Dishcloth Knitting Pattern: Easy Garter Stitch
This Easy Garter Stitch Dishcloth Knitting Pattern is the perfect pattern for new knitters. Using only knit or purl, this pattern gives you the opportunity to practice and perfect one stitch and still create something useful.
If you are new to knitting or are just looking for an easy, do in front of the TV, kind of knit project, then this Garter Stitch Dishcloth Knitting Pattern has your name all over it!
What I like about it for new knitters is that as it uses only knit or only purl, you can really focus on getting comfortable with that one stitch. Further, working with just one stitch gives you the opportunity to concentrate on your tension and getting it consistent.
Table of Contents
What I would recommend for those new to the craft is to knit one washcloth using only the knit stitch and then a second dishcloth using only the purl stitch. One ball of Lily’s Sugar n’ Cream will be enough to knit two washcloths.
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What Materials Are Needed?
- One ball of worsted weight cotton yarn. I highly recommend Lily’s Sugar n’ Cream Cotton Yarn. It is inexpensive and one ball will produce 2 washcloths. When knitting dishcloths or washcloths, you want a 100% cotton for it’s absorbency and durability properties.
- US 7 (4.5mm) Straight Knitting Needles
This bar of soap smells heavenly!
How to Knit the Garter Stitch Dishcloth
- Knit a gauge swatch of 4″ by 20 rows. Grab your ruler and place it against your swatch.
The gauge is 4 stitches and 6 rows per inch. If you have too many stitches and/or rows, then go up a needle size. If you have too few stitches/rows, then go down a needle size. All that being said, this is a washcloth and if it is an inch bigger or smaller, that is not a big deal.
Count the stitches and rows on your Garter Stitch swatch as follows:
- Cast on 40 stitches. To refresh yourself on Casting On.
- · K every row until work measures 9.5” from beginning. (Alternately, you could P every row until work measures 9.5” from beginning). To refresh yourself on How to Knit the Knit Stitch or How to Knit the Purl Stitch.
- · BO loosely. To refresh yourself on How to Bind Off and Weave in Your Tails.
- · Weave in your tails.
If you’d like to have a printable version of this Garter Stitch Knit Dishcloth pattern, visit the Subscriber Benefits Library. Check your most recent email from me for the password. If you would like to have the Garter Stitch Knit Dishcloth pattern land in your email inbox, then click on the button below.
If you want to learn how to knit or are looking to brush up on your knitting skills and knowledge, pop over to the How to Knit page, which houses all of the posts that teach knitting skills. Or, you could go ahead and visit each one by clicking the links below.
All About Knitting
- All About Yarn, including different fibers and weights, how to read a yarn label, and a Yarn Weights Chart
- All About Knitting Needles, including material, sizes, styles, and a Needle Conversion Chart.
- How to Cast On Using the Long-Tail Method, including calculating how much yarn is needed to cast on and how to make a slip knot.
- How to Knit the Knit Stitch
- How to Knit the Purl Stitch
- How to Knit the Seed Stitch
- How to Bind Off, including how to weave in your loose ends.
- How to Read a Knit Pattern, including a Common Knitting Abbreviations Chart.
- This simple Garter Knit Dishcloth will let you put all your new skills to good use!
- How to Block Your Knitting.
- Common Knit Errors; How to Prevent or Diagnose and Fix Them
- Join yarn using the Russian Join
- How to seam pieces of knit fabric with the Mattress Stitch (for sweaters, tops, pillows, etc…)
- How to Knit in the Round with Circular Needles
- How to Knit in the Round with Double-Pointed Needles
- How to Knit in the Round using the Magic Loop Technique.
- Organize Your Knitting with these free printables.
- Check out our Gift Ideas for Knitters.
Bookmark this page or pin the following image to refer back to this Garter Stitch Washcloth pattern in the future.
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Hi Lynn,
Thank you for the pattern. I love handmade washcloths.
Would you provide a link to purchasing the soap?
Thank you, Lynne
Hi Lynne,
I purchased the soap at World Market and I have to be completely honest, it smells heavenly! I have a bar in my office and it fragrances my entire office.Here’s the link…https://bit.ly/3sDoJgF
Happy Knittin!
Hugs,
Lynn