Windowpanes Knitted Dishcloth Pattern

I am honored to share (by request!) my own pattern that I used for some of the dishcloths shown in my October 2 post.

And here are a few of the tips and techniques I incorporate into my knitting:
1. I usually use a needle one size larger for the cast on and a needle two sizes larger for the bind off. For example, I use a size 6 (4 mm) needle for worsted weight cotton for dishcloths, so I use size 7 (4.5 mm) for the cast on and size 8 (5 mm) for the bind off. This helps to achieve the same stretch in the cast-on and bind-off edges as for the body of the piece.
2. Speaking of needles, I use circular needles for both round and flat work. It makes knitting in close quarters (such as a movie theater) much easier. And if I happen to drop one end of the circular needle, I am still holding the other end, so I don't really lose the needle.
3. When I set my work down or put it away for a while, I push all of the stitches to the cable section (thinner section of the needle between the two ends), ensuring that a ridge from having left the stitches on the thickest part of the needle won't permanently form in that row.
4. When I use the long-tail cast on, my choice for dishcloths, I work the first 3 to 5 stitches with both yarns, the yarn end and the ball yarn. That way, I don't need to weave those ends in later.
5. I try to complete a row before setting my work down, which helps to maintain a more even tension.
6. Blocking. I block almost everything I knit. It vastly improves the appearance, evening out changes in tension throughout the piece. I think it somehow presses the blocked shape into the memory; in other words, even after a cloth is machine washed and dried, it retains the blocked shape.

Windowpanes Dishcloth by Sandra Carden
Front:

Back:

 

Materials and Notes:

Yarn: Cotton worsted-weight variegated yarn: One 2 to 2.5 oz ball will usually make two cloths.
Needles: Size 7 to cast on, 6 to work dishcloth and 8 to bind off. Gauge is not important.
Abbreviations:
st(s) = stitch(es)
k = knit
p = purl
For a smoother edge (optional): Slip the first stitch of each row as if to purl. If the next stitch is a knit stitch, remember to move your working yarn to the back first. If the next stitch is a purl stitch, your yarn is already in front, so you do not need to move it.

Cast on 36 sts using size 7 needle.

Bottom border: Change to size 6 needle and work in seed st (*K1, P1*, repeat, ending K1) for 6 rows.
Side borders: Begin and end each row in seed st (5 sts).
Instructions for pattern between the side borders:
Work bottom border.
Row 1: K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1.
Row 2: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Row 3: K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1, P4, K1.
Row 4: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Row 5: Knit across.
Row 6: P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P1.
Repeat these six rows six times.
Work top border. Bind off using size 8 needle in knit stitch. Weave in yarn ends. Block.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Shorthand: Repeat between * and *.
Work bottom border.
Row 1: K1, *P4, K1* across.
Row 2: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Row 3: K1, *P4, K1* across.
Row 4: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Row 5: Knit across.
Row 6: P1, *K4, P1* across.
Repeat these six rows six times.
Work top border. Bind off in knit stitch. Weave in yarn ends. Block.


Resource:
Knitting Help has free knitting videos.

I have taken some before, during, and after photos of the blocking part of knitting, so I will write about that soon.

And I have started a sewing project, a reworking of something I bought but will never wear, so that's on my list of sewing projects to share with you.

Blessings and peace...