Colin Drew Washcloth – Free Crochet Pattern in 6 Sizes | Easy C2C DC Washcloth Crochet Pattern

This is a free crochet pattern and video tutorial showing how to crochet the Colin Drew Washcloth, an easy corner to corner washcloth worked in double crochet boxes.

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Find the free crochet pattern instructions below, or purchase a printer-friendly, ad-free PDF on Ravelry by clicking here.

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If you’re looking for a fun and easy basic washcloth pattern, or an easy C2C project to try it out, this Colin Drew C2C Washcloth is a great place to start!

As a washcloth, C2C can sometimes become saggy because of the spaces in the boxes, and by spaces, I really just mean like a slit from the beginning chain that all the stitches are worked onto, so my preference is C2C boxes worked in half double crochets, but I’ve still enjoyed these basic washcloths as well as my C2C Apple Washcloths, C2C Acorn Washcloth, and C2C Enamored Heart Washcloth all made following the same pattern. In switching to washcloths worked in half double crochet boxes, I use the double crochet ones now either for decorative purposes, or just to dry things up – not to wash anything.

These washcloths also work great as a mug rug for a delicious cup of coffee and afternoon snack, or as a doily to house a candle, plants, vase, lotion bottles, and more!

Colin Drew is an easy crochet line that features double crochet corner to corner boxes. This is a beginner friendly series, and these washcloths are a great project to pair with watching your favorite TV show or movie, especially if you are working on a few for a gift. You don’t even have to count boxes if you don’t want to! You can use a soft tape measure to measure as you go, and stop at the width and length desired, though I will be providing box counts for each size in the written pattern.

Find more Colin Drew accessory and home decor crochet patterns here on EyeLoveKnots, and Colin Drew accessory and wearables crochet patterns on Cre8tion Crochet.

Make a Matching Set with These Free C2C Crochet Patterns:

Colin Drew Hand Towel

Colin Drew Coasters

Colin Drew Mug Rug

Where Do You Use a Washcloth?

Washcloths, sometimes called a washrag, are just a miniature bath towel, and designed to be absorbent, soft and easy to use being hand held. Washcloths can be used as a small hand towel to dry off after washing hands, as well as in the shower with soap to clean and exfoliate. Crocheted cotton washcloths feel amazing against the skin, and are better for you than loofahs, as loofahs can harbor bacteria more.

How Often Should I Clean and Change a Washcloth?

For hand drying, a washcloth should be washed about once a week.

For use in the shower, I’ve heard a washcloth should be changed out a couple times a week for washing with good rinsing between uses to get rid of as many dead skin cells and bacteria as possible, but a washcloth should really be used once, and than washed as it harbors bacteria, and possible mold growth is it doesn’t dry out properly, and can hold onto debris.

How Do I Dry a Crocheted Washcloth?

After using, rinse the washcloth to remove as much debris and bacteria as possible, roll up and press excess water out (do not wring out a crocheted washcloth), and lay flat to dry. It’s not recommended to hang crocheted washcloths as they can stretch, especially if wet because they’re heavier.

What is the difference between a Crocheted Washcloth and Dishcloth?

A crocheted washcloth and a dishcloth are practically one in the same with the biggest difference being how you use it.

What size should a crocheted washcloth or dishcloth be?

The most common washcloth size I come across is 8″ by 8″, but I know everybody has their size preferences so I aim to have square sizes from 5″ to 9″.

What is the Best Yarn to Use for a Crocheted Washcloth?

There are many fibers that make nice crocheted washcloths, though cotton yarns are used the most and are very durable for repeated use and washing. Worsted weight is the most common weight of cotton yarn used for crocheted washcloths, but there are also several nice lightweight yarns as well.

I prefer using WeCrochet Dishie Yarn for my washcloths. This worsted weight cotton yarn is colorfast, meaning the color is set and not going to fade or bleed. My experience with Lily Sugar n Cream, Bernat Handicrafter and Crafters Secret Cotton is that with one wash, the colors fade a lot, and some colors, like greens and blues, bleed if laid down on a surface while wet. It’s so disheartening to spend so much time crocheting a project only to have it ruined with one wash. I’ve heard that I Love This Cotton Yarn is also colorfast, and seems to be the choice for many crocheters that do markets as it’s also softer.

