How do you like your dishrags? Do you care? Maybe not, but while we are ditching the paper napkins why not just chuck the paper towels out too? And, since we’re dishing about dishrags, I like my dishcloths thick and absorbent, thank you very much.

There’s an awful lot of buzz in the knitting world about dishrags. Kay Gardiner from Mason/Dixon Knitting shared with the readers of her popular knitting blog her dishrag obsession, “‘Whatcha knitting?’ ‘Um, a….[muffled] dishrag….’ Somehow, even for me with my raised consciousness about the value of old-time domestic pursuits, knitting a dishrag is not something I’m eager to admit to some over-buffed woman on the beach. But I cannot tell a lie, I was knitting dishrag after dishrag. And loving it!”

Paper towels have become a symbol of waste. With over 90% of US households taking advantage of the convenience of paper towels we produce over 3,000 tons of waste each day. The debate goes on in this Care2 article about paper towels vs. cloth. Phasing paper towels out of the home can be more of a challenge than ditching paper napkins, and plastic bags. I’ve heard about using alternatives such as clean cloth diapers for paper towels and newspapers, but they don’t hold much appeal.

As a knitter, I like to use any opportunity to try out new stitches. Dishrags can be the vehicle for combining a love for knitting and a love for the environment. This knitted dishrag idea is a perfect use for that stash of left-over yarn.

Not sure fessing up to knitting dishrags is your style? Just say you’re making quilt samples. Use any combination of stitches and don’t worry too much about stitch gauge. The key is to find stitches that allow for the fabric to lay flat (no curled edges). I also like stitches that are reversible for this type of project. Barbara Walker’s Encyclopedic Treasures of Knitting Patterns are the knitting bibles for designing your own patterns and for finding complementary stitch combinations.

9 Patch Dishrag Pattern (with Kay’s humorous comments included at no extra fee).

Note: Most knitters will know the terms used below. If you are new to knitting, here is an online stitch and abbreviation dictionary with videos.

Materials:
Dishcloth cotton yarn, worsted weight (I used Peaches & Creme, of course!), in 2 or 3 colors. (Patch 7? I found that bit in the bottom of my purse with cookie crumbs stuck to it.) Or, try some eco-friendly yarns.
A pair of US 5, 6 or 7 needles. A seat on the subway (optional).

Instructions:
Use the numbered photograph above as a guide to the order of knitting the “patches”. There are zero seams.
Patches 1, 2 & 3
Patches 1, 2 and 3 are knit in a continuous strip.
Patch 1: CO 12 sts. Knit 12 garter ridges. Cut yarn if you are going to change colors for Patch 2.
Patch 2: Change color if desired (or stripe the first color with a new color, in which case don’t cut the first color.) Knit 12 garter ridges. Cut yarn if appropriate.
Patch 3: Change back to the first color. Knit 12 garter ridges. BO all sts.
Patches 4 & 5 Patch 4: Pick up 12 sts in the row ends of the garter ridges on one side of Patch 2. Knit 12 garter ridges and BO all sts.
Patch 5: Repeat the instructions for Patch 4 on the other side of Patch 2.
You now have a piece of knitting that is in the shape of a cross.
Patches 6, 7, 8 & 9
Patch 6: In one of the corners of the cross, pick up 12 stitches along one side of the corner, 1 stitch in the corner itself, and 12 sts along the other side of the corner. (Note: in the photograph, the stitches were picked up on the WS, for decorative effect. (Because I am a little bit country, and a little bit rock & roll.) If you pick up on the RS, you need to knit the WS row before continuing, so that your decreases will be on the RS.)

With RS facing, place a marker (the locking type that can be opened and stuck onto a knitting needle, or a little bit of contrasting yarn) just before the center stitch (if you are counting stitches, this is Stitch 13, the stitch in the corner).
With RS facing, knit a miter into this corner as follows: Row 1 (RS): K to 2 sts before the marker, SSK, K1, K2tog, K to end of row. Row 2 (WS): Knit to 1 st before marker, P1 (this is the center stitch), K to end of row. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until there are 3 sts remaining. On the next row (WS), slip 1 purlwise, K2tog, PSSO. Fasten off the remaining stitch.
Patches 7, 8 and 9: Repeat Patch 6 in the remaining 3 corners of the cross. Crochet an edging around the dishrag if you’re feeling nutty.

Photo credit: Kay Gardiner
Photo credit of subway knitter: For the Love of Knitting: A Celebration of the Knitters’ Art
Photo Credit: Alvaro Gonzalez