Tog - Train

Tog - Train Dishcloth: Beginner Knitting Pattern

What Is Being Made

The Tog - Train is a knitted dishcloth featuring a decorative train design. This finished project measures 25 x 23 cm (approximately 10 x 9 inches), making it a practical kitchen textile suitable for everyday use. The pattern incorporates both textured stockinette sections and a charted motif to create visual interest in a functional piece.

Craft and Difficulty Level

This is a beginner-level knitting project designed to introduce knitters to fundamental techniques while creating a useful finished object. The pattern was test knitted by Søs Hammershøy Sørensen and is numbered as design Nr. 469. The straightforward construction and limited stitch vocabulary make it accessible to those new to knitting who have mastered basic skills.

Techniques and Stitches Used

The Tog - Train dishcloth employs several core knitting techniques:

• Cast on: The foundation method used to create the initial 65 stitches
• Knit stitch (k): The primary stitch creating smooth, V-shaped fabric
• Purl stitch (p): The reverse of the knit stitch, used to create texture and pattern variation
• Slip stitch: Applied purl-wise with yarn at back of work at the beginning of every row, creating a neat, finished edge
• Ribbed edging: A repeating (k1, p1) pattern worked across rows 1-4 and maintained at the edges throughout, providing elasticity and structure
• Stockinette sections: Alternating knit and purl rows (rows 5-12) that create smooth fabric and provide contrast to the charted design area
• Charted motif: Rows 13 onward introduce a patterned design using strategic placement of knit and purl stitches to create the train image

Materials: Yarn and Needles

This dishcloth is designed to be worked in 100% cotton yarn in a 4-ply weight, requiring 186 yards (170 meters) from a single 50-gram ball. Cotton is an excellent choice for dishcloths, offering durability, absorbency, and easy care for kitchen use. The yarn color is flexible—any color may be selected based on personal preference or kitchen décor.

The pattern calls for 30 cm (30-inch) knitting needles in size 3.25 mm (U.S. size 3). This needle size is appropriately proportioned to the 4-ply yarn weight, creating a fabric with good structure and definition for both the textured sections and the charted train design.

Pattern Structure and Construction

The pattern begins with casting on 65 stitches, establishing a foundation for the 25 cm width. The first four rows establish a ribbed border using alternating knit and purl stitches, which frames the entire dishcloth and provides a finished appearance. Throughout the pattern, the first and last stitches of every row are slipped purl-wise with yarn at back, a technique that creates a chain-like selvage edge and makes seaming or binding off cleaner.

The main body transitions into stockinette stitch sections (rows 5-12), alternating between purl and knit rows to create smooth fabric. Beginning at row 13, the charted train motif is introduced through careful placement of knit and purl stitches across the width of the cloth, building the design row by row. This combination of techniques creates a dishcloth that is both visually interesting and highly functional.