Knitted Wheat Tea Towel

The Knitted Wheat Tea Towel is a lovely addition to any kitchen, adding warmth and charm to your daily routine. Its intricate design and soft texture make it both functional and decorative, perfect for drying dishes or lining a serving tray. The natural, earthy tones of the wheat pattern bring a touch of rustic elegance to your home, creating a cozy atmosphere that invites comfort and relaxation. Whether you're preparing a family dinner or hosting a gathering with friends, this tea towel is sure to be a practical and stylish companion, making your kitchen feel like a welcoming haven.

Materials

US 7 (4.5mm) or needle to obtain gauge

Darning Needle

Yarn Bee Cotton Et Lin shown in Parchment; 180 yds (165 m) / 3.5 oz (100 g) or similar DK weight yarn

*Optional crochet hook to chain a loop to hang your towel with at the bind-off edge.

Yarn Alternatives

You’ll find many articles on the internet about what type of fabric content is best for dishcloths & tea towels.

I’ve opted for a cotton-linen blend for this pattern, giving us the best of both worlds. Knitting many 100% cotton dishcloths in my day for raffles or gifts, I have to say that’s not my favorite material to work with, as I find it very stiff. Adding a bit of linen creates a much softer and drape-able fabric while bringing in the benefits of both linen & cotton.

Any linen/cotton blend should work well, but here are a few options I’ve found that have great color choices! Be sure to check yardage vs our requirements so you don’t end up playing yarn chicken.

Gauge

16.5 stitches and 26 rows = 4″ (10 cm)

Finished towel size 18″L x 12″W

Gauge is not critically important for this project. If you’d like to make the dishcloth larger or smaller, make sure your cast-on stitches are a multiple of 8 + 2 stitches.

Any size adjustments may affect your yardage requirements!

Instructions

Cast on 58 stitches.

Main Pattern

Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 knitwise, knit to end of row.

Row 2 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise with yarn in front, knit to last stitch, purl 1

Welted Leaf Pattern

Row 1 (RS): Slip 1 knitwise, knit to end of row

Row 2 (WS): Slip 1 purlwise wyif, purl to end of row

Row 3: Slip 1 knitwise, *K4, p4; repeat from * to end of the row

Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, K3, * p4, k4; repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p4, k1, p1

Row 5: Slip 1 kniwise, P2, *k4, p4; repeat from * to last 7 stitches, k4, p2, k1

Row 6: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, K1, * p4, k4; repeat from * to last 8 stitches, p4, k3, p1

Row 7: Slip 1 knitwise, K3, * p4, k4; repeat from * to last 6 stitches, p4, k1, p1

Row 8: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, P2, *k4, p4; repeat from * to last 7 stitches, k4, p2, k1

Row 9: Slip 1 knitwise, K1, * p4, k4; repeat from * to last 8 stitches, p4, k3, p1

Row 10: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, * P4, k4; repeat from * to last stitch, p1

Row 11: Slip 1 knitwise, knit to end of row

Row 12: Slip 1 purlwise wyif, knit to last stitch, p1

Repeat rows 1-2 of main pattern until about 2″ less than desired length.

Repeat Rows 1-12 of Welted Leaf Pattern.

Repeat rows 1-2 once of Garter Section.

Bind off & weave in ends.

Optional: Use a crochet hook to single crochet 10 stitches, securing the end at the base of the loop to hang the tea towel.