Crochet French Flag Dishcloth

Materials

Yarn (Worsted Weight Cotton):

• Blue (A)
• White (B)
• Red (C)

Tools Needed:

• Hook: 3.5mm (US E/4)

Finished Size:

~14cm × 9cm (5.5″ × 3.5″)

Gauge:

Not critical for dishcloths

Pattern Notes

Worked vertically from bottom left. Color changes are made by carrying yarn up the side.

US Terms Used:

• sc = single crochet
• sab = switch to color B (white)
• sbc = switch to color C (red)

Pattern Instructions

Foundation & Blue Stripe (Rows 1-8)

Row 1: With A (blue), ch 18, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (17 sc). Turn.

Rows 2-8: Ch 1, sc 17. Turn. (7 rows total in blue)

White Stripe (Rows 9-17)

Row 9: Ch 1, sc 16, sab (switch to white). Turn.

Rows 10-17: Ch 1, sc 17. Turn. (8 rows total in white)

Red Stripe (Rows 18-27)

Row 18: Ch 1, sc 16, sbc (switch to red). Turn.

Rows 19-27: Ch 1, sc 17. Turn. (9 rows total in red)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Tips for Success

• Keep tension even to create straight edges. This ensures each stripe remains uniform.
• Carry unused yarn up the side to minimize the number of ends you need to weave in later. To do this, simply bring the unused yarn up along the side as you crochet, ensuring it stays loose and doesn’t interfere with your stitches.
• If you’d like to make a larger flag, increase your starting chain in multiples of 3. This maintains the balance of stripes while scaling up the size. For example, try starting with 21 or 24 chains instead of 18.

Finishing

Once the dishcloth is complete, block lightly if needed. This will help even out any uneven stitches and give your work a polished look. To block, wet the dishcloth and gently stretch it to size. Lay it flat to dry.

After blocking, you can use it as either a decorative dishcloth in your kitchen or a patriotic display piece for a special occasion like Bastille Day, the 4th of July, or other national celebrations.

Variation Option

For a horizontal stripe version, follow these steps:

Horizontal Stripe Instructions

Row 1: With A (blue), ch 18, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (17 sc). Turn.

Rows 2-6: Ch 1, sc 17. Turn. (6 rows total in blue)

Rows 7-12: Ch 1, switch to B (white) and sc 17. Turn. (6 rows total in white)

Rows 13-18: Ch 1, switch to C (red) and sc 17. Turn. (6 rows total in red)

This gives a more rectangular shape, and you can adjust the number of rows for each color to match the horizontal length you desire.