Smaller Short Row Dishcloth

I’ve changed the grafting instructions on Feb 1, 2024.

This is a newer pattern that I like a lot. I wanted something smaller to keep stacked near the kitchen sink for wiping up spills and cleaning off counter tops. I can just throw them in the washer when they’re dirty!

Materials

Worsted weight cotton

Size 4 needle

Basic Pattern

Cast on 12 stitches

  1. Knit

  2. K3, YO, K7

  3. Turn, Slip1 and knit back

  4. K3, YO, K6

  5. Turn, Slip1 and knit back

  6. K3, YO, K5

  7. Turn, Slip1 and knit back

  8. Cast off 3 stitches, knit to end of row

  9. Turn and knit back (no slipped stitch)

Repeat rows 2-9 15 more times. Bind off. Cut a long tail to stitch together the beginning and ending edges and then run through the bumps of the stitches around the center hole and cinch it up. Weave in the ends around and around through the center stitches.

For a perfectly placed kitchener graft

Start with a provisional cast on and skip row 1.

On the last repeat stop on row 8 after casting off the first three stitches. Cut the yarn about 4 times as long as the length to be stitched together and pull the last stitch through so that the working yarn comes straight out of the last bound off stitch.

Then put the first row of stitches back on another needle. There should be 12 stitches on each side. Pick up the last stitch without twisting it. It should be as easy as the others to get it on the needle.

Hold the needles next to each other with the cast off side nearest you. Using a darning needle, run the yarn through the first stitch on the back needle purlwise and pull the stitch off the needle. Pull tight.

This part's a little weird to make it match the rest of the edge. Thread the darning needle down between the knitting needles and then pull it out to the right and back over (keeping the yarn pulled tight) and through the next stitch on the back needle purlwise.

Next run it back into where it comes out of the last bound off stitch and then through the first stitch on the front needle purlwise.

Then continue a garter stitch kitchener graft:

  1. Run the yarn through the first stitch on the back needle knitwise and slip that stitch off the needle. Then run the yarn through the next stitch on the back needle purlwise.

  2. Run the yarn through the first stitch on the front needle knitwise and slip that stitch off the needle. Then run the yarn through the next stitch on the front needle purlwise.

Repeat 1 and 2 until all stitches are off the needles.

Run the leftover tail through the bumps of the stitches around the center hole and cinch it up. Then you can weave in the ends around and around through the stitches in the center.

You are welcome to distribute this pattern and use the ideas included and gift or sell whatever you make from it. But if you distribute it, please do so as a whole, with attribution and this info included. Thanks!

Creative Commons License This work by Suzanne Lander is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.