How to Crochet a Washcloth + Free Crochet Dishcloth Patterns

Your complete guide to crochet dishcloths and washcloths  – how to crochet a dishcloth, plus how to use and care for them! Includes lots of crochet dish cloth resources and dozens of free patterns. This post contains affiliate links, which allow me to earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Have you ever crocheted yourself a dish cloth? OR have you been lucky enough to have been gifted a crochet washcloth? If so, then you know how great these things can be!

Crocheted washcloths are pretty little workhorses. I love them because they are pretty, they are quick to make, and they WORK. If you need a sturdy washcloth that will hold up to lots of scrubbing, cotton crochet washcloths are where it’s at. I have some washcloths that I crocheted years and years ago that are still working and looking great!

Plus, have I mentioned how pretty they can be? Just look at that yummy texture. Love it! The washcloth pictured above is one that I made simply by working one of my favorite crochet stitches, the lemon peel stitch, in two colors. If you want to see a full written pattern for those color block wash cloths, you can see that here.

I have seen a few questions out there on the internet about how to make washcloths, what to use them for, and how to care for them. Today, I wanted to share a few tips for crocheting, using, and caring for your own washcloths, plus share some favorite washcloth patterns!

How to Crochet a Washcloth

Because washcloths are small, they are a great project for beginners or really any crocheter who wants to finish a project in an afternoon. (Which is pretty much all of us at some point, right?!) Here are a few tips to get you making your own crochet washcloths in no time.

Use Colorful Cotton Yarn You Love – Best Cottons Yarns for Washcloths

100% cotton yarn is the perfect choice for wash/dishcloths because it it a natural fiber with great stitch definition that’s tough enough to hold up to all your scrubbing. Worsted weight cotton produces a nice sturdy cloth, so Lily Sugar N’ Cream is a great choice that is inexpensive and easy to find (you can get it at most craft stores, and one of my favorite online craft shops, Consumer Crafts, carries it as well). I used Lily Sugar N’ Cream for my Cottage Dishcloths (pictured below).

I also like Knit Pick’s Dishie yarn, which I used for the color block washcloths pictured in this post, mostly because it comes in loads of great colors. Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton is another great choice. Really any worsted weight cotton should work well. Try a few different brands to find your favorite.

(Or Try a Different Fiber!)

I love to make washcloths with cotton, but there are some other options you may want to try out too. If you are going for more of a scrubby pad than a washcloth, you may want to forget about yarn all together and try hemp or tulle! I have shared a pattern for hemp scrubbies here before, and I do love them. Hemp is great because it is naturally antibacterial, and it is nice and tough (although it does soften with use and washing).

Tulle (the netting that you use to make tutus) is a great option for scrubby pads too because it is soft enough to not scratch your pots and pans, but the holes in the fabric are great for pulling off all that stuck on gunk. If you want to try out Tulle Scrubbers check out my free tulle scrubbies pattern HERE.

Find a Washcloth Pattern (or Don’t!)

If you are wanting to get going on a crochet washcloth project, good news for you – there are tons of free patterns for you floating around online. And, even better news, to get you started, I’ve collected a bunch of wonderful free crochet washcloth patterns right here (plus a few awesome inexpensive paid patterns too). Woo Hoo!

Free Crochet Washcloth Patterns:

Easy Crochet Dishcloth Pattern – Flamingo Toes
Granny Heart Dishcloth – Daisy Cottage Designs
Textured Dishcloth – Petals to Picots
Tartan Plaid Washcloths – Happy Berry
Star Stitch Dishcloth – Midwestern Moms
Lotus Bloom Dishcloth – Fiber Flux
The Cottage Dishcloth – Persia Lou
Bright Chevrons Washcloth – Moogly
Favorite Crocheted Dishcloth – Life after Laundry
Grit Stitch and Moss Stitch Washcloths – The Stitchin Mommy
Tapestry Crochet Dishcloths – Lebenslustiger
Scrub-a-dub-dub Washcloth – Underground Crafter
Crochet Pineapple Washcloth – Persia Lou
Blossom Stitch Washcloths – 5 Little Monsters
Tunisian Crochet Washcloths – My Poppet
Crochet Washcloth Pattern – Everything Etsy
Crochet Fish Scrubbie Washcloths – One Dog Woof
Color Block Washcloths – Persia Lou for Yarn Fix

Inexpensive Paid Crochet Washcloth Patterns:

Go Fish Bath Mitt Pattern – Etsy
Three Rustic Washcloth Patterns – Etsy
Simple Stripes Washcloth Pattern – Etsy
Simple Textured Washcloth Pattern – Etsy
Little Bursts Exfoliating Washcloth Pattern – Etsy

How to Crochet a Washcloth without a Pattern

Guys, this is one of my very favorite things about crocheting washcloths – you really don’t need a pattern at all! I mean, a washcloth is really just a square piece of fabric, which means all you need to do is pick a stitch and crochet a swatch of it (like the color block lemon peel stitch washcloths pictured below). If you want to try out a new stitch, you might as well make a washcloth out of it while you do!

I have a few favorite crochet stitch books that I keep around for just this sort of project. Flip through the book, pick a stitch that looks fun, and crochet square using that stitch. Easy Peasy! Here are a few crochet books to get you started:

Or if you want to get started right now, check out the free crochet stitch tutorials I have here on the blog.

How to Use and Care for Crochet Washcloths

You can use crochet washcloths for anything you would use a regular washcloth for! I mostly use mine in the kitchen to wash dishes, wipe down the counters, etc., but they also work great in the bathroom.

As for caring for your wash and dishcloths, I wash them just as I wash any other towel or washcloth. I haven’t had any problems with running them through the washer and dryer. Your cloths will fade a bit and grow softer and lose some of their stitch definition as you use and wash them, but they will still work just as good as when they were brand new.

Well, there you have it! Do you have any crochet washcloth questions or more tips to share? Please leave them in the comments!

Happy Making!