Free Knit Dishcloth Pattern: Stacked Rib
Knit a stack of super scrubby cloths!
Stacked Rib Free Knit Dishcloth Pattern
Knit dishcloths make the best gifts! They’re also a great beginner-friendly project. Today’s fun, free pattern, the Stacked Rib Dishcloth, uses a combination of knit and purl stitches to create a textured fabric. This simple pattern is easy-to-memorize and makes a cloth that is great for super scrubby tasks.
You can even use this pattern to make washcloths too!
How These Knit Dishcloths Are Made
This knit dishcloth or washcloth pattern is knit flat, back and forth so you can use either straight knitting needles or circular needles, whatever you prefer. We’ve included a thick garter stitch border all the way around which means that the edges of each cloth won’t curl. We also included instructions for using stitch markers to mark the beginning and end of the garter stitch pattern at the edges.
What’s Cool About the Stacked Rib Stitch
The stacked rib pattern is made using just knit and purl stitches, that’s it! This simple pattern is made by repeating four rows until the dishcloth or washcloth pattern is the right length. If you’ve never followed a pattern repeat, this is a great pattern to practice your memorization skills.
Knit Dishcloths vs. Knit Washcloth Patterns
Wait, what is the difference between knit dishcloths and washcloths anyway? Well, we’re glad you asked! Knit dishcloth patterns are typically used in the kitchen or for household cleaning tasks. They’re more rugged and knit from a sturdier yarn designed to hold up to the wear-and-tear of serious scrubbing sessions. Knit washcloths or spa cloths are typically saved for use in showers or baths.
The same free knitting pattern can be used to make either washcloths or dishcloths with the right yarn choice!
Choosing the Right Yarn
Knit dishcloth patterns usually call for a plant fiber yarn! These yarns are typically sturdy, dry fast, and don’t shrink. If you’re making a set of dishcloths meant for heavy-duty cleaning tasks make sure to find the sturdiest cotton yarn you can! Alternatively, if you’re going to create a set of knit spa cloths or knit washcloths I love using a bamboo yarn for the extra softness.
Knit Dishcloth Pattern Sizing
The pattern instructions will make a single knit dishcloth that is approximately 7″ square.
But that’s just the start! You can easily make these into handy dandy dish towels by doubling the length.
Materials
- Yarn – 50g of worsted weight yarn (we recommend cotton, bamboo or other plant fiber yarn)
- Knitting Needles – US 5 (3.75mm) straight or circular knitting needles
- Yarn Needle/Darning Needle
- Scissors
- 2 Stitch Markers (optional)
Helpful Tutorials
- Choosing the right Cast On method.
- How to Bind Off knitting.
- All about Garter Stitch.
- How to do the Knit stitch.
- How to do the Purl stitch.
Knitting Gauge
20 sts & 28 rows = 4” / 10cm in stacked rib pattern using US 6 (4mm) knitting needles.
Matching the knitting gauge is not critical in this project, use the knitting gauge measurement as a guide to best match the examples in these photos.
Have questions? Read the next section for tips & tricks to help you get the right knitting gauge.
Tips & Tricks Adjusting Your Knitting Gauge
This is a great project for experimenting with gauge and tension in your knitting.
They’ll be wonderful dishcloths either way!
But what exactly will happen if your knitting gauge doesn’t match ours? Let’s see!
– If you knit at a looser gauge (fewer stitches per inch) then you will have a looser, more airy fabric.
– If you knit at a tighter gauge (more stitches per inch) then you will have a tighter, more dense fabric.
Want to learn more? We have a whole tutorial and video covering everything you need to know about knitting gauge.
Get the Free Knit Dishcloth Pattern!
Ready to knit up a set of these dishcloths? Click the button below to download the PDF with everything you need to make your own set of knit dishcloths.
Other Knitting Techniques
Knitting is all about learning new things! Here’s a list of helpful techniques and skills that will make knitting your free dishcloth pattern that much easier.
Magic Knot for Joining Yarn: This knot makes it easy to join a new ball of yarn when you run out!
Weaving Ends In: You’ll be left with at least two yarn tails to thread in once you’ve cast off your project, this tutorial will show you how to weave these ends in for a perfect finish!
Threading a Yarn Needle: While we’re at it, sometimes threading a yarn needle with yarn can be tricky! This tutorial shows you how to thread a needle with any yarn.
Blocking Knitting: Even though these are dishcloths it’s worth taking the time to block your knitting. This simple step creates even stitches, perfectly straight edges, and makes any project look polished and professional.
More Free Knit Dishcloth Patterns
Check out our pattern collections featuring free knit dishcloth patterns by independent designers! Explore tons of textures, shapes, and stitch patterns with 20+ patterns to download and start knitting right away.
