Hand-knit kitchen textiles bring love to the stirring of lemon risotto as much as the baking of mac ‘n cheese!
For sure, there is power in these Slip Stitch Dishcloths: the revelation of having made them yourself, as well as the joy in their beauty.
Perhaps you agree but are thinking there’s just one small problem, “There’s no way I could ever knit those!” Wrong! Slip stitches are knitting’s secret weapon for easy-as-pie colorwork. You only ever work one color per row, letting the magic of slipping stitches do its thing… Really!
Of course there’s no point if your dishtowels aren’t as strong as an ox, machine washable, and absorbent, too. To fulfill these requirements, we used our new Blackbird Linen. Like the wing of a blackbird catching the early morning light, our newest yarn shines with an understated elegance that belies its hard-working character.
Earthy and easy going, Blackbird Linen is 100% French linen with a lovely drape and wonderful way of softening with wash and wear. It is just right for durable bags and totes, beautiful three-season sweaters, and, of course, heirloom housewares.
A bit thicker than our Field Linen with a slightly more rustic spin, Blackbird Linen comes in all the same rich, expressive colors, drawing from the blueberries in the cobbler to the copper pans on the stove!
Designed by Purl Soho designer, Whitney Van Nes.
Share your progress + connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSlipStitchDishtowels, and #PurlSohoBlackbirdLinen. We can’t wait to see what you make!
Materials
To make a set of all three Slip Stitch Dishtowels, you’ll need…
- 7 skeins of Purl Soho’s Blackbird Linen, 100% linen. Each skein is 175 yards/ 100 grams.
- Color A: 3 skeins; approximately 418 yards required
- Color B: 2 skeins; approximately 223 yards required
- Color C: 2 skeins; approximately 218 yards required
Note: You can make any one dishtowel with just two skeins of Blackbird Linen in two colors, and with these 7 skeins, you’ll have enough yarn left over to make an additional Triple L Tweed Dishtowel using different colors for A, B, and C.
You will also need…
- US 3 (3.25mm) straight or 20- or 24-inch circular needles
- If using straight needles: Two US 3 double pointed needles for I-Cord
For our samples we used the following colors:
Three-and-One Tweed Pattern
- Color A (loop): Carnelian Orange
- Color C: Queen Anne’s Lace
Basket Stitch
- Color A: Silver Thistle
- Color B (loop): Warm Copper
Triple L Tweed
- Color A: Natural Flax
- Color B: Queen Anne’s Lace
- Color C (loop): Red Radish
Gauge
24 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
Size
Finished Dimensions: Approximately 11 x 17 inches
Notes
Stitch Multiples
The Three-and-One Tweed and Basket Stitch patterns work over a multiple of 4 + 3 stitches. The Triple L Tweed pattern works over a multiple of 3 + 1 stitches.
Slip Stitches
Slip all stitches purlwise.
Carrying Yarn
When changing colors, carry the new yarn up the selvage in front of the old yarn.
Attached I-Cord Edging
For help with the Attached I-Cord edging, visit our tutorial for the basics and the Finish section of our original pattern for specific instructions for this project.
PATTERNS
Three-And-One Tweed Pattern
With Color A, use a Long Tail Cast On to cast on 79 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): With Color C, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib, see Notes), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 3: With Color C, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif, see Notes), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 4: With Color A, k1, *slip 1 wyib, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyib, k1.
Row 5: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, *slip 1 wyif, k3, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Repeat Rows 2-5 until piece measures 17 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 3.
Cut Color C.
Next Row (right side): With Color A, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.
Finish
With the right side facing you, work an I-cord on the last 2 stitches until the cord measures 3 inches from its base.
Next Row: K1, slip 1 wyib, yo.
Now starting at the base of the I-cord, work an Attached I-Cord (see Notes) down the left selvage. Pick up 1 stitch for every 4 rows (which means picking up 1 stitch at either every Color A or every Color C stripe) until you reach the bottom corner.
Pass the first stitch over the second, cut the yarn, and pull it through the remaining stitch.
Now, with Color A, cast 2 stitches onto a double pointed needle.
K1, slip 1 wyib, yo and with right side facing, pick up a stitch in the bottom right corner. Work an Attached I-Cord up the right selvage to the top corner.
Knit 1 row of a regular, unattached I-Cord, then pass the first stitch over the second so that 1 stitch remains.
Using the double pointed needle with 1 stitch on it, knit the first stitch on the circular needles and bind off. Continue to bind off all the stitches that remain on the circular needles.
Cut the yarn and pass it through the remaining stitch.
Weave in the ends and block your new dishtowel!
Basket Stitch
With Color B, use a Long Tail Cast On to cast on 75 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): With Color A, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib, see Notes), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 3: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif, see Notes), k3, repeat from * to end of row.
Rows 4 and 5: Repeat Rows 2 and 3.
Row 6: With Color B, knit to end of row.
Row 7: With Color B, slip 1 wyib, purl to end of row.
Repeat Rows 2-7 until piece measures 17 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 5.
Cut Color A.
Next Row (right side): With Color B, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.
Finish
Using Color B, follow the finishing instructions as for the Three-and-One Tweed, above, except here pick up 2 stitches for every 6 rows (which means picking up 2 stitches at the Color A stripes and skipping the Color B stripes).
Triple L Tweed
With Color C, use a Long Tail Cast On to cast on 82 stitches.
Row 1 (wrong side): Purl to end of row.
Row 2 (right side): With Color B, k3, *slip 1 with yarn in back (wyib, see Notes), k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 3: With Color B, slip 1 wyib, k2, *slip 1 with yarn in front (wyif, see Notes), k2, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: With Color A, *k2, slip 1 wyib, repeat from * to last stitch, k1.
Row 5: With Color A, slip 1 wyib, *slip 1 wyif, k2, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 6: With Color C, k1, *slip 1 wyib, k2, repeat from * to end of row.
Row 7: With Color C, slip 1 wyib, k1, *slip 1 wyif, k2, repeat from * to last 2 stitches, slip 1 wyif, k1.
Repeat Rows 2-7 until piece measures 17 inches from cast-on edge, ending with Row 5.
Cut Colors A and B.
Next Row (right side): With Color C, knit to last 2 stitches, k2 onto a double pointed needle.
Finish
Using Color C, follow the finishing instructions as for the Three-and-One Tweed, above, except here pick up 1 stitch for every 4 rows (which means picking up 1 stitch at every other stripe of color).
Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, shop for beautiful yarn or buy one of our many knitting kits, and cast on!
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