Nr. 373 17. Tree Merry Christmas guest towel

Nr. 373 17. Tree Merry Christmas Guest Towel

What is Being Made

This is a Christmas-themed guest towel designed by Lotte Vilstrup Nielsen. The finished piece measures approximately 33 x 49 cm (13 x 19.25 inches), making it an ideal size for decorative kitchen or bathroom use during the holiday season. The towel features a festive tree motif as part of its design, suitable for gift-giving or seasonal home décor.

Craft and Techniques

This project is a knitting pattern classified at beginner difficulty level, making it accessible to knitters who are new to the craft. The pattern employs fundamental knitting techniques that build foundational skills.

The primary techniques used include:

• Cast on: The foundation method for creating the initial stitches on the needle
• Knit stitch: The basic right knit stitch that forms the primary fabric structure
• Purl stitch: The reverse of the knit stitch, used to create textural variation and pattern definition

The pattern construction begins with a ribbed border section using alternating knit and purl stitches in a (k1, p1) pattern. This creates an elastic, finished edge. The main body then transitions into stockinette stitch sections—alternating rows of knit and purl—which provide a smooth, flat surface ideal for displaying the Christmas tree motif. The tree design is integrated through strategic placement of knit and purl stitches within the fabric.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes only two fundamental stitches:

• Knit (k): Creates smooth vertical columns in the fabric
• Purl (p): Produces the reverse texture, used both for ribbing detail and as part of stockinette construction

The combination of these two basic stitches in different sequences creates the visual interest and pattern definition throughout the towel, including the decorative Christmas tree element.

Materials

The guest towel is crafted using 100% cotton yarn, an excellent choice for towels due to its absorbency, durability, and natural fiber properties. The project requires 186 yards (170 meters) of yarn, divided into 2 balls of 50 grams each. The yarn weight is 4-ply, a medium-weight yarn that produces a fabric with good structure and drape suitable for functional textiles.

Knitting is worked on 30 cm (30-inch) knitting needles in size 3.25 mm (U.S. size 3). This needle size is proportionate to the 4-ply yarn weight and produces a fabric with appropriate density for a guest towel. The pattern begins with 89 cast-on stitches, establishing the width of the finished piece.

The yarn color is flexible—the pattern notes "Any Color," allowing crafters to select cotton yarn in colors that coordinate with their holiday décor or gift preferences.