The textured wave stitch produces a fabric with raised waves running across it. Written instructions and a video tutorial are both available, which is helpful for a stitch where seeing the motion makes it click faster than reading about it.
It suits dishcloths particularly well, and works equally for washcloths, blankets and scarves.
Why it is good for dishcloths
The raised texture is the reason. A flat crocheted dishcloth wipes; a textured one scrubs. The waves give the cloth something to work with against a dirty pan, without needing an abrasive yarn.
The fabric is also thick, which means a dishcloth that holds water and does not go limp after a week.
Yarn
Cotton for anything that touches water. It absorbs, releases and dries properly, and survives repeated hot washing. Acrylic dishcloths push water around rather than taking it up, and they go slimy.
Worsted weight cotton is the standard for kitchen cloths and is what most patterns assume.
For a blanket or scarf in this stitch, any smooth yarn works – but keep it smooth. The texture is the design, and a fuzzy yarn will hide it.
How the texture is made
The waves come from post stitches worked around the stems of stitches several rows below, which pulls the fabric into ridges. Offsetting them row to row produces the wave rather than a straight line.
If you have not worked post stitches before, they are easy – insert the hook around the stem of the stitch rather than into the top of it. The only thing to watch is keeping them loose enough. Worked tight, they gather the fabric badly.
Hook size
Go up a size from your usual for the yarn. Post stitch textures pull the fabric in, and at a normal hook size the cloth will come out stiff and small.
Making a set
Dishcloths are quick, so this is a good stitch to learn on. A set of six in coordinating colours makes a good gift and costs very little in yarn.
