Spread the Dishcloth Joy

An easy, textured dishcloth pattern from Careful’s Crochet

For the first couple of years that I crocheted I hated making dishcloths. I thought
they were boring…I found cotton hard on my hands…I felt like they took too long
to make without much reward…I avoided making them. But then I found a stitch
pattern that I liked and a cotton yarn that I loved, and now I’m hardly ever
without a stash of colourful dishcloths! I make more than 100 each year!

I think the biggest reason why I’m so happy to make them is because giving them
away brings me so much joy. Dishcloths are the perfect little gift for so many
sentiments. “Thank you…I appreciate you…congrats on your new place…I’m
thinking of you…Just because.”

So anyway here is how I make them! I hope this pattern will help you spread the
dishcloth joy! Share your photos with me on Instagram (@carefulscrochet) :)
Easy Textured Crochet Dishcloth/Washcloth

Materials needed:
Cotton yarn – less than 50g (my dishcloths usually use around 45 grams)
H/5.0mm hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle for sewing in ends

Abbreviations:
ch – chain
sc- single crochet
dc – double crochet

My personal favourite yarn to use for dishcloths is Willow Yarns Sudsy, which is
actually an 85% cotton/15% polyester blend. I’ve tried MANY different cotton
yarns and this one is by far my favourite. It comes out on top in both ease to work
with and feel and function of finished fabric – it’s easier on the hands than 100%
cotton, but the finished dishcloth still feels sturdy like cotton and holds up well
with lots of use. It’s also more affordable than a lot of other options and has a
great range of colours. That said, I’ve far from tried all of the cotton yarns out
there so I have no doubt there are others just as good, if not better! Use what
works best for you!

Notes:
• All the single crochets will be worked into double crochets from the
previous row, and all the double crochets will be worked into single
crochets from the previous row. This is what gives the dishcloth its texture.
• Change the size of your dishcloth by starting with more or fewer chains,
and then working more or fewer rows. All that matters is that you start
with an odd number of chain stitches. My dishcloths usually end up about 8
by 8 inches but you might prefer smaller or larger.
Pattern:
Ch 29
Row 1: *sc in second ch from hook, dc in next. Repeat from * to end. You will end
with a dc in the last ch, then ch 1 and turn. (28 stitches)

Row 2: *sc in first stitch, dc in next. Repeat from * to end. You will end with a dc
in the last stitch, then ch 1 and turn. (28 stitches)

Rows 3-26: Repeat row 2.

Row 27: *sc in first stitch, dc in next. Repeat from * until 1 stitch remains. 3 sc in
that last stitch. Do not turn but rotate dishcloth 90 degrees clockwise.

Border: Continue to work sc evenly around all 4 sides of dishcloth, with 3 sc in

each corner. When back at the beginning, do not join but continue to work a
second round of sc around all 4 sides, with 3 sc in each corner, stopping when you
get back to the first corner (1 corner before the one with the beginning tail). A
common problem people run into with the border is placing too many border
stitches along the side edges which causes the edges to ruffle. Because the
dishcloth is a square, you want the same number of stiches along the sides as you
have along the tops and bottoms, which is 28 stitches (or however many stitches
your rows are). A more in depth border tutorial with photos is on the next page if
you need it.

Finishing: Fasten off then weave in ends.

If you don’t want to add a border then complete row 27 as you would any other
row and then just fasten off and weave in ends.
Border Photo Tutorial:

I created this tutorial as a highlight on my Instagram profile (@carefulscrochet –

it’s saved there if that’s easier for you) because I was getting a lot of questions
about how I do my borders. You can still end up with a good border without
following these steps exactly, but here is some guidance if you are struggling or
are new to borders and don’t know where to start!

Continued on next page