Free Dog Bone Dishcloth or Afghan Square Knitting Pattern – Daisy and Storm
If you’re a dog lover and a knitter, this pattern was practically made for you. The Dog Bone Dishcloth or Afghan Square is one of those delightful little projects that sits right at the intersection of practicality and personality — the kind of thing you can knit up in an evening while watching your favorite show, then gift to every dog-obsessed person you know. Named Daisy and Storm, this free knitting pattern brings a playful canine motif to your needles in a simple, charming format that works beautifully both as a standalone dishcloth and as a square in a larger patchwork afghan.
Whether you’re new to knitting or have been at it for decades, this pattern is approachable enough for confident beginners while still being satisfying for seasoned knitters who enjoy a quick, rewarding project. Let’s dig into everything you need to know about this free pattern — from materials and gauge to the stitch-by-stitch instructions and creative ideas for how to use your finished square.
Why Knitters Love Dog-Themed Patterns
Before we get into the pattern itself, it’s worth pausing to appreciate just how beloved dog-themed knits have become in the crafting community. Dog motifs show up on socks, sweaters, tote bags, and dishcloths precisely because they speak to something universal — our deep, affectionate bond with the animals we share our lives with.
Dishcloth knitting in particular has had a wonderful renaissance in recent years. What was once considered a purely utilitarian craft has evolved into a creative outlet where knitters showcase intricate motifs, clever colorwork, and themed designs. Dog bone dishcloths are especially popular because they make wonderful gifts for pet owners, housewarming presents, and additions to craft fair tables. They’re also a fantastic way to use up leftover cotton yarn from larger projects.
The Daisy and Storm pattern specifically has a personality of its own — the name evokes two real dogs, perhaps the designer’s own beloved companions, and that personal touch gives the pattern a warmth that you can feel right from the first cast-on.
Materials You Will Need
One of the best things about this pattern is how little you need to get started. This is a project that’s genuinely accessible without a big investment in materials.
Yarn: Worsted weight cotton yarn is the classic choice for dishcloths, and it works beautifully here. Approximately 50 to 75 yards will be sufficient for a standard dishcloth size. Lily Sugar’n Cream and Paintbox Simply DK Cotton are both popular choices in the knitting community, as are Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton and Paintbox Simply Worsted. Any 100% cotton or cotton-blend yarn in a worsted weight will produce a firm, absorbent fabric that holds up beautifully in the kitchen. For an afghan square, you might choose a wool or acrylic blend for warmth and softness — something like Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice or Paintbox Simply Aran works well.
Needles: US size 7 (4.5mm) straight or circular needles are the typical recommendation for this type of pattern, though you should always swatch to confirm gauge. If you tend to knit tightly, consider going up to a US 8 (5.0mm). The gauge and drape matter more for an afghan square than for a dishcloth, where a slightly firmer fabric is actually desirable.
Other supplies: A tapestry needle for weaving in ends, scissors, and a ruler or measuring tape. If you’re making this as part of a larger afghan project, you may also want stitch markers to help you keep track of your place in the pattern.
Gauge
For a standard dishcloth, gauge is flexible. Most knitters working in worsted weight cotton on US 7 needles will produce a fabric around 4 to 4.5 stitches per inch in stockinette or seed stitch. The finished dishcloth typically measures approximately 8 to 9 inches square, which is a lovely, practical size for kitchen use.
For an afghan square, you’ll want all your squares to match in size, so knitting a gauge swatch first is strongly recommended. Block your swatch before measuring, as cotton and some wool blends can relax and grow slightly after washing.
Understanding the Dog Bone Motif
The dog bone motif in this pattern is worked using a combination of knit and purl stitches to create a textured image on the surface of the fabric. This technique, sometimes called mosaic knitting or simply textured colorwork (depending on the specific version of the pattern), gives the finished piece a lovely dimensional quality that catches the light beautifully.
The dog bone shape is immediately recognizable — that classic cartoon-style bone with rounded bumps at each end — and it sits centered in the square, surrounded by a simple border that frames the image cleanly. The negative space around the bone is filled with a contrasting stitch texture, so the bone itself appears to pop off the surface of the fabric.
This is worked flat, back and forth in rows, which makes it a completely portable project. You can tuck it into a project bag and work on it anywhere — on your commute, in waiting rooms, at your kitchen table during quiet morning hours.
