During this COVID quarantine, I’ve spent a bunch of time crocheting dishcloths and landed on my favorite pattern that is simple and quick. I’ve done several in other patterns, but keep coming back to this easy repeat. I’ve also determined this to be my favorite size, starting with just 21 chains, it ends up at about 7″ wide before adding SC borders. Sometimes I work it with a HDC border, depending on my mood. But typically I’ve just added 2 rows of SC and call it DONE ✅ Another favorite size starts with Chain 25 – ends up about 9″ square. Adjust yours to be the size you prefer.
The beauty is in the simplicity and easy design changes by just adding some rows of colors for extra interest. With 20 rows being the typical length, you can figure out your color changes very easily; I’ve done changes every 2 rows or every 4 rows. I’ve done 8 rows in Color 1, 6 rows in Color 2, then another 8 rows in Color 1, the choices are easy and plentiful! And I carry the yarn up the side when changing so it makes less ends to weave, easy peasy!
The Pattern
Choose 1 or more yarn colors, it’s fun to mix and match!
Supplies:
100% Cotton Yarn (the size I make uses about 1/2 of a 2.5oz skein
Crochet Hook – 5.5 or 5.75mm
Starting chain is a multiple of 2 +1 (+1 in the chain allows for the starting turn, you’ll want even number rows). Try Chain 25 or Chain 21 as noted below, adjust your starting chain to achieve the size you prefer.
Starting with a chain of 25, my dishcloth measured about 8 inches wide before adding the border. With 1 SC row and 1 HDC row for a border, it becomes a 9″ square.
Starting with a chain of 21, my dishcloth measures about 7 inches wide before adding the border. With 2 SC rows for a border, it is an 8.5″ square.
Row 1: SC in 2nd ch from hook then DC in next. SC, DC across. The last stitch in your row should be a DC. Double check that you’ve got an even number of stitches. Chain 1 and turn (the chain does NOT count as a stitch in total stitch count.
Rows 2 to 20-24 (total rows you need depends on your gauge): SC in top of DC, DC in top of SC. Repeat *sc, dc* across. Chain 1 and turn.
- Note: Repeat until your dishcloth is a square. The way I check for square is simply folding corner to corner to check if the edges line up and it makes a nice triangle without any overlap.
- Starting with Chain 21, it will be about 7″ long x 7″ wide when you have 18 to 20 rows.
- Starting with Chain 25, it will be about 8″ x 8″ when you have 22-24 rows.
Border Options – completely up to you. The two I typically use are:
- SC around with 3 SC in each corner to ease the turns. Join with a slip stitch. Then add one chain before starting your next row around. A second row SC around with 3 SC in each corner. *Note: If you are only using a single color for the entire dishcloth, and you don’t change colors for the border, there are only 2 ends to weave in, WOOT!
- SC around with 3 SC in each corner to ease the turns. Join last stitch to first stitch with a slip stitch. Then add one chain before starting your next row around. A second row HDC around with 3 HDC in each corner.
After you’ve got one row of SC all the way around, you can decide what other kinds of rows you like for your border. I’ve typically used one row of SC or HDC (in same yarn as body or change colors) and call it done. But if you want a more fancy border, you could do a shell pattern or picot or whatever you like.
For Mother’s Day 2020, I put together two cloths and a homemade lemon foaming soap made by my friend at August Honey Co. and they just turned out so cute and fun to give away!
These simple stripe wash cloths are:
- 6 SC, DC rows in ecru
- 2 rows SC in contrast color
- 4 SC, DC rows in ecru
- 2 rows SC in contrast color
- 6 SC, DC rows in ecru
- 2 SC border rows with 3 SC in each corner
- NOTE: They turn out so quickly with only 4 ends to weave in if you carry the color changes up the side when you change yarn colors.
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1 Black and Stonewash
2 Stonewash and Pale Denim
3 Dove gray and Rosy
4 Antique Cream and Coral
5 Warm Blush and Antique Cream
These Half & Half wash cloths are your choice of two colors:
- 10 SC, DC rows in Color 1
- 4 SC, DC rows in white
- 10 SC, DC rows in Color 2
- Border Row 1: SC around, join with a slip stitch, Chain 1 & continue
- Border Row 2: HDC around, join with a slip stitch, cut yarn and finish, weave in ends
- NOTE: There will be more ends to weave in with this version but the look is WORTH IT!
When you say 6 SC, DC rows in ecru do you mean do 1 sc in one stitch! Then a dc in another st. Along row? Then when turning am I starting with a SC or a dc?
Yes, thanks for the question: sc, dc rows are worked one sc in first stitch, dc in next. When there are even number of stitches, the row will end in a dc, so the next row starts again with sc. Each sc is worked in dc of the prior row. Each dc is worked in sc of the prior row. Hope that helps clarify. -Beccie B