Knitting Patterns for Home & Kitchen

Farmhouse Bobble Grid Knit Dishcloth Free Pattern

KnittingLoop | Yarn & Stitch Creations • October 27, 2026

Introduction

If you have never knitted a single stitch before, this Farmhouse Bobble Grid Dishcloth is the perfect first project for you. It is a simple square worked flat on straight needles, so there is no shaping, no sleeves, and no complicated construction to worry about. The finished cloth is about 8 inches square, soft but sturdy, and made from worsted-weight recycled cotton that feels matte and slightly rustic in your hands. What makes it special is the tidy grid of raised bobbles that alternate between lavender and mint, so the finished cloth looks like a little folk-art field of tiny flowers sitting on your kitchen counter. By the time you finish, you will have practiced every basic skill a new knitter needs, and you will have a beautiful, useful cloth to show for it.

Materials Needed

Yarn: Worsted weight (CYC 4) recycled cotton yarn, approximately 120–140 yards total: 70–80 yards in Lavender and 50–60 yards in Mint.
Needles: US 7 (4.5 mm) straight or circular knitting needles.
Bobble tool: A cable needle or a spare double-pointed needle (any size close to 4.5 mm) to hold stitches while you make bobbles.
Stitch markers: 2 markers to mark the 4-stitch borders on each side.
Tapestry needle: A blunt-tipped yarn needle for weaving in ends.
Scissors: Sharp craft scissors for cutting yarn.
Finished size: Approximately 8 inches (20 cm) square.

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

k – knit. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch on the left needle, wrap the yarn around, and pull the loop through to the right needle.
p – purl. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap the yarn around, and pull the loop through to the back.
st / sts – stitch / stitches. One stitch is one loop on your needle.
MB – Make Bobble. A raised bump made from one stitch (full instructions in the pattern below).
Seed stitch – a textured pattern of alternating knit and purl stitches that looks like tiny bumps. Over an even number of stitches: (k1, p1) across; on the next row, knit the purls and purl the knits.
Stockinette stitch – the smooth "V" fabric. On a right-side row you knit every stitch; on a wrong-side row you purl every stitch.
Right side (RS) – the front of the fabric, the side that faces out when the cloth is finished.
Wrong side (WS) – the back of the fabric.
Cast on – the very first step: creating the starting loops on your needle.
Bind off – the last step: locking the stitches so the edge does not unravel.
Long-tail cast on – a common stretchy cast-on method where you make a slip knot and loop the yarn over the needle using a "tail" and a "working" strand.
Turn work – flip the knitting around so the other side faces you, as if turning a page.
Slip a stitch – move a stitch from the left needle to the right needle without knitting it.

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch, blocked.

Gauge means how many stitches and rows fit into a square of fabric. It matters because this cloth must come out square: if your stitches are too big, the cloth will be too wide; if they are too small, it will be too narrow. To check your gauge, cast on about 24 stitches and knit a small square in stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row, repeat) until it is about 4 inches tall. Lay it flat, place a ruler across the middle, and count the stitches in 4 inches. If you have more than 18, your stitches are tight, so try a larger needle. If you have fewer than 18, try a smaller needle. Wash and dry your swatch before measuring, because cotton can change size after washing.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

Use stitch markers to track the borders. Place a marker after the first 4 stitches and before the last 4 stitches of every row. This keeps your seed-stitch border from drifting into the body.
Do not pull your yarn too tight. Tension is the number one beginner problem. Keep your yarn relaxed so your stitches slide easily on the needle.
Count your stitches at the end of every row. You should always have 36 stitches. If you have 35 or 37, fix it before moving on.
Make one practice bobble first. Bobbles feel strange the first time. Knit one on a scrap of yarn before you start the cloth so you know the rhythm.
Carry the unused color loosely. When you switch from Lavender to Mint for a bobble, leave a little slack along the side edge so the cloth does not pucker.
Keep your work flat and tidy. Lay the cloth down every few rows and smooth it out so you can see the grid forming.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cast On and Bottom Border

Cast on: With Lavender, cast on 36 stitches using the long-tail method. (36 sts)

Rows 1–4: Work in seed stitch across all 36 stitches: (k1, p1) across, then on the next row knit the purls and purl the knits. (36 sts)

Body

The body is 28 stitches wide (36 total minus 4 border stitches on each side) and 40 rows tall. Bobbles sit in a grid of 4 columns and 5 rows, alternating colors. Bobble columns fall on body stitches 4, 11, 18, and 25 (counting the first body stitch as 1). Bobble rows are Rows 9, 17, 25, 33, and 41 of the main body.

Row 5 (RS): With Lavender, k4 (border), knit to last 4 stitches, k4 (border). (36 sts)

Row 6 (WS): With Lavender, k4, purl to last 4 stitches, k4. (36 sts)

Row 7: With Lavender, k4, knit to last 4 stitches, k4. (36 sts)

Row 8: With Lavender, k4, purl to last 4 stitches, k4. (36 sts)

Row 9 (bobble row 1): With Lavender, k4, k3, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k3, k4. (36 sts)

Row 10: With Lavender, k4, purl to last 4 stitches, k4. (36 sts)

Rows 11–16: Work in stockinette with Lavender, keeping the 4-stitch seed-stitch borders at each edge. (36 sts)

Row 17 (bobble row 2): With Lavender, k4, k3, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k3, k4. (36 sts)

Rows 18–24: Work in stockinette with Lavender, keeping borders. (36 sts)

Row 25 (bobble row 3): With Lavender, k4, k3, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k3, k4. (36 sts)

Rows 26–32: Work in stockinette with Lavender, keeping borders. (36 sts)

Row 33 (bobble row 4): With Lavender, k4, k3, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k3, k4. (36 sts)

Rows 34–40: Work in stockinette with Lavender, keeping borders. (36 sts)

Row 41 (bobble row 5): With Lavender, k4, k3, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k6, MB in Mint, k6, MB in Lavender, k3, k4. (36 sts)

Rows 42–44: Work in stockinette with Lavender, keeping borders. (36 sts)

Make Bobble (MB) – Full Instructions

Knit into the front, back, front, back, and front of the same stitch (5 stitches on the right needle from one stitch). Turn work. Purl 5. Turn work. Knit 5. Turn work. Purl 5. Turn work. Slip the second, third, fourth, and fifth stitches over the first stitch one at a time, then knit the remaining stitch. One bobble made.

Bobble color note: Work each bobble in the contrast color by changing yarn at the start of the bobble and changing back to the main color after the bobble is completed. Carry the unused color loosely up the side of the work.

Top Border

Rows 45–48: Work in seed stitch across all 36 stitches with Lavender. (36 sts)

Bind Off

Bind off: Bind off all stitches knitwise. Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail, and pull it through the last loop to secure it.

Assembly and Finishing

Weaving in ends: Thread each yarn tail onto the tapestry needle and weave it back and forth through the wrong side of the fabric for about 1 inch, then trim the excess. Do not knot the ends; weaving hides them neatly.

Blocking: Soak the cloth in cool water for 10 minutes, gently squeeze out the water (do not wring), and roll it in a towel to remove more moisture. Pin it out to an 8-inch (20 cm) square on a blocking mat or towel, using pins at each corner and along the edges. Mist lightly with water and allow it to dry completely.

Finishing the bobbles: Once dry, gently push each bobble to the right side of the fabric with your fingers so the grid of lavender and mint flowers stands out clearly. Smooth the cloth flat and press it lightly with your hands.

Pro Tips and Variations

Change the colors: Use any two worsted-weight cotton colors you love. A cream main color with sage bobbles gives a soft farmhouse look, while a deep navy with mustard bobbles feels bold and modern.
Adjust the size: To make a larger cloth, cast on 12 extra stitches (48 total) and add 6 extra rows to the body, keeping the 4-stitch borders and the same bobble spacing. To make a smaller cloth, cast on 12 fewer stitches (24 total) and remove 6 body rows.
Substitute the yarn: Any worsted-weight (CYC 4) cotton or cotton-blend yarn works well. Avoid acrylic if you want a scrubby cloth, because acrylic does not absorb water as well as cotton.
Make a matching set: Knit two or three cloths in the same color palette and tie them with a ribbon for a thoughtful handmade gift.

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