Cotton blends work well for washcloths, and the synthetic fiber they’re combined with, such as acrylic or polyester, will often add a bit more durability, however, they lack the absorbency so they do need the plant based fiber.

Linen also makes for a really lovely washcloth. It gets strong when wet, and gets softer and nicer with each wash. Linen blends often combine with cotton or bamboo to add softness.

Bamboo yarns have a high absorbency – even more than cotton – however, bamboo is weaker when wet, and more prone to developing mold so if bamboo is a fiber you want to use, I definitely recommend going with a blend of linen and/or cotton.

Gauge is not essential for this project and with the corner to corner nature, you can easily substitute in any weight yarn and measure as you go.

Do I need to work a border around my washcloth?

I did add a border to my washcloths for a more finished edging, but you do not need to add one. If you opt not to work a border, you may want to add an extra box to width and height so the washcloth will come out to about the same finished size.

If you would like to grab a free copy of the PDF for this pattern, make sure to check out the Pattern Notes section below.

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What Supplies Do I Need to Crochet a C2C Washcloth?

• 30 (45, 55, 85, 105, 100) Yards of Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn – I used Lily Sugar n Cream in the Hot Orange colorway, and Creamsicle
• H8/5mm Crochet Hook – I love this Koi Fish Ergonomic Clay one from SiennasBowtique on Etsy
• Tapestry Needle
• Optional, Jewelry Pliers
• Optional, Tape Measure if you want to take gauge or measure as you go

Material Notes:

Yarn Alternatives: WeCrochet Dishie Yarn, Crafters Secret Cotton

I usually recommend jewelry pliers to use to help weave in ends, as cotton yarn can be quite tough on the fingers when weaving in with just fingers and a tapestry needle. Dishie Yarn is really smooth, and easy to weave the yarn in and out of.

How Long Does it Take to Crochet a C2C Washcloth?

I worked the small up in an hour, and the medium one up in just under an hour and a half.

Measurements:

• Extra Small: 4 7/8″
• Small: 6 3/8″
• Medium: 7 1/8″
• Large: 8 1/2″
• Large Long: 8 1/2″ x 10″
• Extra Large: 9 1/4″

Gauge – Not Essential:

5 Boxes Wide & Tall = 3 3/4″

With the nature of this stitch pattern, the easiest way to measure is to do so in pattern. Measure the width (before the border), and this will be about 1/2″ smaller than finished width. Same goes for the height. You can easily add or take away boxes as you go.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

• DC – Double Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
• SC – Single Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
• C2C – Corner to Corner (Photo Tutorial for DC Boxes)

Pattern Notes:

Beginning chain 2 counts as a double crochet. Beginning chain 1 does not count as a stitch.

A box is comprised of four double crochet’s.

Working the final double crochet into the foundation chain from the previous row helps to keep the edge more even. After completing the first box, your edge may look a little wonky. You can use your fingers to manipulate the fabric, but the border will cover it up and it will look nice and straight.

The border adds about 1/2″ to the height and width. You can add more rounds of single crochet to increase the width and height with each round adding about the same 1/2″ (working the second round as a single crochet into each single crochet, 2 single crochets into each chain space, and the same corner increase in each corner chain space).

If you do not want to add a border, you may want to add 1 box to width and height to get closer to the finished measurements.

