Basic Keyhole Kitchen Towel – Free Crochet Hand Towel Pattern
Ever since designing the Gingerbread Man Kitchen Towel, I’ve had many ask if I could design towels that hang in a similar way for year-round use. The Floral Blooms Hand Towel was the first in a fun, new series of crochet towels followed by the Farmhouse Striped Keyhole Hand Towel. Because crocheters loved the Farmhouse Striped Keyhole Hand Towel, I decided to come up with an even more basic crochet towel design that is suitable for beginner crocheters.
You can find the free beginner crochet pattern for my Basic Keyhole Kitchen Towel in this post below, or an ad-free print friendly version on Love Crafts here, Ravelry here, or on Etsy here.
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Since designing my first character towel, I’ve received requests for all sorts of characters for the different holidays. The following are the character towels with keyhole designs that I’ve designed to date. They can all be found on my blog by clicking the links below:
- Ghost Kitchen Towel
- Frankenstein’s Monster Kitchen Towel
- Turkey Kitchen Towel
- Snowman Kitchen Towel
- Gingerbread Man Kitchen Towel
- Santa Kitchen Towel
- Mrs. Claus Kitchen Towel – COMING SOON!
- Reindeer Kitchen Towel
- Elf Kitchen Towel – COMING SOON!
- Buffalo Plaid Moose Kitchen Towel
- Leprechaun Kitchen Towel
- Easter Bunny Towel & Washcloth Set
I’ve also designed several other crochet kitchen towels that are not characters, you can find them all here: Free Crochet Kitchen Towel Patterns
YARN
Cotton is the go-to fiber for crochet dish cloths, dish towels, and hand towels as it’s the most absorbent. There are several cotton yarns out there that would be perfect for this project, but I chose to use Lily Sugar n’ Cream 100% worsted weight cotton yarn. Lily Sugar n’ Cream is available in 39 colors so I was able to find the perfect colors I needed for this project within the same yarn line.
BASIC KEYHOLE KITCHEN TOWEL – FREE CROCHET HAND TOWEL PATTERN
The free pattern is below, but if you love to work offline, or need to order your yarn, I’ve got a couple other great options for you.
Purchase the ad-free, printable PDF that includes all photo tutorials, on Love Crafts here, Ravelry here, or Etsy here.
Save this pattern to your Ravelry favorites here.
Pin it for later here.
This post contains affiliate links.
Materials
- Yarn: Yarn I used for my sample is Lily Sugar n’ Cream; 4 / Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn; (100% cotton / 120 yards / 70.9 g / 109 m / 2.5 oz )
- Seabreeze (MC): 210 yards
- White (CC): 15 yards (optional)
- Crochet Hooks: J/10/6.00mm; K/10.5/6.50mm (my favorite hooks are Clover Amour Hooks, I’ve never had an ache in my hand since switching)
- Measuring Tape
- Scissors
- Tapestry Needle
Many of the materials are available for purchase through our affiliates:
Lily Sugar 'N Cream Super S...Shop on Amazon 
Clover 1053/K Amour Crochet...Shop on Amazon 
FISKARS All Purpose Scissor...Shop on Amazon 
Lion Brand Yarn 400-5-5002 ...Shop on Amazon
Experience Level
- Beginner Friendly
- Easy
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch(s): chain
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sc: single crochet
- dc: double crochet
- RS: right side
- Rep: repeat
- MC: Main Color
- CC: Contrasting Color
Gauge
- In pattern stitch (sc in the next st, dc in the next st): 8 sts = 3″; 8 rows = 3.25″
Size
- One Size: 9″ W x 29″ L
Notes
- Turning chains are not counted as a stitch or included in stitch count.
- The first stitch of each row is worked into the same stitch as the turning chain, unless stated otherwise.
- Yarn Notes: Lily Sugar n’ Cream worsted weight cotton yarn was used for the sample, 100% Cotton (120 yards / 109 m / 71 g / 2.5 oz).
- Yardage
- Seabreeze (MC): 210 yards
- White (CC): 15 yards (optional)
- I chose to work color changes and create a striped crochet dish towel, but you can choose to make a solid colored one instead.
- This hand towel is constructed in rows from one short edge to the other. You’ll create a keyhole mid-way through. The keyhole is how the towel is secured when hanging. See “How to Hang” photos below.
Basic Keyhole Kitchen Towel Instructions
Changing Colors: For all color changes, you’ll change colors on the last pull through of the last stitch of the row.
Set-Up: With a 6.50mm crochet hook & MC yarn, ch 25.
Row 1 (RS): Switch to a 6.00mm crochet hook, working into the back hump of the foundation chain, sc in the 2nd ch from your hook and in each ch across. Turn. (24 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st), rep from ( to ) across. Turn. *Switch colors to CC.
Rows 3 – 4: With CC, repeat Row 2. *Switch colors to MC at the end of Row 4.
Rows 5 – 6: With MC, repeat Row 2. *Switch colors to CC at the end of Row 6.
Rows 7 – 8: With CC, repeat Row 2. *Switch colors to MC at the end of Row 8.
Row 9: With MC, ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st), rep from ( to ) across. Turn.
Repeat Row 9 until your towel measures approximately 17″ from Row 1.
Do not fasten off. Continue on to Creating the Large Keyhole.
Creating the Large Keyhole
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st) 2 times, ch 12, skip each of the next 12 sts, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st) 3 times. Turn. (12 sts + 12 chs)
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, (sc in the next st, dc the next st) 2 times, (sc in the next ch, dc in the next ch) 6 times, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st) 3 times. Turn. (24 sts)
Do not fasten off. Continue on to the Remainder of Towel.
Remainder of Towel
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st), rep from ( to ) across. Turn. (24 sts)
Repeat Row 1 until your towel measures approximately 11″ from the large keyhole opening. Then work the Last Row.
Last Row: Ch 1, sc in each st across. (24sts)
Fasten off. Weave in ends.
Now that I’ve finished, how do I hang it up?
Step 1: Drape the towel over the towel bar with the longest part of the towel in the back.
Step 2: Reach behind and grab the bottom edge of the towel and pull it through the keyhole. Line up the short ends of the towel.
Step back and enjoy your talents!
MORE FREE CROCHET PATTERNS FROM A CROCHETED SIMPLICITY
If you enjoy this crochet pattern for your kitchen, you may enjoy these other projects as well. And if you just want to browse, you can find all of our free crochet patterns HERE.
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Thank you for this pattern. I admire this keyhole design because it really does hold the towel in place on the oven door. I really get annoyed when a new towel is put up on laundry day and it seems to be falling off or has already landed on the floor as soon as my back is turned 🙁 This solves that problem so easily. I shall make up one for my good friend who seems to have the same problem and I will raid my cotton yarn stash for colours to use for my own towels. Yes, I will certainly make more than one with this easy to follow pattern with such a smart idea for keeping the towel in place!
What is your name on YouTube? I couldn’t find a tutorial for this pattern.