How To Knit The Basket Weave Stitch – Plus Free Pattern!

Sometimes the simplest stitches make the most beautiful textures, and that’s exactly the case with this beginner-friendly basket weave dishcloth pattern. This easy knit project uses only knits and purls, creating a lovely woven look that’s as timeless as it is practical.

For this pattern, I’m using Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie, a soft, worsted-weight cotton that’s perfect for dishcloths and home projects. I paired it with 5 mm needles—a little larger than the yarn calls for—to create a slightly looser, more open weave that helps the dishcloth dry faster between uses.

Cast On

To begin any basket weave pattern, cast on a multiple of 8+5. For this 8″ (20cm) wide dishcloth pattern, cast on 37 stitches

Row 1

Knit all stitches

Row 2

Knit 5, *purl 3, knit 5* repeat between ** to the end of the row.

Row 3

Purl 5, *knit 3, purl 5* repeat to the end of the row

Row 4

Knit 5, *purl 3, knit 5* repeat between ** to the end of the row (Same as row 2).

Row 5

Knit all stitches

Row 6

Knit 1, purl 3, *knit 5, purl 3* repeat between ** to the last stitch, knit 1.

Row 7

Purl 1, knit 3 *purl 5, knit 3* repeat between ** to the last stitch, purl 1.

Row 8

Knit 1, purl 3, *knit 5, purl 3* repeat between ** to the last stitch, knit 1 (Same as row 6).

Repeat

Repeat rows 1-8 until your basket weave texture appears and your piece is as long as you’d like! Bind off.

And that’s how to knit the basket weave stitch!

The finished result is a beautifully rustic, generously sized dishcloth that looks great in any kitchen—or makes a thoughtful handmade gift. So grab your needles, get cozy, and let’s get back to basics with this simple yet stunning knit!

Free Dishcloth Knitting Pattern

To get your free copy of the dishcloth pattern that I demonstrated this stitch on, click the download button below

Visual learner? Lucky for you! There’s a video tutorial for this stitch AND the dishcloth pattern. You can enjoy that here:

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