Double Knit Dishcloth Scrubbie

This is a great little double sided scrubbie for washing dishes.  One side is plastic and good for stuck on food, the other is simple cotton safe to use on nonstick pans.  The best part about double knitting is that this double sided piece is knit all at the same time on only 2 needles.  There is no need to sew the two sides together because they are already attached on all four sides.

Materials:

• Worsted weight cotton yarn.  I don’t know the yardage, but it’s not much.
• Plastic twine such as Blue Hawk Multi-Color Dazzle Twine.  (available at Lowes for under a dollar)
• US size 7 needles (if you knit loosely decrease to size 6 or if you knit tightly increase to size 8)

Gauge: 4 sts per inch in the cotton

Instructions:

Cast on 20 sts using both strands held together.

Now is a good time to explain that the trick to double knitting is remembering where your strands belong.  The cotton strand will always live on the cotton side and the twine will always live on the twine side.  This dischcloth is knit so that both sides are purl side out.  This means that the front fabric will always be purled and the back fabric will always be knitted.

The first stitch of every row is slipped as if to purl with both strands held together.  The last stitch of every row is knitted with both strands held together.  OK, that enough of that.  On with the knitting!

Row 1:  Sl the first st as if to purl with both strands of yarn. Now look at the next stitch.  there is one strand of cotton and one strand of twine.  *Separate the strands so that the twine is first and cotton second on your left needle.  Now separate your working yarn so that twine is in the back (like you’re going to knit with it…which you are) and the cotton is in front as if to purl.  Knit the twine stitch with the twine and keep the twine in the back.  Purl the cotton stitch with the cotton and keep the cotton in the front.*  Repeat the section between the *s until there is on one double strand stitch left on the needle.  Now move the cotton strand to the back and knit the last double stranded stitch with both working strands held together.  Well done that’s the hardest part.  It’s all easy from here on out. now you have 1 double stranded stitch followed by 36 single strand stitches followed by 1 double strand stitch.  This will stay that way until you are ready to cast off.

Row 2:  Sl the first st as if to purl with both strands of yarn. Separate your working strands so that cotton is in the back and twine is in front.  *Knit with the cotton strand and return it to the back.  Purl with the twine strand and return it to the front.*  Repeat the section between the *s for all the single strand stitches (36 total). Move the twine strand to the back and knit the last stitch with both strands held together.

Row 3:  Sl the first st as if to purl with both strands of yarn.  Separate your working strands so that twine is in the back and cotton is in front.  *Knit with the twine strand and return it to the back.  Purl with the cotton strand and return it to the front.*  Repeat the section between the *s for all the single strand stitches (36 total).  Move the cotton strand to the back and knit the last stitch with both strands held together.

Repeat rows 2 and 3 until your piece is square.  Now you are ready to cast off.  It does not matter if you are on row 2 or 3.

Cast off row:  Knit the first stitch with both strands.  Knit the next two single stitches together with both strands.  Pass the first stitch over the second stitch.  Knit the next two single stitches together.  Pass the stecond stitch over this stitch.  Continue in this manner until only one stitch remains.  Cut the yarn and pull through the last stitch.

Weave in the ends by running them between the two sides.

Congratulations you made a double knit scrubbie!!!!!!!!!!!