How to Create Cartwheel Cloth, with this Free Knitting Pattern
Cartwheel Cloth Free Knitting Pattern is inspired by the wheels on an old wooden cart we had a very bumpy ride on during a visit to a farm museum. It was such a fun day out.
If you don't like reading patterns on blogs, there is also a printable pdf version available to purchase on Ravelry with 25% off applied at the checkout until the end of October 2026 (UK time/GMT) or a full video tutorial further down this page.
Give a nod to its inspiration with tan, or brown shades or simply pick your kitchen/ bathroom colours or the favourite shades of its new owner. It’ll look great in any colour!
I hope you enjoy this washcloth pattern for knitters. They’re such fun small makes to work on between bigger projects and try out new stitches or techniques.
A Gift for You
If you love making washcloths, did you know that I'm publishing a FREE washcloth pattern every month in 2026? Join my mailing list on this sign up page to get notified when each one is ready to make and you'll also get a copy of my sign-up gift, "The Yarncrafter’s Guide to Creating Sturdy Bags", a workbook with lots of tips, experiments and tests for yarns, tools, stitches etc. to help find the best ones for projects that would benefit from being more sturdy, whether that's a bag, a storage basket or a garment that needs to keep crisp lines or avoid sagging.
Why make the Cartwheel Cloth, from this Free Knitting Pattern?
To replicate the look of the spokes, I used garter stitch with paired increases around single stitches of stocking stitch that create the spokes. The cloth has a pleated edge recalling the bumpiness of the trip! I worked it up in colourful stripes to add interest to the simple design.
It's gently textured centre will be great both for cleaning and mopping up spillages in the kitchen or as a soft and pretty washcloth in the bathroom.
It’s a relaxing and fun knit with an easily remembered stitch pattern and a design that is motivating to complete.
Before you start
Sizes: One size with adjustment tips at end.
Tension: 16 sts x 30 rows = 10cm x 10cm / 4” x 4” measured over garter stitch
Working method: worked in the round from centre out.
Finished measurements
a. diameter: 23 cm / 9”
Requirements
Drops Paris aran/worsted weight: 75m (82 yd) per 50g skein; 100% cotton or similar (Sample worked in C1 Red 12 and C2 Cerise 06)
C1: 45 m / 50 yd
C2: 20 m / 25 yd
4.5mm/US 7 needles suited to working 8-200 sts in the round
Yarn needle and scissors
8 stitch markers (including contrast one for first inc of rounds (BOR)
Optional: similar size crochet hook if using crochet chain centre cast on or working a hanging loop
Abbreviations and Special Stitches
st/sts stitch/stitches
R Row/s or round/s
RS/WS right/wrong side
rep repeat
K knit
P purl
Kfb knit into front and back of stitch
yo yarn over
M1L/R Make 1 left/right leaning increase
p/s/rm place/slip/remove marker
inc'd increased
Pattern Notes
DPN tip: I like to have a minimum of 4 sts on each DPN so they don’t slip off, so where I have less than 16 sts, e.g. the cast on for this pattern, I’ll share the stitches over just 2 DPNs and as soon as I have completed a round with more than 16 sts, e.g. Main Section R2 for this pattern, I’ll share the sts I have over 4 DPNs.
Makers using circular needle methods may prefer to use an extra marker for beginning of round instead of having a contrast marker for first inc of round.
Method
Centre Cast On
With C1, cast on: 8 st in the round. You can use your favourite method to work a closed 8 stitch centre if you have one or use this method, which is easy and secure:
Crochet 4 ch, slst in 4th ch from hook to form a ring.
The live loop counts as a st in the nearest ch, pick up a st in the ring, [pick up a st in the next ch, pick up a st in the ring] 3 times. 8 sts
Main Section
Instruction to sm are given only when increases are made; otherwise when encountering a marker, sm, maintaining position, throughout.
R1(RS): [Kfb] eight times. 16 sts
R2(RS): Purl.
R3: [Kfb, k1] eight times. 24 sts
R4: Purl.
R5: Switch colour, knit.
R6: [K1, p2] eight times.
R7(RS): [yo, pm. K1, yo, k2] 8 times. 40 sts
R8: [P to next marker, sm, k1] eight times, p to end.
R9: Switch colour, knit.
R10: As R8
R11: [K to next marker, yo, sm. K1, yo] 8 times, k to end. 56 sts (16 sts inc’d)
R13-R24: Rep R9-R12 three more times, rm during R24. 104 sts
Fasten off C2.
Edging Video
R1: With C1, [M1R, k2, M1L, p2] 26 times. 156 sts
R2: [K4, p2] 26 times.
R3-R6: Rep R2 four more times.
Cast off in pattern.
Fasten off C1.
Finishing
Weave in ends and block to measurements provided.
Video Tutorial
Make it your own
Size: for a bigger/smaller cloth increase/reduce the number of repeats of Main Section R5-R8.
Style: Confident knitters may like to experiment with different increases, e.g. M1R and M1L either side of the marked stitch instead of the yo increases.
Add a hanging loop by working 5-10 crochet chains and a slip stitch back in the 1st chain at the end of the main section with C2 before continuing with the Edging.
Yarn choice: any kind of plant fibre or washcloth yarn could be used. Using a different yarn weight with a needle set that matches the manufacturer’s recommendations will result in a smaller or larger cloth.
Colour changes: you could easily make this in a single colour or change colour in different places, e.g. 2 reps of 1 colour them one of another or work finer stripes of 1 or 2 rows.
Remember that you’ll need to allow extra yarn for some changes.
How did it go?
I love to hear from anyone who uses one of my patterns to create a project. Any feedback you give about the pattern will help me develop future patterns that are easy to follow and it’s always exciting to see in-progress or finished projects created using my patterns. Use #cartwheelcloth on Instagram and do tag me in your post or caption!
Cartwheel Cloth is available to purchase on Ravelry with 25% off applied at the checkout until the end of October 2026 (UK time/GMT).
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