Basketweave Patchwork Gym Towel Wrap Free Crochet Pattern
Introduction
This Basketweave Patchwork Gym Towel Wrap is a cozy, good-looking companion for the gym, the pool, or a long shower-to-sofa kind of morning. It's designed for crocheters who are comfortable with basic stitches and ready to try front-post and back-post double crochet, since that's what creates the raised woven texture. The bold cobalt and orange halves meet at a straight seam down the middle, giving it a patchwork look that feels modern and a little coastal-grandmother at the same time. Worked in bulky wool, it's thick, absorbent, and quick to grow, and the single-crochet border and buttoned tab keep it tidy when folded.
Materials Needed
- Yarn: Bulky weight (weight category 5) wool, approx 400 yds total — Cobalt (A) 200 yds, Orange (B) 200 yds
- Hook: 6.5 mm (K-10.5) crochet hook
- Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers, one button (about 1 inch), scissors
- Finished size: Approx 16 inches wide x 24 inches long, excluding border and tab
Abbreviations
- ch — chain
- dc — double crochet
- FPdc — front-post double crochet (work the dc around the post of the stitch from the front, pushing it forward)
- BPdc — back-post double crochet (work the dc around the post of the stitch from the back, pushing it backward)
- sc — single crochet
- sl st — slip stitch
- RS — right side (the public, textured face of the work)
Gauge
12 sts x 12 rows = 4 inches in basketweave pattern. To check, crochet a small swatch in the pattern and measure a 4-inch section; adjust your hook size if you have more or fewer stitches than 12 per 4 inches.
Tips Before You Start
- Keep your turning chains loose but consistent — tight ch 3s make the basketweave blocks pull in at the edges.
- Count your 4-stitch blocks at the end of every row; the alternating FPdc/BPdc rhythm is easy to lose after a color change or a break.
- Work both panels to the same row count before joining so the seam sits straight and the finished rectangle stays 16 x 24 inches.
- Because the border is worked around the whole perimeter, don't fasten off too short — leave a generous tail on each panel for seaming.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Panel (make 2 — one in A, one in B)
Row 1: With A, ch 48. Dc in 4th ch from hook and each ch across (46 dc).
Rows 2-4: Ch 3, turn, [FPdc around next 4 sts, BPdc around next 4 sts] across, ending with FPdc around last 2 sts (46 sts).
Rows 5-7: Ch 3, turn, [BPdc around next 4 sts, FPdc around next 4 sts] across, ending with BPdc around last 2 sts (46 sts).
Rows 8-73: Continue alternating the two block sequences above every 3 rows: repeat Rows 2-4, then Rows 5-7, and so on, ending with a Rows 5-7 repeat on Rows 71-73 (46 sts). Fasten off.
Make the second panel the same way using B.
Assembly
With RS facing, whipstitch the two panels together along one long edge to form a rectangle 16" x 24".
Border
Rnd 1: With RS facing, join A with sl st in any corner. Ch 1, sc evenly around entire perimeter, working 3 sc in each corner; join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc around, working 3 sc in each corner; join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.
Tab
Row 1: With A, ch 14. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (13 sc).
Rows 2-6: Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across (13 sc). Fasten off.
Button
Attach the button to the center of the tab.
Assembly and Finishing
Whipstitch the two panels together along one long edge with RS facing, keeping the seam flat and even so the color change reads as a clean straight line. Sew the tab in place where you'd like the wrap to fasten when folded, then attach the button at the tab's center. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, working them through the post stitches so they don't show. Block lightly: mist the wrap, pat it flat to 16 x 24 inches (plus border), and let it dry fully — this opens up the basketweave texture and evens the border corners.
Pro Tips and Variations
- Swap the orange panel for a soft sage or cream for a quieter, more neutral patchwork look.
- Add a third border round in B for a thin contrasting outline around the cobalt edge.
- Make the tab longer (ch 18-20) if you want to fasten the wrap around a thicker fold or hang it from a hook.
