Crocheted Dishcloths Tutorial

I know it sounds crazy...but I just LOVE crocheted dishcloths!!! I'm addicted.  They are the perfect on-the-go project and a neat little extra to include in a gift bag for my friends.  I discovered the joy of making these when I was trying to find a substitute for buying replacement dishcloths last summer when the gas prices were so astronomically high.  I was truly pinching pennies!  Little did I know that what was once a necessity would become a dearly loved hobby.

I know some of you may be very new to crochet, and I don't want you to miss out on the pleasure of making one of these. It's a great 'quickie' project!  You will be doing a half-double crochet stitch which I will demonstrate below. For those of you who already know how to read crochet instructions, they will be included at the bottom of the post.

You need one small ball of cotton yarn and a G or H size crochet hook. I don't know of anyone else besides the Peaches and Cream company who sells this..at least in the US. Some of my international readers will have to let me know the name of a good source in their country.  

Step1: Chain 21 loops plus two more to count for your first stitch.

Step 2: Wrap your yarn over the back of your hook. This is what YO means...Yarn Over.

Step 3: Push your crochet hook through the third loop that is not on your hook. Now you have three loops on your hook.

Step 4:  Yarn Over again and catch the yarn in your hook.

Step 5: Pull the yarn through all three loops that are on the hook.  I sometimes hold the three loops still while I pull.

Step 6. Now you have finished the first half-double crochet stitch and have three loops on your yarn.

Step 7: Now yarn over again and push through the very next loop. Keep going until you get to the end.

Step 8. Turn over, crochet two more chain stitches to make the heighth of a full stitch to start the second row up.

Step 9: Yarn over again and push your hook through the very next available loop and make another half double crochet stitch. (The one with no stitches on it.)

  Each stitch consists of a yarn over, push through the next loop, yarn over and catch the yarn, pull it through all three loops and your done with that stitch.

Keep going for enough rows to make a square.  If you don't understand crochet instructions, then you can finish just by chaining eight little chain stitches at the end, catch the first of the eight to make a loop and pull a yarn through. Then cut the thread and pull it all the way through and tie a knot.

For those who want a nice finishing edge, at the very end you continue around the outside edges of the square making a slip stitch in every loop.  The last step is to crochet a hanging loop at the very end.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Stitches used: Chain...ch, Single crochet...sc, slip stitch..ss, and half double crochet...hdc
Finished size: Appr. 8" square
Row1: ch 21, hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across.
Row 2: ch2, turn hdc in each hdc arcoss,
Row 3-13; repeat row 2. You should now have a square about 6" on each side.
Round1: ch2, 2 hdc in same stitch to make corner, hdc 18 evenly spaced stitches across the ends o fthe rows to the next corner, 3 hdc in corner, hdc in each ch across to corner, 3 hdc in corner, hdc 18 evenly spaced stitches across the ends of the rows, 3 hdc at corner, hdc across, ss intop of 1st hdc.
Round 2: ch 1, sc in back loop of 1st hdc, sc in back loops only of each hdc around-3sc in center of hdc of each corner.
Optional loop: sc in ch 1 space, ch 9, sc inthe same place, finish off.