Dishcloths are a great versatile project for crocheters – beginners, avid crocheters, and sellers.
They are the perfect beginner project, great for gifts, and great to sell at craft markets. Bonus: Making a swatch or learning a new stitch? Just make it into the size of a dishcloth! That way your hard work can be put to good use.
I’m sharing with you 5 tips that I have learned along the way of crocheting dishcloths (and just crocheting in general!).
Some of these are no brainer tips, but if you are a beginner they will be very beneficial to you!
5 Tips for Making the Best Crochet Dishcloths
Tip #1 Use Cotton Yarn
Is this a no brainer? Maybe.
When I first started buying yarn to crochet with, the only thing I saw was color. I didn’t look at what the yarn was made out of at all.
One of the first hats I made was with cotton yarn because it was the color I wanted. Typically, we like to make our hats with acrylic or wool yarns. I didn’t get the memo on that one.
For dishcloths, using cotton yarn is (dare I say it..) a MUST. It is just so much better for cleaning, washing dishes, using as hot pads, etc. If you use acrylic yarn, you will basically have a wet, sopping pile of yarn.
Make sure to check your yarn labels when you are shopping to make dishcloths. I prefer 100% cotton and find it the best for crocheting dishcloths. However, there are cotton blends out there.
I typically use “dishcloths” more so as washcloths and I notice that the 100% cotton ones dry much quicker and doesn’t leave a mild-dewy smell versus the cotton blend yarns. I do machine wash them after each use, but I do hang them to dry instead of throwing them into the laundry basket right away. Do with that information as you wish – but I recommend using 100% cotton!
Tip #2 Stitches
There are SO many crochet stitch options for dishcloths. You can literally use any stitch. Something as basic as a single crochet or maybe a bit more complicated like the star stitch.
You probably want to avoid stitches that have big gaping holes like lace stitches, but other than that – any stitch will do!
If this is your first time making dishcloths, I recommend trying out a few stitches and see what you like best.
My favorite dishcloths and washcloths that I have made are the ones that are more ‘light and airy’. You can achieve this by using a bigger size hook than normal or just choosing a stitch that isn’t tight or bulky.
Tip #3 Size
What will you be using these dishcloths for? That is a question you should ask yourself before figuring out what size you want it to be.
I prefer my dishcloths on the smaller side if I’m using them to wash dishes or if I’m using them as washcloths to clean my face or for the shower.
If I am using the dishcloth for cleaning, I like them a bit bigger so I can have a larger surface area to clean with.
Typically, I make my ‘smaller’ dishcloths 7-8 inches and my ‘larger’ washcloths around 10-12 inches. KEEP IN MIND, they do tend to shrink after multiple machine washes.
Tip #4 Border
We love the look of them, but we don’t love to make them. Or is that just me? If you’re selling or gifting dishcloths, I 100% recommend putting on a border! It just makes it look so much more polished.
If you aren’t a skilled crocheter, making borders can be a bit tricky. The top and bottom is easy enough, you just crochet into the stitches.
A trick for crocheting over the sides: crochet 1 stitch on each side of a single crochet row, 1-2 stitches on each side of a half double crochet row, and 2 stitches on each side of a double crochet row.
Try to make it as even as possible. Look back at your work every so often to check if the edging is scrunched or pulled too tight. You can always undo and crochet it again. It makes a bit of practice, but you will get into the rhythm of where to crochet into the sides.
Tip #5 Edges
If you’re a beginner and have trouble keeping your edges straight, there are two things that will help.
When you start a new row and make your beginning chain, DO NOT count it as a stitch. I rarely see people doing this, but there are crochet tutorials that will teach you this. Counting that beginning chain as a stitch can make your work look like there are gaps in it and make your edges wonky.
After the beginning chain, start your first stitch right into that very first space. It will eliminate any gaps.
Second, if you are having trouble with getting an even number of stitches in each row – use stitch markers! I don’t have time to count the stitches in each row and that just isn’t fun to do. Mark the first and last stitch of each row with a stitch marker or piece of yarn. That way you will not miss a stitch or accidentally add any extra.
Bonus Tip
This isn’t a tip for making crochet dishcloths, but it does pertain to crochet dishcloths.
If you use dishcloths yourself or sell/gift them, I recommend conveying the message to wash them after each use. Not just hand wash, but throw them into the washing machine!
Dishcloths can save you a lot of paper towels and are environmentally friendly, but they can also harbor a lot of yucky stuff. So after wiping down the counters or washing the dishes with them, give them a good machine wash.
Crochet Dishcloth Patterns
- Like the ones you see in the photos? They are just half double crochet and a single crochet border! I did make the width longer than the height so I could showcase the stitches vertically.
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