Turkey Kitchen Towel – Free Crochet Towel Pattern
After receiving lots of love for my Farmhouse Striped Kitchen Towel and Buffalo Plaid Kitchen Towel, I knew I just had to make a few fun, festive crochet towels for the upcoming holiday season.
The Gingerbread Man Kitchen Towel was the first in this new series of crochet kitchen towels for the holidays and I was smitten. He got a little lonely hanging around by himself so I made him a Snowman Kitchen Towel friend. After releasing the first 2 characters, I received requests for a turkey kitchen towel for Thanksgiving.
You can find the free crochet towel pattern 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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This fall, I’ve been making new crochet kitchen towels, but I wanted them to be a little less traditional in style. Having to constantly pick up the towels off the floor and wash them because they’ve slipped off the oven handle yet again, gets old in a quick hurry.
I love the way the Farmhouse Striped & Buffalo Plaid Kitchen Towels hang, but wanted something a little different for the Thanksgiving & Christmas crochet towels. I hope you love the simplicity of these towels and are excited to add a little fun to your Thanksgiving kitchen decor.
Crochet Character Keyhole Towels
Since designing my first crochet Christmas towel, I’ve received requests for all sorts of characters for the different holidays. The following are the character keyhole towels 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
- Kitty Cat Kitchen Towel
- Turkey Kitchen Towel – in this blog post below!
- Snowman Kitchen Towel
- Gingerbread Man Kitchen Towel
- Santa Kitchen Towel
- Mrs. Claus Kitchen Towel
- Reindeer Kitchen Towel
- Elf Kitchen Towel
- Buffalo Plaid Moose Kitchen Towel
- Leprechaun Kitchen Towel
- Easter Bunny Towel & Washcloth Set
Non-Character Crochet Stay Put / Keyhole Towels
I’ve also designed several other crochet kitchen towels that are not characters.
You’ll find a variety of styles to match your home. Styles range from buffalo plaid to farmhouse to basic keyhole towel patterns that you can customize to match your home’s decor.
You can find all non-character keyhole towel patterns here: Free Crochet Kitchen Towel Patterns
THE YARN
Turkey Kitchen Towel – FREE CROCHET 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: Lily Sugar n’ Cream / Worsted Weight / 4 / Cotton Yarn
- Jute (brown): 140 yards
- White: 2 yards
- Yellow: 4 yards
- Red: 4 yards
- Orange: 3 yards
- Crochet Hooks: J/10/6.00mm, H/8/5.00mm (My favorite crochet hooks are the Clover Amour Hooks, I’ve never had an ache in my hand since switching)
- Scissors
- Yarn Needle
- 15mm Black Safety Eyes (2) – optional
Many of these materials are available for purchase through our affiliates below:
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Fiskars 154110-1001 Non-sti...Shop on Amazon 
Lion Brand Yarn 400-5-5002 ...Shop on Amazon 
Darice 51615 Eye Solid Blac...Shop on Amazon
Gauge
- In sc with a 5.00 mm hook: 8 sts = 2″; 8 rows = 2″
- In body of towel with a 6.00 mm hook: 12 sts = 4″; 5 rows = 2″
Size
- One Size: 8″ W x 17.5″ L (not including the head)
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- ch(s): chain(s)
- st(s): stitch(es)
- sl st(s): slip stitch(es)
- sc: single crochet
- hdc: half double crochet
- dc: double crochet
- sp: space
- RS: Right Side
- Rnd: round
- Rep: repeat
- Alt-dc: alternate double crochet – click HERE for the tutorial
- standing sc: click HERE for the tutorial
- standing dc: click HERE for the tutorial
Notes
- Turning chains are not included in stitch count unless noted 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:
- Jute (brown): 140 yards
- White: 2 yards
- Yellow: 4 yards
- Red: 4 yards
- Orange: 3 yards
- This dish towel is constructed by first making a half circle for the head. You’ll then work the body of the towel from top down. Lastly, you’ll add facial features and buttons. I chose black plastic safety eyes on top of crocheted whites for my towel, but have included instructions for black crochet eyes, if you prefer that instead.
Turkey Dish Towel Instructions
Head
Row 1 (RS): With brown yarn & a 5.00 mm hook, ch 2, work 4 sc in the 2nd ch from your hook. Do not join. Turn. (4 sts)
Row 2: Ch 1, work 2 sc in each st across. Turn. (8 sts)
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in the next st, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in the next st, rep from * across. Turn. (12 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 2 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 2 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (16 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 3 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 3 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (20 sts)
Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 4 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 4 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (24 sts)
Row 7: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 5 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 5 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (28 sts)
Row 8: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 6 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 6 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (32 sts)
Row 9: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 7 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 7 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (36 sts)
Row 10: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the net 8 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 8 sts, rep from * across. Turn. (40 sts)
Row 11: Ch 1, 2 sc in the first st, sc in each of the next 9 sts, * 2 sc in the next st, sc in each of the next 9 sts, rep from * across. Do not Turn. (44 sts)
Do not fasten off. Continue on to Body of Towel. Approximate width of head at this point is 5.75″.
Body of Towel
Row 1 (RS): Ch 1, work 1 sc into the side of each row across half circle, also add 1 sc in the center ch. Turn. (23 sts)
Row 2: Ch 20, skip 22 sts, join with sl st in the 23rd st. Turn. (20 chs) See photo below, right.
