This dishcloth has the shape of a bee (in a stencil type of look) on each of the open parts of the middle. There are a trio of these stencil bees rotating around the center of this crochet design. To make just the middle part as a circle motif, see my directions for that on this web page:
www.sandimarshall.com/stencil-bees-circle

Materials Used in the Examples: I made these with Sugar n Cream worsted weight cotton yarn with a US size K hook (for about 10 inches in diameter). The tans and peach multicolor is Sugar n Cream cotton color Natural Stripes.

Use the size hook that is your favorite to use with worsted weight yarn. The size will vary a little bit if you use a different size hook but, for a dishcloth, the finished size doesn’t need to be any exact size; a variety of sizes will work nicely. Other popular sizes of crochet hooks to use with worsted weight yarn are US size G, H or I hooks.

Abbreviations: ch = chain, ch-2 = chain 2, ch-3 = chain-3, ea = each, dc = double crochet, rnd = round, sc = single crochet, sl st = slip stitch, sp = space

Directions are written in American English crochet pattern terms.

To start: ch 7, then join by making a slip stitch in the first chain made, to form a ring.

Next: Insert the hook through the hole in the center of the ring, yarn over hook, pull yarn through the hole in the center of the ring and continue in this same motion to pull this yarn through the loop on the hook; you just made one slip stitch (so the first part will be on the same level with the rest of the stitches).

Rnd 1: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in ring, (ch 2, 2 dc in ring) 5 times then ch 2, sl st in the top ch of the beginning ch-3 of this round. You should have 6 groups of 2 dc in each group, with 2 chains between each group.

Rnd 2: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next dc, * (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, dc in ea of next 2 dc **, repeat the directions between * and ** 1 more time then (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, skip next 2 dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, sl st in the top ch of the beginning ch-3 of this round.

Rnd 3: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, * (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, dc in next dc, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, dc in next dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next dc, dc in ea of next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc **, repeat the directions between * and ** 1 more time then (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, dc in next dc, ch 2, skip next ch-2 sp, dc in next dc, (dc, ch 2, dc) in next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next dc, sl st in the top ch of the beginning ch-3 of this round.

Rnd 4: ch 1, sc in top ch of beginning ch-3 of round 3 (same place where the sl st was just made), sc in ea of next 4 dc, * sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 2 dc, 3 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 2 dc, sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 8 dc **, repeat the directions between * and ** 1 more time then sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 2 dc, 3 sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 2 dc, sc in next ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 3 dc, sl st in back loop only of first sc of this round.

Round 5 Note: Working in the back loops only for round 5 forms a decorative ridge caused by the unworked front loop of each stitch around the circle. I did it this way just for decoration where my pattern design moves from the middle with the open areas to all solid rounds for the outside edge.

Rnd 5: ch 1, sc in back loop only of first sc (same place where sl st was just made), sc in back loop only of next sc, 2 sc in back loop only of next sc, (sc in back loop only of ea of next 2 sc, 2 sc in back loop only of next sc) 16 times then skip the sl st that ended the previous round, sl st in both loops of the first sc of this round.

Rnd 6: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in ea of next 6 sc, 2 dc in next sc, (dc in ea of next 7 sc, 2 dc in next sc) 7 times, then dc in ea of next 4 sc, 2 dc in next sc, sl st in top ch of beginning ch-3 of this round.

Rnd 7: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in ea of next 10 dc, 2 dc in next dc, (dc in ea of next 11 dc, 2 dc in next dc) 5 times, then dc in ea of next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc, sl st in top ch of beginning ch-3 of this round.

Rnd 8: ch 1, sc in first dc (same place where sl st was just made), sc in ea of next 14 dc, ch 5, skip next 3 dc, sc in next dc, sc in ea remaining dc around the circle then skip the sl st that ended the previous round and sl st in the first sc of this round.

Rnd 9: ch 1, sc in first dc (same place where sl st was just made), sc in ea of next 14 dc, make 7 sc around the ch-5, sc in ea remaining sc around the circle then skip the sl st that ended the previous round and sl st in the first sc of this round.

End off. Weave in ends.

Copyright, Terms of Use: Stencil Bees Circle dishcloth pattern is an original, created by Sandi Marshall. Copyright (c) 2010 by Sandi Marshall. All rights reserved worldwide. Of course, you may print out this page with the pattern directions for your own use (to make items for yourself or for gifts) but, per copyright law, do not republish the contents of this page elsewhere (including my photos) and do not sell or give away by reproduced copy in any form (putting it on another web site or blog would be a form of republishing; reproduced copy includes by photocopy, email, on a cd disc or any other print or electronic method of copying or reproducing the content of the page for the purpose of distributing it to others). Do not use my pattern for commercial purposes (in other words, any way of making money from or gaining a profit from the use of my pattern is prohibited). This pattern is free for your non-commercial use only.

Linking to this Page: Links to this page are welcome (you don’t have to ask me first, you can just go ahead and link to it). You may give the url of this page to others so that they may come to this site for themselves and benefit from everything this site has to offer. Thank you.

The link url of this pattern page is www.sandimarshall.com/stencil-bee-round-dishcloth/

More Free Patterns in my Stencil Bee Design:
Stencil Bees Circle Motif (includes close look photos of the first few rounds)
The url is… www.sandimarshall.com/stencil-bees-circle

Hexagon Crochet Bee
The url is… www.sandimarshall.com/hexagon-crochet-bee-free-pattern