Looking for a short project during quarantine? How about a COVID-19 dishcloth?
COVID-19 Dishcloth
This is essentially two knitted circles (eight pie shapes) knitted flat against each other — the first has red bobbles against a white background and the second is just a plain circle that acts as the lining to the first.
Supplies:
- Main Color (MC) — white or off-white cotton dish yarn.
- Alternative Color (AC) — red cotton dish yarn. I used scrubby yarn.
- Five double-pointed needles, size 8.
Stitch Glossary:
- KFB: Knit in the front and back of a single stitch.
- MB: Make bobble with AC. Loosely bring yarn from bobble to bobble in the “back” as if you were working intarsia.
- Knit into the front, back, and front of the next stitch (3 stitches increase)
- Turn. Purl 3.
- Turn. Knit 3.
- Turn. Purl 3.
- Turn. Slip the first stitch as if to knit. Knit 2 together. Pass the slipped stitch over. Transfer to right needle.
Cast on 4 stitches in AC. Work i-cord for 4 rows. Place each stitch on a separate needle. Work the rest in the round.
Round 1: Attach MC and KFB in each stitch. 8 stitches.
Round 2 and every even row: Knit.
Round 3: *K1, KFB,* Repeat between asterisks 8 times. 16 stitches.
Round 5: *K1, MB, KFB, K2, KFB,* Repeat between asterisks 4 times. 24 stitches.
Continue increasing 8 stitches every other round until each repeat has 10 stitches or 80 stitches total. Continue adding 4 red bobbles in an evenly random pattern, scattered around the circle every four rows. If adding a bobble and increasing 8 stitches on the same row is too confusing, then do the bobbles on a plain knit row. There’s no wrong way. We’re in a pandemic, after all.
Once you have completed the 80-stitch increase round, tie off the red bobble yarn. You will make no more bobbles. Purl the next round. This is the ridge around the edge of the circle. Now you’re knitting the “lining” of the dishcloth.
Lining Round 1: *K8, K2tog,* Repeat between asterisks 8 times. 72 stitches.
Lining Round 2 and every even row: Knit.
Lining Round 3: *K7, K2tog,* Repeat between asterisks 8 times. 64 stitches.
Continue decreasing until 4 stitches remain. Pull yarn through last four stitches. Weave in end.
Enjoy wiping your counters, dishes, and tabletops with the world’s safest COVID-19.