The Artisan's Herringbone Hostess Cloth: A Free Knitting Pattern for a Textured, Modern Kitchen Essential

The Artisan's Herringbone Hostess Cloth: A Free Knitting Pattern for a Textured, Modern Kitchen Essential

Elevate your kitchen decor with this stunning, textured dishcloth that mimics the look of woven herringbone fabric. Knit in a soft, absorbent cotton, this pattern creates a durable and beautiful cloth perfect for gifting or everyday use. The Herringbone Lace pattern is surprisingly simple to knit, yet produces a sophisticated, modern texture that will impress guests and make dish duty a little more luxurious. This free pattern is designed with beginners in mind, offering clear, detailed instructions to ensure your success.

Materials Needed

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. Using the exact materials will ensure your cloth matches the gauge and look of the original.

• Yarn: Lily Sugar'n Cream or Bernat Handicrafter Cotton (worsted weight, 100% cotton), approximately 100 yards per cloth. You will need two colors:
  • Color A: Natural (approx. 50 yards)
  • Color B: Sage Green (approx. 50 yards)
• Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles. Straight or circular needles are fine.
• Notions: Yarn needle for weaving in ends, scissors, tape measure or ruler.
• Gauge: 20 stitches and 28 rows = 4 inches in Herringbone Lace pattern (blocked). Achieving gauge is important for the correct size and texture.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these instructions carefully. The pattern uses a 4-row repeat that creates the beautiful herringbone texture. Pay close attention to the slip stitch edge – it creates a neat, braided finish.

Pattern Notes

• The Herringbone Lace pattern is a 4-row repeat that creates a beautiful woven texture.
• Slip Stitch Edge: Slip the first stitch of every row purlwise with yarn in front for a neat, braided edge. This is crucial for a professional finish.
• The cloth is worked flat from bottom to top.
• Abbreviations: k = knit, p = purl, k2tog = knit two together (decrease), ssk = slip, slip, knit (decrease), yo = yarn over (increase), RS = right side, WS = wrong side.

Instructions

1. Cast On: Cast on 35 stitches loosely. A long-tail cast-on works well.
2. Setup Row (WS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, knit across all remaining stitches.
3. Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, ssk, k1; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
4. Row 2 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, purl across all stitches.
5. Row 3 (RS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, *k1, yo, ssk, k2tog, yo, k1; repeat from * to last 2 stitches, k2.
6. Row 4 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, purl across all stitches.
7. Repeat: Repeat Rows 1-4 until the cloth measures approximately 8 inches from the cast-on edge, ending after a WS row (Row 2 or 4). This will give you a square cloth.
8. Bind Off: Bind off loosely in pattern (knitwise on a RS row). Do not cut the yarn yet.

Edging (Optional but Recommended)

This edging gives a clean, finished look and helps the cloth lie flat.

1. With RS facing, do not cut the yarn. Using the same needle, pick up and knit stitches evenly along the sides and cast-on edge. You will be working in the round. The number of stitches isn't critical, but aim for about 1 stitch per row along the sides and 1 stitch per cast-on stitch along the bottom.
2. Work 3 rows of garter stitch (knit every row) around the entire perimeter. To do this in the round, you will knit one round, then purl the next round, then knit the final round.
3. Bind off loosely knitwise.

Finishing

1. Weave in all ends securely using a yarn needle. Trim any excess yarn.
2. Blocking: Block lightly to open up the lace pattern and even out stitches. To block, wet the cloth with lukewarm water, gently squeeze out excess water (do not wring), lay flat on a towel, and shape to 8x8 inches. Allow to dry completely. This step is essential for the herringbone pattern to shine.

Your Artisan's Herringbone Hostess Cloth is now complete! Enjoy its beauty and functionality in your kitchen, or gift it to someone special.