write out the pattern row by row so if anyone else wants to have a go at knitting one the instructions would be a bit easier to follow (plus, it could be useful if I manage to mislay the bit of paper my chart is on!)
Using 4.5mm needles and dishcloth cotton (although you could use any cotton yarn that knits as DK) cast on 36 stitches. Knit 4 rows. 5th row, k3, p30, k3. 6th row, k36. Repeat 5th and 6th row 3 times. Row 13, k3, p4, k3, p7, k3, p6, k3, p4, k3. Row 14, k36. Repeat rows 13 and 14 11 times. Row 35, k3, p4, k3, p6, k5, p5, k4, p3, k3. Row 36, k36. Row 37, k3, p3, k5, p4, k7, p4, k5, p2, k3. Row 38, k36. Row 39, k3, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p4, k7, p4, k5, p2, k3. Row 40, k36. Row 41, k3, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p4, k7, p4, k4, p3, k3. Row 42, k36. Row 43, k3, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p4, k7, p4, k4, p3, k3. Row 44, k36. Row 45, k3, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p5, k5, p5, k3, p4, k3. Row 46, k36. Row 47, k3, p3, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p6, k3, p6, k2, p5, k3. Row 48, k36. Row 49, k3, p30, k3. Repeat rows 48 and 49 3 times. Row 56 - 58, k36. Cast off.
These are a lovely quick knit and a very useful item for the kitchen. Do get in touch if there are any howling errors in the instructions, or if anything is unclear. If anyone does knit a dishcloth from my pattern I'd love to know.
I have printed off the pattern and will definitely give it a go. Just need to buy some cotton DK!
Posted by: Pamela | 07/12/2010 at 08:24 PM
This is great! I'm certainly going to have a go as I managed to get loads of dishcloth cotton from the CS the other day and was wondering what to do with it!
thank you :-)
Posted by: Lorraine | 07/14/2010 at 06:40 AM
I got one of these off you and use it regularly.
Its still going strong and is brilliant to use.
If I see some cotton dk about cheap I'll buy it and crochet myself a few (hate knitting).
Posted by: sharie | 07/14/2010 at 05:33 PM
How much cotton per dishcloth please?
Posted by: chris foy | 11/10/2011 at 05:28 PM
made about 10 of these as additional xmas pressies. Going to make myself some now. Everyone says they are too nice to use!!
Posted by: chris foy | 01/18/2012 at 08:16 PM
Am I going potty or are there only 35 stitches shown on the pattern for row 35? I'm not clever enough to work out how to rectify it - help please
Posted by: chris foy | 06/19/2012 at 10:19 PM