Textured cotton dishcloth: the perfect second project

Dishcloths are the ideal second project. They're small, they use cheap cotton, mistakes don't matter and you end up with something you'll use every day. This one alternates single crochet and double crochet stitches to make a bumpy, scrubby texture.

Why cotton

Acrylic doesn't absorb water and melts on a hot pan. Use 100% cotton DK. It softens with washing and lasts years.

The stitch pattern

Work a row of alternating sc, dc across, then on the next row put a sc on top of each dc and a dc on top of each sc. The tall stitches nestle into the short ones and make a pebbled surface. It's sometimes called griddle or lemon peel stitch.

Making it

1. Chain 31 (any odd number works).
2. Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, then dc in next, sc in next to end. Ch 1, turn.
3. Row 2: sc in first st (which is a dc from the previous row), dc in next sc, sc in next dc to end. Ch 1, turn.
4. Repeat Row 2 until the cloth is square, about 26 rows.
5. Optional border: a round of sc with 3 sc in each corner, then fasten off and weave in.

Ideas

• Make a stack of three in coordinating colours, tie with twine, add a bar of soap: an instant house-warming gift.
• Work it in a bulky cotton with a 6mm (US J/10) hook for a bath mitt sized cloth.
• Add a ch 12 loop in one corner for hanging.

The pattern is attached as a free download.

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