The Cider Tea Towel is an easy beginner kitchen towel knitting pattern that will give any home a flair of refinement. Bring in some rustic cottage-core vibes to your kitchen or bathroom, or give the perfect gift for that decor-forward person in your life!
This is my first officially published knitting pattern! I was super inspired to busting out my stitch dictionary and creating this pattern because we’re going through a home renovation and I was looking to infuse a little more of my own crafts into my home decor. It’s so hard to design a space for yourself, even for interior designers, but since designing and knitting this pattern, it helps to make this home feel more like us!
On top of all the previous reasons, I adore this pattern because it’s so easy AND I adore the yarn I selected for the pattern. A few days after putting this in the kitchen, my husband said, “this is my favorite kitchen towel we’ve ever owned.” 🥹 What a sweetie!!
So here I am, hoping this pattern becomes one of your faves in your kitchen too, and becomes your back pocket pattern for a quick gift knit as we enter the holiday season.
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Materials
US 7 (4.5mm) or needle to obtain gauge
Darning Needle
Main Color: Yarn Bee Cotton Et Lin shown in Cider; 180 yds (165 m) / 3.5 oz (100 g) or similar DK weight yarn
Contrast Color: Yarn Bee Cotton Et Lin shown in Parchment; 25 yds (23 m) / .6 oz (17 g) or similar DK weight yarn
Yarn Alternatives
You’ll find many articles on the internet about what type of fabric content is best for dishcloths & tea towels.
I’ve opted for a cotton-linen blend for this pattern, giving us the best of both worlds. Knitting many 100% cotton dishcloths in my day for raffles or gifts, I have to say that’s not my favorite material to work with, as I find it very stiff. Adding a bit of linen creates a much softer and drape-able fabric while bringing in the benefits of both linen & cotton.
Any linen/cotton blend should work well, but here are a few options I’ve found that have great color choices! Be sure to check yardage vs our requirements so you don’t end up playing yarn chicken.
&
Touch of Linen by Lion Brand Yarns
Gauge
16.5 stitches and 26 rows = 4″ (10 cm)
Finished towel size 17.5″L x 12″W
Gauge is not critically important for this project. If you’d like to make the dishcloth larger or smaller, make sure your cast-on stitches are a multiple of 2.
Any size adjustments may affect your yardage requirements!
Instructions
Cast on 54 stitches.
Main Pattern
Row 1: slip 1 knitwise, {k1, p1} repeat to last stitch, k1
Row 2: slip 1 with yarn in front tbl, {p1, k1} repeat to last stitch, p1
Repeat rows 1-2 (5) times total.
Contrast Stripes
Switch to CC. Do not break MC yarn & carry up the side.
Row 3: k1 {k1, p1} repeat to last stitch, k1.
Row 4: slip 1 purlwise tbl, p1, k1, repeat to last stitch, p1
Repeat rows 1-2 once from Main Pattern.
Switch to MC, carrying CC yarn up the side.
Repeat rows 3 & 4 once.
Repeat rows 1 & 2 once.
Switch to CC, carrying MC up the side. Work Contrast Stripes one more time, cutting CC once the second stripe is complete.
Continue working MC.
Repeat rows 1-2 of main pattern (40) times total, or until about 5″ less than desired length.
Repeat Contrast Stripes, breaking CC after two total repeats.
Repeat rows 1-2 (5) times total in MC.
Bind off & weave in ends.
Copyright
Thank you so much for choosing to make this pattern. Just a reminder that this free knitting pattern is the property of katyyydid by Katy Powell and may not be altered or published as your own in any form.
You are welcome to sell the finished product for a fair price, but please give credit to me, the designer, in your description. Please make sure to use your own pictures as well.
If you share a picture on Instagram, I would love to see it! Please tag me @katyyydidd and use the hashtag #ciderteatowel.
