Cute Ravelry Pattern Finds: Dishcloth Edition

With the Holidays coming up, now is a great time to be stocking up on patterns to make people!

When it comes to knitting and crochet though, because of the time commitment you have to make sure that when you make a gift, it is going to be well used and well loved (and hopefully not take forever to knit!).  One gift I've made and have never been disappointed giving is dishcloths.

Yes, they are a little "boring" as far as opening an exciting box may go, but there are so many good things about them that definitely make up for that.  A hand-made dishcloth lasts through a lot of wear and tear, can be as absorbent or scrubby as you want to make it, are personalized, and it's a gift you know the recipient is going to use and appreciate (as opposed to a potentially ill-fitting sweater, or wool socks they forget aren't machine washable).  Handmade dishcloths are so awesome in fact, that in addition to doing the general duties of a dishcloth, they can sometimes be so effective that the user may not even need soap!

And what's even better: for the budget-conscious, a skein of Sugar & Cream yarn is only $2-3 a skein (it makes about 2 dishcloths)!  Even better, if you decide to make the ultra-scrubby kind linked above, that yarn comes even cheaper since they are most effectively made out of the worst yarn on the market.

So, here are some of my Ravelry finds for fun dishcloths so awesome you'll have to make yourself some too:

I love the plaid design, and it's so easy even a beginner would have fun making it! Playful Plaid Cloth

These look so fabulous, I wish I could read Japanese, or a crochet chart (unfortunately, I haven't found a translation): Tawashi

Perhaps the easiest pattern of them all, and best of all, you can easily make it bigger and turn it into a cozy baby blanket! Grandmother's Favorite

The pattern reminds me of something you might see in the dish cleaning aisle of a store.  It's also very easy to make, but impressive looking for the non-knitter: Wedding Washcloths

This snowflake dishcloth is perfect if you're decorating your kitchen for the winter months: Snowflake Dishcloth

I had trouble getting the hang of this pattern, but ultimately it turned out very pretty (even with a misaligned row).  I hope you like counting to 3, 7 and 11! Checker Square Garter Dishcloth

Plain and classic.  I can see this looking fabulous in a modern kitchen in some downtown apartment: Seeded Stripe Dishcloth

Any quilter should be able to recognize this pattern immediately: Little Garden Girl Dishcloth

This is very easy to knit and I'd recommend this to a beginner.  But no matter your skill level it's a fun and quick knit with a very lovely result: Blissful Moss Rib Dishcloth

Owls seem to be all the rage lately, and this dishcloth is sure to please: 12 Block or Dishcloth

I love the texture of these dishcloths from Lion Brand Yarns: Lily Dish Mats

Have some left over yarn from your other dishcloths?  Try these: