The Honeycomb Haven Hanging Towel Free Pattern – A Knitted Hexagon Kitchen Companion with Woven Bee Accents

The Honeycomb Haven Hanging Towel: A Cozy Knitted Kitchen Companion

Bring a touch of rustic charm to your kitchen with this knitted hanging towel, featuring a cozy honeycomb texture and a delightful woven bee motif. It's a functional yet decorative piece that adds warmth to any home. This free pattern is perfect for intermediate knitters looking to expand their skills with intarsia colorwork, while still being approachable for confident beginners ready for a fun challenge. The result is a beautiful, farmhouse-inspired towel that will brighten your space and make a wonderful handmade gift.

Why You'll Love This Pattern

This hanging towel is more than just a practical kitchen accessory—it's a statement piece. The honeycomb stitch creates a thick, absorbent fabric perfect for drying dishes, while the charming bee motif adds a whimsical touch that fits perfectly with rustic and farmhouse decor. Plus, the integrated loop makes it easy to hang right on your oven handle or cabinet, keeping it within reach and adding instant warmth to your kitchen.

Materials Needed

Before you begin, gather the following supplies. All yarn amounts are based on the finished size of approximately 12 inches wide and 24 inches long (including the loop).

• Yarn A (Honey Gold): 200 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn
• Yarn B (Cream): 50 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn
• Yarn C (Charcoal): 20 yards of worsted weight cotton yarn
• US 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles
• Tapestry needle (for weaving in ends and sewing the loop)
• Scissors

Gauge & Finished Size

Gauge: 20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches in honeycomb stitch pattern. Always take time to check your gauge to ensure your finished towel matches the intended size.

Finished Size: Approximately 12 inches wide and 24 inches long (including the loop).

Stitch Abbreviations

• K = knit
• P = purl
• K2tog = knit two together (decrease)
• Yo = yarn over (increase)
• Sl = slip stitch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these detailed instructions carefully, and you'll have a beautiful honeycomb towel in no time. The pattern is broken into three main parts: the hanging loop, the main towel body, and the bee motif.

Part 1: The Hanging Loop

This loop will be attached to the top of the towel at the end, so we'll knit it first and set it aside.

1. With Yarn A, cast on 10 stitches.
2. Knit every row (garter stitch) until the piece measures 6 inches from the cast-on edge.
3. Bind off all stitches loosely. Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail for sewing. Set this piece aside.

Part 2: The Main Towel Body

Now we'll create the main fabric with the honeycomb stitch pattern. This section is worked flat, back and forth.

1. With Yarn A, cast on 60 stitches.
2. Row 1 (Right Side - RS): Knit all stitches.
3. Row 2 (Wrong Side - WS): Purl all stitches.
4. Row 3: *K2tog, yo, K1, yo, K2tog, K1* — repeat from * to * across the row. This creates 10 full repeats of the pattern. (Note: This row creates the honeycomb holes. The yarn overs add stitches, and the K2tog decreases keep the stitch count at 60.)
5. Row 4: Purl all stitches.
6. Row 5: Knit all stitches.
7. Row 6: Purl all stitches.
8. Row 7: *K1, K2tog, yo, K1, yo, K2tog* — repeat from * to * across the row. (This staggers the pattern from Row 3, creating the honeycomb effect.)
9. Row 8: Purl all stitches.
10. Repeat Rows 1-8 until the piece measures 18 inches from the cast-on edge, ending with a Row 8 (a purl row). This ensures you're ready to start the bee motif on a right-side row.

Part 3: The Bee Motif (Intarsia Colorwork)

This is where we add the charming bee. We'll use a technique called intarsia, which involves using separate balls of yarn for each color section. Don't worry—it's easier than it looks! Just twist the yarns together when switching colors to avoid holes.

1. Prepare your yarn: You'll need a separate ball or bobbin of Yarn B (cream) and Yarn C (charcoal) for the bee, plus your main Yarn A for the background.
2. Row 1 (RS): Knit 20 stitches with Yarn A, then knit the next 20 stitches with Yarn B (cream), and knit the final 20 stitches with Yarn A. (Remember to twist Yarn A and Yarn B together at the color change to prevent gaps.)
3. Row 2 (WS): Purl 20 stitches with Yarn A, purl 20 stitches with Yarn B, purl 20 stitches with Yarn A.
4. Rows 3-4: Repeat Rows 1 and 2. You now have 4 rows of the cream bee body.
5. Row 5 (RS): Knit 20 stitches with Yarn A, then knit 10 stitches with Yarn B (cream), then 10 stitches with Yarn C (charcoal) for the first stripe, and knit the final 20 stitches with Yarn A. (Twist yarns at every color change.)
6. Row 6 (WS): Purl 20 stitches with Yarn A, purl 10 stitches with Yarn C, purl 10 stitches with Yarn B, purl 20 stitches with Yarn A.
7. Rows 7-8: Repeat Rows 5 and 6. You've now completed the first charcoal stripe.
8. Row 9 (RS): Knit 20 stitches with Yarn A, knit 20 stitches with Yarn B (cream), knit 20 stitches with Yarn A.
9. Row 10 (WS): Purl 20 stitches with Yarn A, purl 20 stitches with Yarn B, purl 20 stitches with Yarn A.
10. Rows 11-12: Repeat Rows 9 and 10. The bee body is now complete.
11. Continue the pattern: Cut Yarn B and Yarn C, leaving 6-inch tails. Continue working in the honeycomb stitch pattern with Yarn A only for the remaining 4 inches of the towel. (Start with Row 1 of the honeycomb pattern and work through the rows as before.)

Finishing Touches

You're almost done! Now it's time to assemble and finish your towel.

1. Bind off: Bind off all stitches loosely. Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail, and pull through the last loop.
2. Attach the loop: Fold the knitted loop piece in half. Using the tail you left earlier, sew the two ends of the loop to the top center of the towel (the cast-on edge). Make sure the loop is securely attached and can support the weight of the towel.
3. Weave in ends: Thread your tapestry needle with all loose yarn tails (from the cast-on, bind-off, and color changes). Weave them carefully into the wrong side of the towel, following the path of the stitches. Trim any excess yarn.
4. Block gently: To shape your towel and even out the stitches, wet block it. Soak the towel in lukewarm water with a mild soap, gently squeeze out excess water (don't wring), and lay it flat on a towel. Shape it to the correct dimensions (12" x 24") and allow it to dry completely. This will also help the honeycomb pattern open up beautifully.

Tips for Success

• Check your gauge: The honeycomb stitch can be deceiving. Always knit a swatch first to ensure your fabric is the right density for a kitchen towel.
• Twist your yarns: When doing intarsia, always twist the old and new yarns together on the wrong side to prevent holes from forming at the color changes.
• Keep it loose: When binding off, use a larger needle or bind off loosely to prevent the edge from curling or being too tight.
• Customize: Feel free to experiment with different color combinations to match your kitchen decor!

And there you have it—your very own Honeycomb Haven Hanging Towel! This beautiful, functional piece will add a touch of handmade warmth to your kitchen for years to come. Happy knitting!