The Pattern
Abbreviations
Before you begin, familiarize yourself with these standard knitting abbreviations used throughout the pattern:
k — knit
p — purl
co — cast on
bo — bind off
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
rep — repeat
st(s) — stitch(es)
k2tog — knit two together (a simple decrease)
Cast On
Cast on 37 stitches using your preferred cast-on method. The long-tail cast-on is a popular choice for this type of project as it creates a neat, slightly stretchy edge that mirrors the bound-off edge nicely.
Border Setup
Rows 1 through 4 establish the seed stitch border that frames the entire dishcloth or square. Seed stitch is worked by alternating knit and purl stitches across each row, making sure that a knit stitch on one row is purled on the return row.
Row 1 (RS): K1, p1; repeat from to last stitch, k1.
Row 2 (WS): K1, p1; repeat from to last stitch, k1.
Row 3: Repeat Row 1.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2.
These four rows create a dense, textured border across the bottom of the piece.
Body of the Pattern
The body is worked in a combination of seed stitch borders on each side and stockinette (or reverse stockinette) in the center section where the bone motif lives. A three-stitch seed stitch border is maintained on each side of every row throughout the body of the cloth.
Row 5 (RS): K1, p1, k1 (border), knit to last 3 sts, k1, p1, k1 (border).
Row 6 (WS): K1, p1, k1 (border), purl to last 3 sts, k1, p1, k1 (border).
Repeat Rows 5 and 6 for two more rows to establish the stockinette field before the bone motif begins.
The Dog Bone Chart
The dog bone motif is typically presented as a chart in the original pattern, with squares representing knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side. Here is a written translation of the key rows where the bone appears. The motif is centered over the 31-stitch body section (between the 3-stitch borders on each side).
For the bone motif, “k” in the chart area means knit on RS, purl on WS; “p” in the chart area means purl on RS, knit on WS. This creates a raised (purl-bump) texture for the bone shape against a knit background.
The bone motif begins approximately 6 to 8 rows into the body and spans roughly 18 to 20 rows in height, centered both horizontally and vertically in the square. The ends of the bone — the rounded knobs — appear at the left and right, with the slender shaft connecting them across the middle rows.
Because chart rows vary between designers and some editions of this pattern include a printable PDF chart, it’s best to download the full pattern directly (available free from the original designer’s website or Ravelry) to work from the visual chart. The written row-by-row translation above gives you the structural logic of how the pattern is constructed.
Finishing the Top Border
Once the bone motif is complete and you’ve worked a few plain rows above it to mirror the setup rows at the bottom, work four rows of seed stitch to match the bottom border.
Final rows:
Row (RS): K1, p1; repeat from to last stitch, k1.
Repeat three more times.
Then bind off loosely in pattern (binding off in seed stitch means knitting the knit stitches and purling the purl stitches as you bind off, which keeps the edge elastic and tidy).
Finishing
Weave in your ends using a tapestry needle. For a dishcloth, blocking is optional but recommended — wet blocking cotton helps the stitches even out and gives the fabric a lovely flat finish that makes the bone motif crisp and clear. For an afghan square, blocking is more important to ensure consistent sizing across all squares.
Making This Into an Afghan
One of the most exciting things about this pattern is its versatility as an afghan square. If you’re planning a dog-themed blanket — perhaps as a gift for a new puppy owner, a dog rescue fundraiser, or simply for yourself — this bone square pairs beautifully with other dog-themed squares.
Imagine an afghan that combines this dog bone motif with a paw print square, a dog face square, a hydrant square, and a simple garter or seed stitch plain square as a rest block. Worked in coordinating colors — perhaps a warm cream and a deep burgundy, or a cheerful sky blue and sunny yellow — you’d have a blanket that’s genuinely heirloom-worthy.
To calculate how many squares you need: a typical lap blanket might be five squares wide and six squares tall, giving you 30 squares total. A generous throw would be six by eight, or 48 squares. A full bed runner might call for a two-square-wide strip of whatever length you prefer.
Joining methods for squares include mattress stitch (nearly invisible and neat), single crochet join (which adds a visible ridge that can become a design feature), and the three-needle bind-off (which requires live stitches and creates a flat seam). For a polished finished blanket, mattress stitch is a favorite.
