Crochet Retro Drying Mat

A beginner friendly pattern, the crochet retro drying mat uses simple stitches to create beautiful textures. It’s the perfect pattern to use your cotton yarn scraps in any color combo! Scroll down for the free pattern and photo tutorial.

I have been meaning to crochet more items for my kitchen, it is sadly lacking in crochet. I only have one lonely crochet potholder. But I was not really inspired to do it, I have tried crocheting a scrubby, and a washcloth, both ideas were scrapped. But I had a eureka moment while I was washing dishes, I had run out of space to drain the dishes and kitchen towels are just not cutting it. Voila! Why not crochet a drying mat? Of course, based one my renewed interest in vintage, I had to use retro color combos! Yes, I did.

The crochet retro drying mat is the perfect pattern to use up your cotton yarn scraps. Why cotton, well cotton, super absorbent and washable! I don’t know about your yarn stash, but a quick search through mine and I hit the jackpot. I found lots of half used balls of cotton in one of my favorite combos, green and blue. The Crochet Retro Drying Mat was born and I couldn’t be happier. This drying mat brings a lot of joy to my life. Honestly, blue and green, such a great combo. Have I mentioned I love green?

Crochet Retro Drying Mat

Materials:

Premier Home Cotton Yarn in Sage – 140y, 80 g, 85/15 cotton polyester blend

Drops Paris in Pistachio – 100 % cotton Aran weight / 50g / 75m

Drops Paris in Spray Blue – 100% cotton Aran weight / 50g / 75m

5mm hook

Tapestry Needle

Scissors

Pattern Notes:

Skill Level – Easy

Finished Measurements – 10″ H x 14.5″ W

3-sc cluster – single crochet cluster stitch – Click for the detailed stitch tutorial

sc – single crochet

rsc – reverse single crochet – (crab stitch)

sk – skip

ch – chain

I used three different colors of yarn to design the retro drying mat but you can certainly use more or less colors.

If you would like to make a drying mat that is larger than the one featured here, the stitch is worked in multiples of 3 +2

Pattern Instructions

Ch 38, working into the spine of the chain.

Row 1 sc in the second ch from the hook, *sk 2 ch, 3-sc cluster in next ch.* Repeat from * to * until you have 3 ch left, sk 2 ch, sc in last ch. Ch2 turn

Row 2 – *3sc-cluster in the middle stitch of the previous cluster.* Repeat from * to * until you have reached the sc from the previous row. dc in the sc. Ch2 and turn.

Row 3 – *3sc-cluster in the middle stitch of the previous cluster.* Repeat from * to * end the row with a dc on top of the ch2. Ch2 turn.

Repeat row 3 until you have completed 9″ Change color, and keep repeating row 3 until you have completed 3 more inches.

Do not fasten off, we will now begin edging our work.

Edging

Round 1 – Into your last stitch, work 2 sc. These are worked into the body of the stitch not the v where you would usually work.

Continue working 33 sc (1 in each row) for long side of the fabric. 3 sc in the corner, 21 sc on the short side, 3 sc in the corner, 33 sc on the long side, 3sc in the corner, 21 sc on the short side. End the round by making 1 sc in the beginning corner and slip stitching to the first sc. Ch1.

Round 2 and 3 – 2sc in the stitch we slipped stitched into, *1sc in each sc until you reach a corner, in the center stitch of the corner, make 3sc* Repeat from *to* until you come to the beginning corner, 1sc, change yarn and slip stitch to the first sc.

Round 4 – rsc (crab stitch) in each stitch around.

And there you have it, a quick and simple crochet retro drying mat. I use mine to dry my mugs and glasses, it gives them their own space where they are safer from being cracked.

PIN THE CROCHET RETRO DRYING MAT

This crochet retro drying mat is Simple and useful, if you want to make a washcloth out of the pattern simply work the same number of chains and stitches until you have a square.

I’m honestly seeing a rug in monochrome done in this pattern…. All the ideas are flowing!