Knitting Beginner Washcloth YR-K04

Lane Washcloth

Cast on, knit a square, bind off. A textured cotton cloth for the kitchen or bathroom, and a great way to try a new stitch.

Lane Washcloth, knitted
Illustration of the finished piece. Your colours and stitch texture may differ.

Finished size
9 × 9 in (23 × 23 cm)
Yarn
About 85 yd / 80 m of worsted weight (category 4) 100% cotton yarn. Buy 1 skein of 200 yd (this includes 10% extra).
Needles
US 7 (4.5 mm) straight needles
Notions
Tapestry needle
Gauge
18 sts and 32 rows = 4 in / 10 cm in seed stitch. Swatch first and change needle size if needed: more stitches than this means go up a size, fewer means go down.

Notes

  • Cotton is absorbent, washes hot and doesn’t felt. Cotton worsted on US 7 needles usually matches the gauge.
  • A pebbly texture that looks the same on both sides and lies flat.

Stitch pattern: Seed stitch

Worked over a multiple of 2 sts plus 1.

  1. Every row: K1, *p1, k1; rep from * to end.

Cloth

  1. Cast on 41 sts.
  2. Work in seed stitch (see “Stitch pattern” above), repeating its rows.
  3. Continue until the cloth is square: 9 in / 23 cm from the cast-on edge.
  4. Bind off loosely in pattern, knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches as they face you.

Finishing

  1. Weave in the ends securely, since the cloth will be washed often.

Abbreviations

  • k = knit
  • p = purl
  • rep = repeat
  • RS = right side
  • WS = wrong side
  • st(s) = stitch(es)

See all knitting abbreviations.

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