If the weaver wants something a little more challenging, adding pick up sticks adds interest to the weave and functionality to the cloth, making the cloth not only very attractive but more absorbent with the added texture.
I am often asked the question “Which yarn is best for kitchen cloths?”
In my opinion, thick cotton is the absolute best fibre for kitchen cloths. It is soft, absorbent, easy to wash and care for, unlikely to harbour bacteria if treated properly and yarns come in many different colours.
My favourite cotton to use for my cloths is from a mill not too far from me. It is a gorgeous cotton, so it makes sense for me to buy and excellent Australian owned and locally produced product.
I also recently tried Yarns and Colors EPIC cotton, purchased from Adelaide Hills Yarn Company. It’s a lovely soft but sturdy cotton in a great range of colours. It’s also available directly from the Dutch company website.
But, what about those of you who can’t access this yarn due to location? Well, there are plenty of alternatives!
A very popular cotton is the American made Sugar n Cream. It is just the right weight for kitchen cloths, is affordable and comes in many bright and variegated colours.
There are some beautiful organic cottons out there too, such as Babytoly, which comes in natural as well as bright, happy colours.
I have heard excellent things about the I Love This Cotton brand, though I’ve not tried it myself.
I have also successfully used a bamboo cotton blend for cloths. The end result is a little different, the cloth is heavier when wet and does not tend to wear as well over time. Still, it make a beautiful, soft and absorbent cloth. If you’re interested in trying a blend, something like this Lion Brand Blend, which is 50% bamboo and 50% cotton would work well.
I have also had fun buying white or natural cotton to dye in variegated colours, using fibre reactive dyes. You can either use the variegated as warp and a solid, contrasting colour as weft or vice versa – both give wonderful results.
My kitchen will always have handmade cloths now, I can’t go back to the disposable cloths I once used!
My Textured Cloths pattern only needs a small loom to weave, the Sampleit is perfect for this project.
I hope that you will experience the joy of weaving and using your very own kitchen cloths.
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
