Cheerful gingham plaid provides the focal point for this set of 3 towel/cloth designs:

• Mitered hanging towel
• Standard rectangular towel
• Square cloth

The simulated gingham plaid design is created using a form of mosaic knitting, an easy knitting technique that creates a multicolored piece using one active yarn per row (no carrying inactive yarns across the row).

Honestly, knitting the 6-row repeat of this gingham design is really fun! It’s crazy how it works out to simulate the gingham plaid……but it does!

Knit Picks Cotlin is the recommended yarn. Cotlin is a 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen DK weight yarn. Each skein has 123 yards/50g.

The DK weight of Cotlin works well with the mosaic knitting to create soft, not-too-heavy towels or cloths suitable for kitchen or spa use.

Color selection of the yarns is key: in addition to an off-white or white, select two colors of the same tone but different values. For example, if you want to create a simulated purple tone gingham plaid pattern, choose a dark value purple Cotlin color (Lilac) and a medium value purple Cotlin color (Whisper) and the off-white, Swan.

Cotlin colorways combinations I have used to create this simulated gingham are:

• PURPLE: Lilac, Whisper, and Swan
• GRAY: Rocket, Whisker, and Swan
• BLUE: Planetarium or Nightfall, Whisker, and Swan
• BROWN: Coffee, Cashew, and Swan
• BLACK: Black, Whisker, and Swan
• PINK: Cerise, Flamingo, and Swan
• TEAL: Surf, Clarity, and Swan

Two skeins of the medium color yarn (Whisper, for example) and one skein of the darker color (Lilac) and one skein Swan ….. would be enough to make a towel (either hanging mitered or rectangular style) AND a cloth.

For the needles you need:

• US #7, straight or circular
• US #8, circular (MUST be circular, but is used to knit flat)

You’ll also need a 7/8” button for the hanging mitered towel.