Colin Drew Washcloth, Video Tutorial:

Colin Drew Washcloth, Written Pattern:

Chain 6. DC into the 4th chain, and into each of the next 2. (1 Box)

R2: Chain 6, and turn. DC into the 4th, 5th and 6th chains. You now have an alligator mouth shape. Flip the bottom fabric so it’s mirrored and slip stitch into the top of the next chain 2, which is the stitch that is the most natural to work into when you lay your 2 boxes together. Chain 2. Looking at the next box, you see the stitches laying horizontally. Work 2 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches. To help keep a straight edge, work the last DC into the foundation chain on the left side. (2 Boxes)

R3: (I) Chain 6, and turn. DC into the 4th chain, and into each of the next 2. Flip your fabric and slip stitch into the top of the next chain 2;
(II) Chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain;
(III) Chain 2, work 2 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, DC into the foundation chain on the left side. (3 Boxes)

R4 – 6 (8, 9, 11, 11, 12): Using Row 3 as a base, you will continue working in the same manner repeating (II) one extra time each row to increase the number of boxes by one each row. Each of these rows will have the same number of boxes as row (ie 4 will have 4 boxes, 5 will have 5 boxes, etc).

Large Long Only:

Now the width is as wide as we want it to be, we will no longer be starting with a chain 6 width-wise (though we will continue to start with a chain 6 height-wise). Instead, each time we are starting from this side, we will chain 1 and slip stitch over, then begin with a chain 2 to form a straight edge.

If you want to add width here, you can work an additional row before beginning the decrease on this side.

R12: Chain 1, and turn. Slip stitch into the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stitches. Chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain;
(chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain) over to last box;
Chain 2, work 2 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, skip the next 3 DC, DC into the foundation chain on the left side.

We still want to add height, so when we are starting from this side, we will continue to begin with a chain 6 and work down to form the 1st box. As we work across this row, we will slip stitch to the last box, and not chain 2 to work an additional box on top (because the width is already as wide as we need it).

R13: Chain 6, and turn. DC into the 4th chain, and into each of the next 2. Flip your fabric and slip stitch into the top of the next chain 2;
(chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain) over to the last box.

Continue alternating these last two rows until you have 13 boxes tall counting vertically (not counting in pattern rows, just counting vertically from the first box). You will maintain the same number of boxes (counting width-wise).

All Sizes:

Now the height is as tall as we want it to be, we will no longer be starting with a chain 6 at all. Regardless of the side, we will chain 1 and slip stitch over, then begin with a chain 2. With each row, the number of boxes will decrease by 1.

If you want to add height here, you can work an additional row before beginning the decrease on this side.

Remaining Rows Until You Have 3 Boxes Left: Chain 1, and turn. Slip stitch into the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stitches. Chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain;
(chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain) over to last box.

3 Boxes Left: Chain 1, and turn. Slip stitch into the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stitches. Chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain, chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the next chain. (2 Boxes)

Last Row: Chain 1, and turn. Slip stitch into the 2nd, 3rd and 4th stitches. Chain 2, work 3 DC into the space in between the top 2 stitches of the same box, slip stitch into the top of the last stitch. (1 Box)

Border – basically it is 1 SC in the space in between each box, a chain 2 in between SCs over each box, and we’ll increase in each corner stitch.

For a more rounded corner, do (SC, chain 1, SC) or 3 SC, and for a more square corner, do (SC, chain 2, SC) or (SC, HDC, SC).

Chain 1, turn. SC into the space between the boxes just under your current place, chain 2, (SC, chain 2, SC) into the corner stitch, chain 2, (SC into the space in between the next 2 boxes, chain 2) across the top, (SC, chain 2, SC) into the corner stitch, chain 2, (SC into the space in between the next 2 boxes, chain 2) down the side, (SC, chain 2, SC) into the corner stitch, chain 2, (SC into the space in between the next 2 boxes, chain 2) across the bottom, (SC, chain 2, SC) into the corner stitch, chain 2, (SC into the space in between the next 2 boxes, chain 2) up the side until you’re back to the beginning then join to the 1st SC.

Fasten off, and weave in ends.

Please feel free to make and sell your own items made using this pattern, but keep in mind, this written pattern and my photos are protected by copyright. Please DO NOT claim this pattern as your own nor should you sell my pattern. DO NOT re-publish my photos as your own. DO NOT copy and paste my pattern anywhere, link to it instead so other’s can visit. Making videos providing instructions how to make my projects on any social media platform is also not permitted.

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