By Darleen Hopkins
Photos: Crochet by Darleen Hopkins
The Sponge vs. The Dishcloth. Some people feel very strongly about one or the other. Me – I prefer sponges and don’t care for dishcloths. I always found them too big and bulky and they slopped the soapy water all over the place. I always liked sponges; so small and compact they could fit inside my reusable water bottles to clean them and also tackle the dishes without a hitch. But sponges are icky. We’ve all heard or read the reports about how kitchen sponges and dishcloths are breeding grounds for bacteria. So what are we supposed to do? Use a sponge once then throw it out? Use paper towels? Not only is that wasteful, but expensive too. The eco-conscious, thrifty, crafty lady inside me knew there was a better way. Designing my own perfect dishcloth was the only logical solution. The result: a handmade dishcloth, small enough to work like a sponge but machine washable so it could be replaced daily. It doesn’t get any easier than this!
The Best Little Dishcloth EVER! Make a stack of them and pull out a fresh, clean, germ-free one as needed – at least once a day or more often if you do a lot of cooking and cleaning throughout the day. They are small enough to be laundered with your regular laundry and not take up much space at all. Want a cute gift idea? Make a week’s worth and pair them up with some handmade soap. Tie with raffia and you’ve got an instant handmade gift.
Difficulty: Beginner
Finished Measurements 4.5″ x 5″
Materials:
- Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Twists [100% cotton; 603yd/551m per 12oz/340g skein]; One dishcloth uses approximately ½ oz or 25 yards of yarn.
- H/5.0mm hook
Gauge: Gauge is not significant for this design.
Directions:
Ch 21.
Row 1: Work in the back bump, see below. Sc-ch 1 in 2nd ch from hook, skip next ch, *sc-ch 1, skip next ch; repeat from * 7 more times, sc twice. Ch 1 and turn. (20 stitches)
Rows 2-18: Sc-ch 1 in 1st skip next stitch, *sc-ch 1 in the ch 1 space from the previous row, skip next stitch; repeat from * 7 more times, sc in ch 1 in space from previous row, sc in last, ch 1 and turn. (20 stitches)
A Note on Working in the Back Bump: By working the 1st row of stitches in the back bump of the chain, the result is a nicer finished edge that matches the top edge. If you have trouble with this, work in the chain as you normally would. It isn’t essential to the project. See the photos below for some guidance. If you would like to see a video on this method, please visit this page: video on this method, please visit this page.
Finishing: After row 18, break off yarn, work in ends and scrub away.
About the Designer
Darleen Hopkins is addicted to crocheting, designing and recycling and is always looking for ways to combine the three. She lives in beautiful northern Georgia with her husband and two boys who often inspire her designs and serve as her design consultants. Feel free to email her at CrochetByDarleenHopkins@gmail.com or visit her webpage at www.CrochetByDarleenHopkins.com. You can also find her on Facebook. Enjoy!
Pattern & images © Darleen Hopkins. All rights reserved.
