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Anyone else make Dishcloths?

19 years ago

Frugal by nature, I'm wondering if anyone else makes their own dishcloths?

A couple of friends dropped by recently & acted shocked that I was taking time to make dishcloths/dishrags from old tea towels and fabric scraps. I "chanille" cotton" from fabric scraps & make them all in a size that better fits my rather small hands. Not only do I like them better and get another year or more of use, my money stays with me rather than handing it to stores who have much more of it than me!

I just can't see tossing terry cloth ones 'cause they've gotten thin in spots...

When worn out all cotton products go into compost pile.

Suzi

Featured Answer

gertie2u2

18 years ago

My grandma crochets dish cloths, I don't know what the yarn is that she uses except to say it comes on good-sized cones, and it is more durable and appears to have more umph than the yarn normally sold in stores. It is not normally found in your big box stores, but rather in specialty craft and sewing centers. I should not be surprised if it is the cotton yarn you speak of. I have found them to last MUCH longer, and they are better than any "safe for all surfaces" scrubbing sponge or what-have-you I have ever purchased. They will scrub baked on food off with no trouble, partly owing to the way they are made, and have never scratched even the most delicate surface I have applied them to. They stand up well to washing in bleach, so I always have a clean one handy and no worries about germs.

I don't know how to chanille fabric but suspect you might google for instructions possibly.

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Comments (14)

quiltglo
19 years ago
Some people prefer to make them from strips of cotton knit T-shirts. That way you don't have to deal with a bunch of strings like with woven fabric.

Knitting and crochet has become so popular again, that there are loads of posts on making them on Craftster.org. Covers for swiffers are popular too.

Gloria
hotshott
19 years ago
How do you "chanille" cotton"???
I make dish clothes/pot holders/hotplates out of Sugar and Cream yarn. It's 100% cotton yarn. I would love to know an alternative.
I crochet them. Knitting just takes too much time for me. I am gathering an inventory so I can participate in craft fairs.
-Monica
HOTSHOTT@Adelphia.net
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arizonarose
19 years ago
I don't know how to knit, but can crochet a little. Can anyone post a pattern for dish cloths? Something simple please :-)
arizonarose
19 years ago
I found some patterns online..there are all different shapes like hearts and circle shapes. The square is the easiest for me....
Jonesy
18 years ago
I used dishcloths for years, if you forgot to hang them up they soured and after they get stained and gray in color, they look nasty. I scrimp on a lot of things, but not dishcloths. I buy the packaged ones, can't remember the name...... they last for years and don't sour if you forget to hang it up. Easy wipes, I think, they are very thin with a zig zag pattern in the fabric. I get a clean one every morning.
junkyardgirl
18 years ago
I knit my own from cotton yarn. When they get dingy, I just toss them into some dishwater with a little bleach in it.

By the time I finish washing the dishes, they're clean.
vegangirl
18 years ago
DH's aunt gave me some dishclothes she had knitted from cotton yarn. They quickly became my favorites!!
wantoretire_did
18 years ago
Arizonarose - I make mine with the cotton Sugar and Cream or Peaches and Cream in a square using single or double crochet and a "G" hook. If you want to get more creative, here's a great site for free patterns.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crochet dishcloth patterns
junkyardgirl
18 years ago
I knit mine, and I've knitted them as Christmas gifts for many years. My family looks forward to getting them, because they are sort of "scrubby" too, so they get stuck on stuff off of plates. I use cotton yarn, sometimes to match their decor, but mostly white, so they can be bleached.
minnie_tx
18 years ago
I crocheted a lot of them but my family didn't know what they were for lol They were fun and fast to do
Rae Aaron
10 years ago
I know this is an old thread, but I was researching "better" washcloths and landed here. I was curious about the original poster's chanille method and did some googling. I found this "Sewing with Nancy" YouTube video. If a person did not want to purchase the clever cutting tool, I am sure they could accomplish the same with pointed sharp scissors. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsR8GrbYTDY
mike_kaiser_gw
10 years ago
I use microfiber cloths from the local home center for washing dishes. I can't tell you what I spent on them but I haven't used up the dozen pack I bought several years ago.
c t
9 years ago
I never did like dishcloths. I like sponge/scrubber combos. Towels don't get thrown out here, though. Towels are cut up into hand towels or washcloths, old washcloths become cleaning rags.

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