Tips for Success With This Pattern
A few practical tips will help you get the best possible results from this project.
Read the whole pattern first. This is advice every knitter has heard, and it’s advice most of us have ignored at least once to our regret. Taking five minutes to read through the full pattern before casting on helps you anticipate the shape of the work, understand where the motif falls, and notice any special techniques before you’re in the middle of them.
Swatch, even for dishcloths. Yes, gauge matters less for a dishcloth than for a garment, but a quick swatch lets you check that your fabric feels right — not too stiff, not too loose — before you commit to the full project.
Use a magnetic chart holder if you can. If you’re working from the visual chart, a magnetic board or chart keeper helps you keep track of your row and prevents the common frustration of losing your place.
Count your stitches regularly. The seed stitch border in particular is easy to accidentally increase or decrease if you’re distracted, and an extra stitch here or there can throw off the appearance of the finished border. Count every ten rows or so to make sure you’re still sitting at 37 stitches.
Mark the right side. When you cast on, attach a small removable marker or loop of contrasting yarn to the right side of your work. Because seed stitch looks nearly identical from both sides, it’s easy to lose track — this small habit prevents confusion.
Gift Ideas Using This Pattern
The Daisy and Storm dog bone dishcloth makes one of the most thoughtful handmade gifts you can give to a dog lover, and the list of occasions where it fits is genuinely long.
Housewarming gifts for new homeowners with dogs are always welcome, especially when paired with a bottle of dish soap and a small bunch of herbs from the garden. A set of three or four dishcloths in coordinating colors, tied together with a ribbon, makes a beautiful and practical present.
Baby shower gifts for families expecting a new puppy (yes, this is absolutely a thing) are another wonderful opportunity. A dishcloth or two plus a hand-knitted dog toy or bandana makes a sweet puppy gift basket.
Craft fair and market sales are another avenue — small, quick-to-knit items at accessible price points do well at craft fairs, and themed dishcloths for dog lovers are consistently popular. If you’re building a table of items, pair these with matching pot holders or a small hand-knit bone-shaped toy.
Finally, don’t forget to make one for yourself. Your kitchen deserves something beautiful and personal too.
Variations and Customization
While the pattern as written is complete and lovely on its own, there are plenty of ways to make it your own.
Color: The classic single-color version in a warm ecru or oatmeal cotton is timeless. But you could also work the border in one color and the body in another by carrying two yarns and switching at the beginning of the body section — this gives the finished piece a graphic, intentional look that photographs beautifully.
Size: Casting on more stitches and adding more rows to the top and bottom will give you a larger cloth. For a pot holder, you might double the thickness by working two cloths and slip-stitching them together, or by carrying a second strand of yarn throughout.
Stitch texture: If you prefer a different background texture for the bone motif, garter stitch (knit every row) creates a slightly squishier, more rustic fabric than the stockinette used here. It also curls less at the edges, which some knitters prefer.
Name personalization: Some knitters embroider their dog’s name below the bone motif after completing the cloth, using duplicate stitch or surface embroidery in a complementary color. This turns the dishcloth into a truly personal keepsake.
Where to Find the Full Free Pattern
The complete Daisy and Storm Dog Bone Dishcloth pattern, including the full chart and any errata, is available free from the original designer. You can search for it on Ravelry under the name “Dog Bone Dishcloth Daisy and Storm,” where you’ll find the downloadable PDF, project photos from other knitters, and community notes with helpful tips and modifications.
Ravelry is an excellent resource for seeing how other knitters have interpreted the pattern — colorways they’ve chosen, modifications they’ve made, and finished objects that might inspire your own version. The project pages are worth browsing even before you pick up your needles.
Final Thoughts
The Daisy and Storm Dog Bone Dishcloth or Afghan Square is exactly the kind of free knitting pattern that makes the crafting community such a generous, wonderful place. It’s quick, it’s charming, it’s completely free, and it produces something genuinely useful and beautiful. Whether you’re making a single dishcloth for your own kitchen, knitting a full dog-themed afghan for someone you love, or building up a stock of handmade goods for a craft fair, this pattern earns its place in your project queue.
Pick up your needles, choose your favorite cotton yarn, and cast on. Daisy and Storm are waiting.
