Nr. 177 Disney Belle 65 stitches

Nr. 177 Disney Belle 65 Stitches Knitted Dishcloth

What is Being Made

This is a knitted dishcloth featuring a Disney Belle theme from Beauty and the Beast. Designed by Lotte Vilstrup Nielsen, this beginner-friendly project creates a finished cloth measuring 25 x 23 cm (approximately 10 x 9 inches). The dishcloth is worked flat using a straightforward stitch pattern that combines knit and purl techniques to create texture and visual interest suitable for everyday kitchen use.

Techniques and Skills Required

This project is classified as beginner difficulty and requires fundamental knitting skills. The primary techniques used include:

• Cast on: Creating the initial 65 stitches on the needle to begin the project
• Knit stitch (R): The basic forward stitch that forms the foundation of most knitted fabrics
• Purl stitch (Vr): The reverse of the knit stitch, used to create texture and pattern variation
• Slip stitch: Slipping the first stitch of every row purlwise with yarn at back of work, a technique that creates a neat, finished edge

The pattern employs a ribbed border in the opening rows using alternating knit and purl stitches (k1, p1 pattern), which provides structure and prevents curling at the edges. The main body alternates between rows of purl and knit stitches, creating a reversible texture ideal for a dishcloth.

Stitches Used

The dishcloth uses 65 cast-on stitches worked across multiple rows. The stitch pattern begins with a four-row ribbed border using a k1, p1 ribbing pattern, which appears on all rows and creates a decorative, elastic edge. Following the border, the main section alternates between rows of 57 purl stitches and 57 knit stitches, with the ribbed k1, p1, k1, p1 pattern maintained at the beginning and end of each row. This creates a balanced, textured fabric with visual contrast between the knit and purl sections.

Materials

This project requires minimal materials, making it an economical and accessible knitting project:

• Yarn: 100% cotton, 4-ply weight, totaling 186 yards (170 meters) per ball. One 50-gram ball is required. The yarn can be worked in any color of choice, allowing for creative personalization.
• Needles: A 30 cm (12-inch) straight knitting needle in size 3.25 mm (U.S. size 3) is needed to work the stitches at the appropriate gauge

The use of 100% cotton yarn makes this dishcloth highly absorbent and durable for kitchen tasks, while the 4-ply weight provides a balanced thickness that is easy to work with for beginners.