I am on the other side of the coin. While knitted cloths are durable, they are too thick to my liking. They take forever to dry and are difficult for me to wring out completely as well. Now, if I could lay my hands on some SPORT cotton, I might feel differently.

I have several friends who 'expect' these from me every Christmas, as does my daughter..so I knit and stockpile them all year, so they won't be disappointed.

Thanks for your replies. I started one last night, it's now one of my 3 works-in-progress. The stitches seem loose on the back and I'm wondering if they'll even out, or tighten up, after a washing. In any case, it's a fun but slightly complicated pattern of 4 rows using two balls of different colors, one strand for 2 rows then switch to the other for 2 rows, lots of sl1wyif and sl1wyib, yf, yb, knits, and purls. It's easy, but not a mindless project, it requires my complete attention! Just a little dishcloth! :-)

I've crocheted dishcloths and found some of them did lose their shape.Not many, maybe 2 out of 12. I posted on here before about having a problem with the dishcloth having a smell after using it a few times and the color fading. Was told to soak them in vinegar which I did. Helped a little bit but the smell remained even after I washed them in the washing machine and hung them up to dry.I was wondering if the color has anything to do with it?? As far as cleaning the dishes I think they do a great job.

Dee, some dyes do seem to retain a smell. You might also try soaking them in 20 mule team borax.

I love knitted or crocheted dishcloths! I also have standing requests for them as gifts.

Tami

Donna, Paton's and Sugar and Cream are supposed to carry sport weight cotton. I asked the lady who used to own our local yarn store, today. You might want to check their web sites. I am going to. Our knitting circle is making face cloths for a women's shelter. I think the sport weight will make nicer ones than the worsted weight will.

Tami

Donna, I found some sport weight cotton for you at purlsoho.com. I found this site via another site (via another site, etc.) and when I landed here I noticed you can search by weight so I clicked on "sport" and looked for a cotton yarn. Bingo, found one. I found others on-line... it's a matter of searching through their stash by "cotton" or "sport" then looking through each list to find the other criteria.

Jenn - you might try going down a needle size to tighten up the stitches.
I had the opposite problem - when I started knitting dishcloths, 4 mm needles were great but then my tension changed and it made the cloths feel like a board. Because the stitches were too tight.
So now I use 4.5 mm needles (size 7) and the stitches are flexible but not loose.

Happy knitting,
Janey (Jane2 here)

The best knit dishcloths (which I use for pot holders as I don't like them that heavy for dishwashing) is "Grandmother's Favorite Dishcloth" .. Sugar and Cream, sz 6 or 7 needles.
Cast on 4 sts
Row 1 - Knit 4
Row 2 - Yarn over knit across.
Repeat row 2 until you have 44 sts on needle.
Row 3. Knit 1, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 3 until you have 4 sts on needle. Bind off or do a single crochet and make a loop with chains to hang cloth with.
I've made tons of these and given them away and use them for pot holders.
Lois

I found DK weight cotton this week, while on vacation. We were in Maine. Halcyon Yarns is in Bath. They had tons! And it's really nice. They have a web site, also. No, I don't work for them. I do get thier newsletter and catalogs, but never thought of them when I posted on this before. I will be interested to see how they come out, as our knitting circle is doing face cloths for a women's shelter.

Tami

A couple of years ago I found a pattern for dishcloths and made several. I gave my daughter two and never heard her mention using them. She recently told me she wants ten more for Christmas.It's a wonderful way to use up left over yarn. I've used all sorts of yarn and anything works. The more it's washed and dried the better they are.

I wonder if a step was left out of the pattern posted. I use that same one and my pattern is knit 2 yarn over.

My pattern is
cast on 4
row 1 knit
row 2 K2, yo, knit to end of row (this is the increase row)
repeat row 2 till 43 stitches
decrease row, and repeat till there are only 4 st remaining;
K1, K2 tog, Yo, K2 tog, K to end
when 4 st. remain; k 4 st, and bind off.

I have actually made many baby blankets and even full sized blankets using this pattern....forgetting the 43 st. and just going on till the size is right. With these, I sometimes make the 'internal' part of the item (the part that follows the K2, Yo) in a moss or double moss stitch. It's perfect 'mindless' knitting, that is great for car knitting.

That's my pattern as well. It's interesting to learn it can be adapted to larger projects. Thanks for the hint.

I am a beginner. I just made my first scarf with a K2P2 pattern. Now I would like to make one of these dishcloths but I do not know what you people mean by yarn over.
I can knit and purl and cast on and off.
Can someone explain this. Thanks.

To to knittinghelp.com, VIEW VIDEOS, then INCREASES. Scroll down to the bottom where you see "yo" and click to see the video.

Basically all you do is wrap the yarn around your right needle before making the next stitch, thereby adding a stitch to the number already on the needle. I believe the dishrag is knit corner to corner, so the increases make it bigger, and then you decrease down to the opposite corner. Hope this makes a little sense.

lyban...if you use my pattern, please realize that you will be starting at one corner, with 4 stitches, and then increasing one stitch in each of the other rows, with that yarn over, till halfway done...so you're working from one corner,and when you get halfway through, you will be at the 2 side corners...then, the decreases will take you toward the 4th corner..\/....(starting at the bottom of the V)
you're not working straight across, like in a scarf...but, on the diagonal, which makes the cloth nice and stretchy.

Socks,
Thank you for that site. It seems to explain all I need to know for now. I will look at it in the morning when I have more time.
Sandra.
Yes, I understand what you mean. I bought my first dishcloth at a craft sale yesterday and it looks to me like it was done this way. I am going to give it a try.
The lady selling these at the craft show told me she just lays hers down in the dishwasher every couple of nights and it comes out fine.

ANyone else tried this, putting it in dishwasher.

I've never tried this, but I think a trip through the washing machine and dryer would be better.