Note: this pattern is also available for free as a blog post on my website here. For those who would prefer to print/save the pattern, I have prepared it as an easy-to-print PDF with clarifications and details that might not be in the original post. The PDF is available for purchase through Ravelry for a very small fee to cover listing fees/etc.

The last time I tried one of the standard diagonal garter knitted washcloths I liked the ease and results but there was an inherent flaw with the pattern. It was the kind where you increase into the second stitch of every row but that made the lower half of the diamond pull at the outer edges, something I didn’t notice until the upper half, which was the decrease edge, lay beautifully flat. I realized it was the fault of the increase itself - any increase which went into the prior row, including a standard ‘make 1’, would cause the same inward tugging.

I knew yarn-over increase patterns didn’t have that problem, but I didn’t want eyelets dotting the sides of my washcloth, so I decided to close them by knitting them through the back loop on each subsequent row. I also added a plain row at the width point before transitioning into the decreases. The result is a lovely garter washcloth which has wonderful drape and lays flat beautifully, and is now my go-to knit washcloth or dishcloth.

The yardage listed is for a dishcloth knit to 41 sts, which results (at my tension) in a 9” x 9” square. You can easily make them larger or smaller. If desired before binding off you can create a strip to fold over and sew down for a hanging loop by either knitting about 4” of garter on those 3 sts or knitting them into a 4” long 3-st i-cord.

This pattern would work equally well for baby blankets or throws.