Knitted Heart Lace Dishcloth

The Knitted Heart Lace Dishcloth is an absolute gem for adding a touch of charm and warmth to your kitchen. Its delicate heart lace pattern adds a sweet and inviting feel to your daily dishwashing routine. This dishcloth not only showcases your love for handmade items but also provides an eco-friendly alternative to disposable cloths. With its soft texture and intricate design, it makes a lovely gift for friends and family who appreciate the art of knitting. Add a bit of love to your kitchen chores with this delightful and practical knitted dishcloth!

Stitches used in this cloth include:
Garter Stitch
Heart Motif
Stockinette Stitch

Directions are given for a wider cloth (pink one in photos), and a narrower cloth (red one in photos). It is narrower only by 2 stitches. Directions for the narrower cloth are given in parentheses. For example, cast on 39 sts for wider cloth, cast on 37 sts for narrow cloth. On row 12, K14 for wider cloth, K13 for narrower cloth.

Using WW kitchen cotton and US7 (4.5mm) needles, cast on 39(37) stitches.

Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: Knit across
Row 4: Knit across
Row 5 (& all other odd WS rows): B3, Purl across, B3
Row 6: B3, Knit across, B3
Row 7: B3, Purl across, B3
Row 8: B3, Knit across, B3
Row 10: B3, K16(15), YO, SSK, K15(14), B3
Row 12: B3, K14(13), K2Tog, YO, K1-b, YO, SSK, K14(13), B3
Row 14: B3, K13(12), K2Tog, YO, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x2, K13(12), B3
Row 16: B3, K12(11), (K2Tog, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x2, K12(11), B3
Row 18: B3, K11(10), (K2Tog, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x3, K11(10), B3
Row 20: B3, K10(9), (K2Tog, YO)x3, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x3, K10(9), B3
Row 22: B3, K9(8), (K2Tog, YO)x3, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x4, K9(8), B3
Row 24: B3, K8(7), (K2Tog, YO)x4, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x4, K8(7), B3
Row 26: B3, K7(6), (K2Tog, YO)x4, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x5, K7(6), B3
Row 28: B3, K6(5), (K2Tog, YO)x3, K1-b, YO, SSK, YO, SK2TP, YO, K2Tog, YO, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x3, K6(5), B3
Row 30: B3, K5(4), (K2Tog, YO)x3, K1-b, YO, SSK, YO, SK2TP, YO, (K2Tog, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x3, K5(4), B3
Row 32: B3, K4(3), (K2Tog, YO)x3, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x2, YO, SK2TP, YO, (K2Tog, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, SSK)x3, K4(3), B3
Row 34: B3, K5(4), (YO, K2Tog)x2, YO, SK2TP, YO, (SSK, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, K2Tog)x2, YO, SK2TP, YO, (SSK, YO)x2, K5(4), B3
Row 36: B3, K4(3), (SSK, YO)x3, K1-b, (YO, K2Tog)x2, YO, SK2TP, YO, (SSK, YO)x2, K1-b, (YO, K2Tog)x3, K4(3), B3
Row 38: B3, K5(4), M1, YO, SSK, YO, D4, YO, K2Tog, YO, M1, K1, M1, YO, SSK, YO, D4, YO, K2Tog, YO, M1, K5(4), B3
Row 40: B3, K7(6), M1, YO, D4, YO, M1, K5, M1, YO, D4, YO, M1, K7(6), B3
Row 42: B3, K9(8), Cluster 3, K9, Cluster 3, K9(8), B3
Row 43: B3, Purl across, B3
Row 44: B3, Knit across, B3
Row 45: B3, Purl across, B3
Row 46: Knit across
Row 47: Knit across
Row 48: Knit across
Row 49: Knit across

Bind off. Weave in ends. Block.

Notes:

B3 = 3 stitch border of your choice (I used K3 for my border in the cloth above)

Cluster 3 = Slip 3 stitches to right needle with yarn in back. Pass yarn to the front. Slip the same 3 stitches from right needle to left needle. Pass yarn to the back. Knit 3.

D4 (Quadruple decrease: taking 5 stitches & reducing it down to 1 stitch) is done as follows:
1. Slip 3 stitches to the right needle.
2. Pass the 2nd stitch on the right needle over the 1st (center) stitch.
3. Slip the center stitch back to the left needle.
4. Pass the 2nd stitch on the left needle over the 1st (center) stitch.
5. Slip the center stitch back to the right needle.
6. Pass the 2nd stitch on the right needle over the 1st (center) stitch.
7. Slip the center stitch back to the left needle.
8. Pass the 2nd stitch on the left needle over the 1st (center) stitch.
9. Knit the center stitch.

D4 (Quadruple decrease: taking 5 stitches & reducing it down to 1 stitch), alternate version, is done as follows:
1. SSK.
2. K3Tog (knit 3 stitches together).
3. Pass the SSK stitch (from step #1) over the K3Tog stitch (from step #2).
Note: I'm adding this alternate version for doing D4 in case the original version above is too difficult.

K1-b = Insert needle into the back loop of the stitch and knit it.

K2TOG = Knit 2 stitches together

M1 (Increase 1 stitch: taking 1 stitch to create 1 more stitch, resulting in 2 stitches total) is done as follows:
1. Knit into the back of the stitch in the row below the 1st stitch on the left needle.
2. knit into the front of the 1st stitch on the left needle.

SSK = slip 1 stitch, slip 1 stitch, knit these two slipped stitches together

SK2TP = Slip 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches together, pass the slipped stitch over. (I think this is more commonly known as SK2P. I need that extra "T" as a visual reminder to myself that I'm knitting 2 stitches together. It's one of my beginner knitter quirks.

YO = yarn over

Instructions in parentheses followed by x2 means you do what is in the paretheses the number of times indicated after "x". For example, (K2Tog, YO)x2 means you would do K2Tog, YO, K2Tog, YO.

Tips:

When doing Cluster 3, give the yarn a good tug before knitting the 3 stitches.

D4 sounds confusing in words. You're taking the next 5 stitches on your left needle and reducing it down to 1 stitch. Let's number them from left to right as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. So this means that #5 is on the far right nearest the tip of your left needle, and #1 is on the far left furthest from the tip of your left needle. What you are going to do is slip #3, #4, & #5 to your right needle. Then pass #4 over #3. Slip #3 back to your left needle. Pass #2 over #3. Slip #3 back to your right needle. Pass #5 over #3. Slip #3 back to your left needle. Pass #1 over #3. You're left with stitch #3 which you just knit. I hope this sounds clearer?

When doing D4, make sure you haven't "lost" your previous YO before you knit the center stitch.