Danestress Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 Do you actually use knitted dish towels? I am mostly a lace knitting, but I am looking at knitting patterns and wanting to try some skills on small projects. Cotton dish towels seem popular, but I am wondering if, having completed one, it has a practical purpose in your life? I mean, I can buy cotton wash clothes for next to nothing ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainySunday Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I use cotton crocheted washcloths that my grandma makes. I love them! You couldn't pay me to replace them with store bought ones! We use them in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 My handknit dish cloths(the small ones you wash with) hold up way better and work really well. I find it satisfying to make something so useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I love my knitted dish cloths, but I have never made knitted towels. Dish cloths make great knitting projects because 1) there are thousands of patterns out there to knit, and 2) they are quick, easy, and give you a useful item for very little cost/effort. Also, if you are a product knitter like me, you can say, "I started and finished my current project in just two days!" :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I knit dish clothes, to use for washing dishes. I don't knit dish towels because I don't really use them but my mom keeps giving them to me! But the knitted dish clothes are very handy. I have so many that I use a fresh one every day and then toss it in the laundry. I do a small load of them once a week and wash them in hot water and a bit of bleach. If one starts to look really beat up then I toss it and knit a few more. I can knit one in an hour, so it's not a big deal. I love to knit and am always looking for a small take along project so a quick dishcloth is perfect. I can knit one from start to finish in a meeting while waiting for dance class to get out. I use that cotton yarn from the craft store.. sugar 'n cream? Something like that. I know some people use them as a way to learn a new stitch but I never bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I love cotton dishcloths/washcloths but find cotton dishtowels to be a little too thick for my liking. One of these days I am going to try making one from linen. Purl Bee has a great pattern here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I use that cotton yarn from the craft store.. sugar 'n cream? Something like that. I found a cone of that yarn at Walmart a few years ago on clearance, and thought, "Boy! What a bargain! I'll never run out of dishcloths!" But what I wasn't thinking at the time was how sick I would get of dish cloths in the same.boring.blue. for years! I finally gave up and made a tea cosy out of it and gave away the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 I love cotton dishcloths/washcloths but find cotton dishtowels to be a little too thick for my liking. One of these days I am going to try making one from linen. Purl Bee has a great pattern here. Those really are lovely, and doing a mosaic/slip stitch project is on my list, so perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I found a cone of that yarn at Walmart a few years ago on clearance, and thought, "Boy! What a bargain! I'll never run out of dishcloths!" But what I wasn't thinking at the time was how sick I would get of dish cloths in the same.boring.blue. for years! I finally gave up and made a tea cosy out of it and gave away the rest. Ha! I could see myself getting into this same situation...I love a bargain but hate knitting with the same color! That's another thing I like about dish cloths...all the colors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I knit dishcloths because it gives me something to do with my hands when we are watching a movie. I can never find ​ready-made discloths in a size I like -- they are always too big and seem too sloppy. I make cloths that fit my hand. I've never heard of knitted towels. The ones at the link sure are pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLMom Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I too make/use knitted dishcloths and scrubbies. I have made knitted dish towels where just the top has a knitted handle and the bottom part is a regular hand towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I can not imagine using a knitted dish towel. Would they not be thick? Do they dry glasses without streaks? Do they dry quickly after use? I use flat cotton ones, not something fuzzy like hand towels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 I can not imagine using a knitted dish towel. Would they not be thick? Do they dry glasses without streaks? Do they dry quickly after use? I use flat cotton ones, not something fuzzy like hand towels. Well, you could knit airy dish towels out of fine lace if you wanted, so thickness is something I can control. But I typically use a scrubby sided sponge for scrubbing and thin cotton towels for drying. And because I am germ phobic, they get washed/bleached/dried a lot and don't last as long as I would probably want if I am going to spend the time on it. But every once in a while I see comments here and elsewhere about how great knitted dishcloths are, so I guess I wondered if there was something I wasn't really recognizing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I found a cone of that yarn at Walmart a few years ago on clearance, and thought, "Boy! What a bargain! I'll never run out of dishcloths!" But what I wasn't thinking at the time was how sick I would get of dish cloths in the same.boring.blue. for years! I finally gave up and made a tea cosy out of it and gave away the rest. You can just Rit dye that stuff. It is pure cotton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I have a couple of knitted dishcloths and a knitted towel that a friend made me a few years ago, and I really like them a lot. The cloths are a smaller size than the cheap washcloths I use otherwise, and they do fit my hands well. The towel holds up nicely to drying hands on it, meaning it doesn't get soggy too quickly, and it has a button to hold it onto a towel bar, so it doesn't slip off. It's my favorite kitchen hand towel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I am working on some right now. We use them as napkins. I did a set when I was first learning five years ago. Eventually they all wore out. I have purchased many different kinds of napkins, but they wear out quickly with all the heavy, frequent washing. Nothing has held up like the knit one's. So I am making another set. I have done leaf shapes, and a fish shape. Next up is a swirl, then some lacy ones. I have a bunch of cotton left over from Christmas gifts. Once that is gone, I will buy some fun new colors. The key to using cones is to buy a few different colorways. Then you can change them up without ever running out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Rose Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I've recently learned to crochet, and am mildly addicted. I've made a couple of cotton dish towel/cloth about 10x12. I used really fun bright colors eg orange, blue, pink. Love them! They are used for hand drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mango Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Yes, I knit a few of them for gifts several years back. I find that the lighter colors stain easier and the stains are harder to get out than my store bought ones. I'd make some more, but in darker colors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexigail Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I've been making dish towels as a way to practice tunisian crochet stitches. I like them for the kitchen and for washing my face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I haven't used knitted towels, but I love my dishcloths. I sometimes make my own or make some for gifts. They are perpetually on my "would like to receive" stocking stuffer list--my goal is to never buy dishcloths again. The homemade ones scrub well, hold up well, and are pretty. I can imagine the towels being nice for hand towels, but I usually prefer light and pliable towels on the rare day that I hand dry dishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dory Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 I miss my Grandmas knitted dishcloths and towels. She made us some every year I might have to learn to make a few myself. The ones she made were always so pretty and felt great on the hands. It was one of those gifts that we all knew we would get and still were so happy to get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UmMusa Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I learned to knit last month and find the 'easy' dishcloth instructions complicated. How do you keep track of how many rows you knitted this way and then how many that way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I learned to knit last month and find the 'easy' dishcloth instructions complicated. How do you keep track of how many rows you knitted this way and then how many that way? I just mark the pattern with a tally mark or something to show that that row is done--this is if there are multiple rows that are all different. If it's something where there are 4 rows and you repeat them X times then I might do the tally marks on a little chart. Something like Row 1 - ///, Row 2 - //, Row 3 - //, Row 4 - //; then I'd know I put it down after a Row 1 and I should go on to Row 2 next. If it's a combination, like you knitted Rows 1-16 and they were all different then the pattern says repeat rows 5-8 I will often just write the numbers 5, 6, 7, 8 next to that line of instruction and mark off each number as I finish that row. Then I will put a mark next to that line so I know I've finished that part of the pattern. If the pattern is from a book I will photocopy it beforehand so I can mark it up. It's just easier for me that way. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 I'm not a knitter, but I thought I'd chime in to say that we enjoy our knitted pot holders. They are a double thickness and are made of cotton yarn. They look like this. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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