Quick, Easy Dishcloth Free Pattern

Directions by Sandi Marshall - Crocheted With Worsted Weight Yarn

This dishcloth pattern is easy enough for beginners to crochet. Below the directions are my additional photos explaining parts of the pattern, to make it easier still.

The stitch pattern used in this dishcloth has been around since at least the year 1919 (with the groups of 3 double crochet separated by a chain-1 on one row and then the groups of 3 double crochet worked in the chain-1 space on the next row). I spotted this stitch pattern combination in a thread crochet hot water bottle cover pattern in a 1919 publication. I figured out a starting chain for this stitch pattern that would work for a dishcloth size and wrote the directions to be in modern crochet terminology. I hope you will enjoy making this quick, easy dishcloth.

Pattern Directions -
Abbreviations:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sp = space

Asterisk * Repeat Explained

How To Slip Stitch (sl st) = Insert hook in stitch, wrap thread or yarn over hook, pull thread or yarn through the stitch and through the loop on the hook, at the same time. A slip stitch does not add any height and is used to join a chain or stitch to another place in the crochet piece.

Materials Used In The Example:
Worsted weight cotton yarn with a size G hook
Approximate Finished Size:
Worsted weight yarn with a size G hook - about 9 1/2" wide (dishcloths can be a variety of sizes so it's just fine if yours turns out larger or smaller than this example.)

Dishcloth Directions
Starting Chain: Chain 31.
Row 1: 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, * ch 1, skip 2 chains, 3 dc in next ch, ** repeat from * to ** 8 more times. (There are 10 groups of 3-dc each in this row.)
Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first dc and first chain-1), skip first 3-dc group, * 3 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 1, skip 3 dc **, repeat from * to ** 7 more times, 3 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 1, skip 2 dc, dc in last dc.
Rnd 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), 2 dc in ch-1 sp, * ch 1, skip 3 dc, 3 dc in ch-1 sp, ** repeat from * to ** 7 more times, ch 1, 2 dc in ch-1 sp, dc in last dc.
Repeat: Repeat rows 2 and 3 consecutively until you have reached the desired length.
To finish: End off. Weave in ends.

At the end of row 3, the yellow arrow in the photo points to the last chain space that you will be crocheting into. It is actually the chain-4 that was done at the beginning of row 2. This chain-4 counted as a double crochet plus a chain-1. So when you are doing the "2 dc in ch-1 sp, dc in last dc" at the end of the row 3 directions, consider the part of that chain-4 that is nearest you to be the chain-1 space (into which you will work 2 double crochet) and the rest of the chain-4 to be the double crochet (into which you will work the last double crochet of row 3). See further photo illustrations below.

This photo shows the 2 double crochet worked in the chain space at the end of row 3.

Preparing to make the last double crochet of row 3, this photo shows the hook inserted into the chain which is considered to be the top of the (chain-formed) double crochet of row 2.

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