The Queen's Spa Cloth

The Queen's Spa Cloth by Carol Herman

What is Being Made

The Queen's Spa Cloth is a luxurious facial cloth designed as part of the Folk Tales Spa Cloth Collection. This downloadable knitting pattern creates a soft, pampering spa cloth measuring approximately 8 x 7 ¾ inches [20.3 x 19.7 cm]. The finished cloth is ideal for gentle skincare routines and personal care applications, offering a spa-quality experience in a compact, practical size.

Construction Method

This pattern is knit sideways, meaning the cloth is worked from one side to the other rather than in the traditional top-to-bottom direction. This construction method allows for unique shaping possibilities and contributes to the distinctive character of the finished piece. The sideways approach also influences how the stitch patterns develop across the fabric.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The Queen's Spa Cloth features several intermediate-level knitting techniques that make this project engaging and skill-building:

• Elongated stitches — the signature feature of this pattern, creating an unusual and visually interesting texture that is fun to execute
• Single, double, and triple yarnovers — yarn overs of varying heights that create openwork and lace effects throughout the cloth
• K2tog decreases — knit two together decreases that balance the increases from the yarnovers and shape the fabric
• Slipping stitches — slip stitches used for shaping and creating clean edges

The combination of these techniques creates a lace pattern that is open enough to display the delicate design while maintaining sufficient definition to showcase the stitch work clearly.

Materials and Specifications

Yarn: The pattern calls for 1 skein of Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine, a sport weight (5 ply) yarn made from 100% Pima cotton. This yarn provides 136.7 yards per 50 grams, offering the soft, luxurious quality essential for a spa cloth. Pima cotton is prized for its softness, durability, and gentle feel against delicate facial skin.

Needles: US size 4 [3.5 mm] needles or the size needed to obtain proper gauge. Needle selection is particularly important for this pattern, as the correct size allows the lace pattern to display properly without losing definition.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches [10 cm] in garter stitch. While gauge is noted as not critically important for this project, matching the recommended needle size is essential to achieve the proper openness and definition of the lace pattern.

Pattern Notes and Yarn Substitution

The success of The Queen's Spa Cloth depends significantly on using the correct needle size for the selected yarn. The needle must be large enough to allow the lace pattern to open and display properly, yet small enough to maintain the pattern's definition and clarity. If substituting yarn for Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima Fine, the pattern recommends trying the largest needle size listed on the yarn's ball band, or even one size larger. Experimentation may be necessary to achieve the ideal balance between openness and stitch definition.

Difficulty Level

Rated as intermediate difficulty, The Queen's Spa Cloth is suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to expand their technique repertoire. The combination of elongated stitches, multiple yarn overs, decreases, and slip stitches provides skill-building opportunities while remaining achievable for experienced beginners and intermediate crafters.