FREE CROCHET PATTERN: Simple Ribbed Dishcloth

Below is the free version of this pattern.

A downloadable, printable, ad-free version of this pattern is available in my Etsy shop. 

Simple Ribbed Dishcloth

Crochet Pattern with US Terminology by Cheryl Dee Floyd

Easy and quick! This all-time favorite makes a great gift for yourself or someone else. Working in the back loop makes a great scrubbing texture. This pattern includes instructions on setting yarn colors so they don’t bleed and suggestions for successful blocking.

Finished Measurements. 8.0” x 8.0” (20 cm x 20 cm), after blocking. (See “Notes on Blocking” below.)

Skill Level. Easy.

Stitches. Chain, single crochet, slip stitch.

Tools. US I-9 (5.5 mm) hook, yarn needle, and scissors.

Yarn. 1.0 oz/48 yds (28 g/44 m) medium-weight (#4) yarn. Models in photos are worked with Peaches and Creme 100% cotton yarn in Aquamarine and Red, White, and Blue.  One skein is enough for 2 dish cloths.

Gauge. 15 sts and 12 rows in 4” (10 cm) of sc in back loop, after blocking. (See “Notes on Blocking” on page 2.)

 Abbreviations. ch – chain; sc – single crochet (UK – double crochet); sk – skip; st(s) – stitch(es).

INSTRUCTIONS

Row 1. Chain 29 with loose tension. Sc in back bump of 2^nd ch from hook and in every ch across. 28 sts.

Row 2. Ch1 (does not count as a st), turn, sc in back loop of every stitch across, except last st, which is worked under both loops. 28 sts.

Rows 3 through 22. Repeat Row 2 until 22 rows are completed from the beginning.

BORDER

Border Side 1. Ch1 (does not count as a st), rotate piece 90 degrees clockwise to work along ends of rows. Sc in end of first row and place st marker in sc just worked, sc in each row to corner. (22 sts on this side.)

 Border Side 2. Ch1 (to make corner), rotate 90 degrees. This side is worked under both unused loops of the foundation chain. Sc in first chain and in each chain to corner. (28 sts on this side.)

 Border Side 3. Ch1 (to make corner), rotate 90 degrees to work in ends of rows. Sc in end of first row (same place as last sc of Side 2) and in each row to corner. (22 sts on this side.)

Border Side 4. Ch1 (to make corner), rotate 90 degrees. Working under both loops, sc in each st to first corner. (28 sts on this side.) Slip stitch to join in first sc of Border Side 1 (marked st). (Joining slip stitch replaces ch1 corner.) Remove st marker, fasten off, and weave in ends. Block to 8” square.

SETTING YARN COLORS

In a large bowl, prepare a solution of half a cup of cool water, half a cup of white vinegar, and one tablespoon of Epsom salts. Mix well to dissolve Epson salts. Submerge finished dish cloth in mixture, pressing down on dish cloth with back of large spoon or bottom of clean jar. Ensure solution penetrates all parts of dishcloth. Let sit for 30 minutes to one hour.

Remove dish cloth from solution, gently squeeze out excess solution, and place dish cloth in large bowl of cool, clean water. Using hands, gently squeeze clean water through dish cloth to rinse out remaining vinegar solution.

Wash dish cloth with regular laundry on cool water setting. Dry in dryer or smooth it out by hand on a hard surface and let it dry thoroughly. After it is completely dry, use a steam iron to gently block dish cloth back into a square shape with straight edges and sharp corners.

NOTES ON BLOCKING

Depending on personal crochet technique, it’s quite common for the single crochet stitches worked in the back loop to be shorter than they are wide. This means that, without making some adjustments, a pattern such as this dishcloth may not end up as a perfect square.

If you want a perfectly square dishcloth, try these tips:

• Pull the loops of the stitches a little taller as you work them.
• Steam or water block after the piece is complete, with an emphasis on coaxing the stitches taller as you block.
• Work the pattern as written and simply allow the first use in sudsy water to elongate the piece.
• Add more rows to the pattern, ending with an even number of rows.

Enjoy your creativity!         

Copyright 2020 by Cheryl Dee Floyd. All Rights Reserved. You may give away or sell any items you make from this pattern. You may not copy, distribute, or otherwise publish this pattern as your own.

Free patterns: https://cheryldeecrochet.com. Video tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/cheryldfloyd.

A downloadable, printable, ad-free version of this pattern is available in my Etsy shop. 

TESTERS’ RESULTS

Martha Ford-Knox created these lovely dishcloths using the above pattern.

Martha wrote:

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Susie Spriggs’ dishcloth.

She wrote:

a) Test Results for SIMPLE RIBBED DISHCLOTH

b) Photo(s) of finished project

c) Finished measurements: yellow – 9.25 x 9.25 // blue – 8 x 8

d) Hook size: yellow – 5.5 mm // blue – 5 mm

e) Yarn brand: Lily Sugar & Cream

f) Yarn fiber: 100% cotton

g) Colorway(s): yellow and turquoise

h) Date started: July 5?

i) Date completed: July 8

j) Pattern difficulty (0 to 5): 1

k) Notes – I’m a loose crocheter and this test confirmed that! The yellow was done with the suggested hook size. It was wide to start, but short on height. I added 6 rows to get square before blocking. I used a half mm smaller hook for the blue. Attempted to use third loop for vertical stability, but soon discovered that there really isn’t a third loop in a sc! (No yarn over to create it like there is for hdc & dc). I did the pattern as written with 22 rows to see what it would do when time to block. I was able to easily block to 8” square without wetting it. I did steam it on the board to set it. Overall a well written pattern. Thanks for the opportunity to test again!