Free 2021 Year Dishcloth or Afghan Square Knitting Pattern

Our latest creation is a free knitting pattern for a 2021 Square! It’s possibly a bit early for this pattern, but I am more than ready to leave 2020 behind! What a year it has been!

For this square I used a lovely sunny, yellow yarn – Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash in Daffodil Colour. I absolutely love this yarn, it’s 100% wool, machine washable AND can be tumble dried (so great for baby blankets)! The wool is also very soft, and knits up with wonderful stitch definition, which is fantastic for these squares. If yellow isn’t your choice of colour, no worries, as 220 Superwash comes in an amazing 135 different shades! One ball makes 3-4 squares using 3.5-4.0 mm needles.

I’ve been ordering my yarn from LoveCrafts recently and I am so happy with everything I’ve brought from them! My orders have turned up superfast (especially since I live all they way down in New Zealand!) and all the yarn I’ve ordered is amazing! If you get a chance, a browse around their online store is definitely worth it

This square would work great as a washcloth or dishcloth, or you could put it together with some of the other squares to make an afghan.

If you would prefer a PDF version of this pattern or you would like to help support Daisy and Storm to continue to make free patterns, you can purchase a PDF version of this pattern from ETSY by clicking here

Size and Materials

With DK/Light Worsted Weight yarn and 4 mm (US 6, UK 8) knitting needles, finished squares are approximately 22 cm x 22 cm (8.5 inches x 8.5 inches). I highly recommend Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Yarn in Daffodil.

With Worsted Weight yarn and and 4.5 mm knitting needles (US size 7, UK size 7) finished square is approximately 26 cm x 26 cm (10 inches x 10 inches). I highly recommend Cascade 220 (Aran) in Goldenrod

Any sized needle and yarn can be used (please refer to yarn label for recommended needle size), however different needle and yarn sizes will produce different sized squares, so if you plan to make an afghan or a set of these it is best to use the same needle size and yarn for each square.

Chart Instructions

On Right Side: Knit white squares and purl black dots

On Wrong Side: Purl white squares and knit black dots

Cast on 45 stitches and start at bottom left hand corner of chart with a wrong side row.

Written Instructions

Cast on 45

Work 7 rows of (K1,P1) to last stitch, K1

Row 8: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 9 and All Odd Numbered Rows: K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, P35, K1, P1, K1, P1, K1.

Row 10: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 12: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 14: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 16: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 18: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 20: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 22: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 24: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K3, P7, K3, P3, K3, P7, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 26: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K3, P7, K2, P5, K2, P7, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 28: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K6, P3, K2, P3, K1, P3, K4, P3, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 30: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K5, P3, K3, P2, K3, P2, K3, P3, K6, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 32: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K4, P3, K4, P2, K3, P2, K2, P3, K7, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 34: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K3, P3, K5, P2, K3, P2, K1, P3, K8, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 36: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P4, K1, P2, K6, P3, K1, P3, K1, P2, K9, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 38: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P3, K2, P3, K1, P3, K2, P5, K2, P3, K1, P3, K4, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 40: K1, P1, K1, P1, K5, P2, K4, P5, K4, P3, K4, P5, K5, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 42: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 44: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 46: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 48: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 50: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 52: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 54: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Row 56: K1, P1, K1, P1, K37, P1, K1, P1, K1

Rows 57-63: Work 7 rows of (K1, P1) to last stitch, K1 Cast off, weave in ends and block.