Enough with this Monday stuff (now with dishcloth pattern!)

Last Monday I mentioned that I would soon post the pattern for the dishcloth I was knitting. I think I’m running out of time on “soon,” so here goes. My pattern for this is more of a rough guide for you to use as a starting point. When I knit garter stitch bibs, I use a US6 needle. I knit these cloths on a US7. I’ll try a US8 next time – this is a tight pattern and it is much easier to knit if you use needles that help the knitting stay loose. Also, if cotton bugs your wrists, you’re going to need to do this in small doses – or skip straightaway to knitting a wool scarf using the stitch pattern.

The stitch pattern is from my beloved Mon Tricot Knitting Dictionary, procured from the thrift store for $0.69 a few years ago. If you ever come across a copy of this, snatch it up immediately. You won’t regret it.

The stitch pattern is the woven basket stitch, featured on page 54:

I first discovered this stitch while trying to knit Bamboozelle a while back. Something was very awry with the pattern (at least as I was interpreting it) and I dug through many stitch guides before I found the equivalent in good ol’ Mon Tricot.

You need to cast on an even number of stitches using the long-tailed cast on. I cast on 46 for this cloth, and it turned out a bit small – I would probably try 56 or 60 stitches next time. (My lovely assistant Chaos indicates the cloth of which I speak. The other one was knitted when I was trying to sort out the Bamboozelle confusion.)

“Hmph. This cloth is clean. It has no intriguing smells. What’s the point of this if I can’t have a snack?!” -Chaos

Row 1 (wrong side): P1, *purl the second stitch on the needle, purl the first stitch on the needle, slide both stitches off the needle*, P1

Row 2 (right side): *pass the right-hand needle behind the first stitch to knit the second stitch on the needle, knit the first stitch “in the usual way,” slip both stitches off the needle* (On Row 2, make sure you get both stitches off the needle! I had trouble with that if I wasn’t paying close attention.)

Knit until you like the size, then bind off. I’m still experimenting with bind offs. Whatever you do, don’t bind off in pattern! You’ll end up with a very wide bind off row. Trust me on that one.

As written, your cloth is going to curl a little bit. I couldn’t figure out an edge treatment that really went with this stitch pattern, so I decided to live with the curling. Hey, no dishcloth curls when it’s being used, right?

Please let me know if you have questions about this or if you come up with a really spiffy edging or bind off!

81 thoughts on “Enough with this Monday stuff (now with dishcloth pattern!)”

  1. Thanks for the pattern! But I think I need coffee, because I’m just staring at the screen… Can’t figure it out… *sigh*

    Monday’s suck.

  2. Love the dishcloth! Maybe one of those crochet bind offs? Looser than straight knit bind off but wouldn’t be as big as doing it in pattern.

  3. I love that stitch pattern and it’s on my list of many things I want to try. Don’t you LOVE those kinda finds from the thrift store? 69 cents?? What a score!
    Couple years ago, I got two hard-bound Kaffe Fasset books from goodwill…for $1.99 each. I felt sort of criminal paying so little…but, they still went home with me!

  4. When I was binding off “my so-called scarf,” I had a lot of trouble with flaring. I found a comment somewhere about using a p2tog bind-off and it worked very well. The woven basket stitch pattern seems similar to the scarf pattern, so maybe it would work?

  5. Oh gee, Chris, now that you’ve mentioned it, the auctions for the 3 copies on eBay will probably go sky high. There are a couple in the buy-it-now section as well, $20 for the one you have. $50+ for the one 1030 stitch patterns!

  6. You must have done a happy dance when you found that stitch dictionary for 69 cents! What a deal. Thanks for the pattern.

    Good work, Chaos! nice leg 😉

  7. That is a great looking stitch, and I would imagine is perfect for dishcloths.I find that my knitted cloths kind of stretch out when wet (ending up more “holey” than I intend), so I have to knit them rather tightly. Not so much fun, with cotton.

  8. lordy… i tried reading the pattern but i think it may have made my brain explode if i had continued so i had to stop…

    that is a pattern for another time… when i’m not sitting at work trying to look busy…

    you know?

    looks cool though, i’ll have to try it

  9. Really Chaos, it was very nice of you to hold the gorgeous dishcloth down whilst mom did the camera thing. Very kind, and after she posted that unflattering picture of you whinning….you have seen it haven’t you?

  10. Oh that Chaos is such an able assistant. I’m picturing him helping Bob Barker on the price is right…and under dishcloth number 2…

  11. I think Chaos is pointing out the one he likes the best.

    Washcloths! Who knew they were so darn addicting? That looks like a nice scrubby pattern for one too.

  12. I will copy this into a doc and try it later. I have a migraine that’s been slowly building all day and is about to reach a dramatic climax at which time I will gracefully fall into bed and whine all at the same time. I’m talented like that. I wonder how that stitch would look in Misti Alpaca! L! Kidding! It’s NOT going to be a dishcloth!

  13. That looks like a fun pattern. I wonder how it would look on a sock? Must try it.

    Chaos – just be patient. If you give your mom a chance to get the cloth dirty, then it will smell like something interesting to munch. Or you could do what Suzy does and turn anything that isn’t tasty into a kick-the-prey type of toy.

  14. ohhhh thank you thank you! I can’t wait to try this one PLUS we just got Sugar and Cream in at work, BIG BALLS TOO!!!

  15. I’ve heard lots of good things about the Mon Tricot Stitch Dictionary. Cool dishcloths! I like that pattern. No good suggestions on the bind off though.

  16. Very nice pattern, and story about how you came to use it. It looks complicated! I tried a herringbone stitch out of my ‘encyclopedia of needlework’ a good while ago now, which ended up being quickly frogged.

    Good job with the pointing Chaos – maybe Chris will get you one of those pointy blackboard sticks for a pay raise 😉

  17. Hi, Chris! I love the look of your dishcloths! I used your link to check out Bamboozelle, and you’re right — those instructions are completely worthless slash indecipherable. Viva Mon Tricot! : )) — Linda

  18. I have the same exact book and I absolutely adore it! Mine was unexpectedly gifted to me from a complete stranger that stopped by our knitting group one night to drop off a bag full of old yarn from a great aunt. There are so many stitches in that book that I haven’t seen anywhere else!

  19. Chaos, I must say that I am very impressed at your ability to be such a great “Vanna White” helper to your mom. My mom says that I’m not the best helper, I just try to hold her yarn down when it moves. Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be doing??

    -Bailey

  20. Very cool. I must give that a try. Too bad I don’t have any colorful kitchen cotton in the stash. Maybe I should head to the yarn store this afternoon.

  21. Ya know – I have that book! In fact, I have TWO of them. Both thrift store-type finds.

    Perhaps I’ll have a contest to give away one of mine (I’ll let you know when! First I gotta find both of them. Cause, ya know, I need to keep one!)

  22. Hey… Chaos could replace Vanna if she ever retires. : ) I knit Bamboozelle a while back, I had to restart twice because of a dropped stitch. Definitely would need to knit this in small doses, or use sharp needles. Love the color you used.

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