Free Pattern: Cowboy Boot Washcloth

The Calgary Stampede is one of my favourite things about my city. I know there are a lot of Calgarians that don’t like it because there are some rather negative behavioural things that pop up during this time. However I have been largely blind to most of them over my 32 Stampedes, so I love it. I love going to the Stampede and seeing the animals, and learning about agriculture, and eating deep fried foods. I also love the clothing, the “Get Your Head in a Hat” campaign a number of years ago was one of my favourites!

With all this love I have for Stampede, it actually hadn’t struck me to do another free pattern based off of it until last week! I settled on a cowboy boot because it is one of my favourite things about my Stampede ensemble. What I love even more about my cowboy boots is that they were pretty cheap because they were on sale, and they’re boys cowboy boots that are just big enough, which made them cheaper still.

This washcloth is not an exact replica of my cowboy boots, but does feature a more simplistic design on the shaft of the boot as well as those leather tabs that most boots have. Like my other washcloth designs it is also reversible, and while I intended the “right side” to truly be the right side in this case, when I flip it over I actually quite like the “wrong” side too.

Really I only decided I truly liked this design AFTER I had given it a steam block with my iron and a wet cloth. The blocking, as usual, flattened everything out, but also made the design pop more on both the right and wrong sides.

Obviously not everyone lives in Calgary and loves Stampede, but for any Western culture or horse-lovers, this is a great little accessory!

Pattern

Gauge: 2″ x 2″ (5 cm x 5 cm) = 13 rows x 9 stitches in stockinette
Finished measurements: 7.75″ x 8″ (19.5 cm x 20 cm)

Materials:

• 4.5 mm needles (US 7)
• ~ 30 g / 48 yds worsted weight cotton (I used Bernat Handicrafter in Country Red, other options could include Knit Picks Dishie or Lion Brand Re-Up (affiliate links))
• Blocking mat
• Blocking pins

Abbreviations used:
– k: knit
– p: purl

Pattern:
– Cast on 37 (I prefer the long tail method)
– R1-5: *k1 p1* repeat to end
– R6: k1 p1 k1 p1, k29, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R7: k1 p1 k1 p1, p29, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R8-11: repeat rows 6 & 7

Start the cowboy boot:
– R12: k1 p1 k1 p1, k4 p5 k4 p7 k9, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R13: k1 p1 k1 p1, p7 k2 p7 k1 p3 k6 p3, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R14: k1 p1 k1 p1, k3 p6 k2 p1 k9 p3 k5, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R15: k1 p1 k1 p1, p4 k2 p12 k1 p1 k6 p3, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R16: k1 p1 k1 p1, k3 p7 k12 p4 k3, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R17: k1 p1 k1 p1, p3 k2 p2 k2 p9 k1 p7 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R18: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k8 p1 k6 p2 k9, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R19: k1 p1 k1 p1, p11 k2 p3 k1 p3 k2 p4 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R20: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k3 p1 k2 p1 k3 p3 k13, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R21: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p2 k1 p4 k1 p2 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R22: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k3 p1 k3 p1 k2 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R23: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p3 k1 p6 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R24: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k6 p1 k3 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R25: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p4 k1 p5 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R26: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k5 p1 k4 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R27: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p5 k1 p4 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R28: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k4 p1 k5 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R29: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p6 k1 p3 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R30: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k3 p1 k6 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R31: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p3 k1 p3 k1 p2 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R32: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k2 p1 k4 p1 k2 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R33: k1 p1 k1 p1, p15 k1 p3 k1 p2 k1 p3 k1 p2, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R34: k1 p1 k1 p1, k2 p1 k4 p2 k4 p1 k15, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R35: k1 p1 k1 p1, p16 k1 p8 k1 p3, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R36: k1 p1 k1 p1, k4 p1 k2 p2 k2 p1 k17, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R37: k1 p1 k1 p1, p18 k1 p1 k2 p1 k1 p5, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R38: k1 p1 k1 p1, k6 p4 k19, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R39: k1 p1 k1 p1, p20 k2 p7, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R40: k1 p1 k1 p1, k7 p2 k20, p1 k1 p1 k1

You’re almost done!
– R41: k1 p1 k1 p1, p29, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R42: k1 p1 k1 p1, k29, p1 k1 p1 k1
– R43-45: repeat rows 41 & 42 (you’ll end on a 41)
– R46-50: *k1 p1* repeat to end
– Bind off in pattern (k1, p1)