Row 3: Switch to a 6.00 mm crochet hook, ch 1, working into the back hump of the ch, work 2 sc in the first ch, sc in each of next 18 chs, 2 sc in last ch. Turn. (22 sts)
Row 4: Ch 1, (sc, dc) in the first st, (sc in the next st, dc in the next st) 10 times, (sc, dc) in the last st. Turn. (24 sts)
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in the first st, dc in the next st, * sc in the next st, dc in the next st, rep from * across. Turn.
Rep Row 5 until your towel measures 15” from Row 1 of Body of Towel.
Do not fasten off. Continue on to Ric Rac Trim.
Ric Rac Trim
Row 1 (RS): Alt-dc in the first st (click here for the tutorial), * skip the next st, 2 dc in the next st, rep from * across to the last st, dc in the last st. Turn. (24 sts) * Fasten off brown yarn. Change colors to yellow yarn.
Row 2: Join yellow yarn with a standing dc in the first st (click here for the tutorial), * work 2 dc in sp of next 2-dc cluster from previous row, rep from * across to last st, dc in last st. Turn. (24 sts) * Fasten off yellow yarn. Change colors to orange yarn.
Row 3: Join orange yarn with a standing dc in the first st, * work 2 dc in sp of next 2 dc cluster from previous row, rep from * across to last st, dc in last st. Turn. (24 sts) * Fasten off orange yarn. Change colors to red yarn.
Row 4: Join red yarn with a standing dc in the first st, * work 2 dc in sp of next 2 dc cluster from previous row, rep from * across to last st, dc in last st. Turn. (24 sts)
Fasten off. Weave in ends. Continue on to Turkey Head Edging. Approximate length of body of towel is 17.5″.
Turkey Head Edging
Row 1: With a 5.00mm crochet hook, join brown yarn with a standing sc in the bottom of the st of Row 3 of Body of Towel (see pic below) (click here for standing sc tutorial), sc in each st around the head, work 1 last sc in the bottom of the st at the opposite end of Row 3 of Body of Towel. (46 sts)
Fasten off. weave in ends. Continue on to Eyes, Beak & Snood. Approximate width of head is now 6.25″.
Whites of Eyes (Make 2)
Rnd 1 (RS): With white yarn and a 5.00 mm crochet hook, ch 2, work 8 hdc in the 2nd ch from your hook. Join with a sl st to the first st. (8 sts)
Fasten off leaving a 10” tail for sewing. Weave in beginning tail end. Whites of eyes are approximately 1″ in diameter. Continue on to Pupils if you’re not using black safety eyes, or continue on to Beak if you are using safety eyes.
Pupils (Make 2)
Rnd 1 (RS): With black yarn and a 5.00 mm crochet hook, ch 2, work 6 sc in the 2nd ch from your hook. Join with a sl st to the first st. (6 sts)
Fasten off leaving a 10” tail for sewing. Weave in beginning tail end. Eyes are approximately .5″ in diameter. Continue on to Beak.
Beak
Row 1 (RS): With yellow yarn and a 5.00 mm crochet hook, ch 5, working into the back hump of the chain, sl st in the 2nd ch from your hook, hdc in the next ch, dc in each of the last 2 chs. (4 sts)
Fasten off leaving a 10″ tail for sewing. Weave in beginning tail end. Beak is approximately .75″ W x 1″ L. Continue on to Snood.
Snood
Row 1 (RS): With red yarn and a 5.00 mm crochet hook, ch 6, working into the back hump of the chain, sc in the 2nd ch from your hook, sl st in the next ch, hdc in the next ch, dc in the next ch, hdc in the last ch. (5 sts)
Fasten off leaving a 10″ tail for sewing. Weave in beginning tail end. Snood is approximately 1.25″ L. Continue on to Adding Details.
Adding Details
Step 1: Insert the black craft eyes through the center of the whites of eyes, or sew the black crocheted pupils to the center of the whites of eyes using a yarn needle. Next, attach them to the head. I attached mine between rows 3 & 4 of the head. And placed them 1.125″ apart from center of one eye to the center of the next. The whites of the eyes will be almost touching. Weave in ends.
Step 2: Use a yarn needle and tail of yarn to attach the snood. See photos below for placement. Weave in ends.
Step 3: Use a yarn needle and tail of yarn to attach the beak. The right edge of the beak will be covering the top edge of the snood a little bit. See photos below. Weave in ends.
Now that I’ve completed my Turkey Kitchen Towel, how do I hang it up?
Step 1 (photo A): With the turkey looking at you, insert your hand behind his head and through the hole. Bring the bottom edge of the towel, up and over the oven door handle from behind it.
Step 2 (photo B): Grab the bottom edge of the towel and pull it through the hole.
Step 3 (photo C): Pull the body of the towel all the way down to secure it. Step back and enjoy your talents!
I COULDN’T RESIST THE URGE TO BE A LITTLE CHEESY. 
If you love turkeys, my friend Sonya, from Blackstone Designs, has a couple of super cute turkey patterns for your kitchen too: Turkey Belly Pot Holder & Turkey Belly Flatware Holder. Click HERE for the Free Crochet Pot Holder Pattern and click HERE for the Free Crochet Flatware Holder Pattern.
MORE FREE CROCHET PATTERNS FROM A CROCHETED SIMPLICITY
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Maybe in the future , I would like to see other kitchens for the holidays.
Suggestion:
Pumpkin
Witch,
vanpire
Pilgrim Mr and Mr
Easter bunny
Native American Indian
Leprechaun
Cupid
Heart
Easter egg
4 leaf clover
Thank you for this pattern. I am new to crochet and this helped me expand my repertoire of stitches.
You’re very welcome!
Thank you so much for these patterns dear! I can’t wait to make them all!