Weaving Gifts: Towels

[@CaptainParalytic]

Last year my wife surreptitiously took pictures of the kitchens ofthree of her friends. We bought yarn with matching colours and weaved custom, colour matched tea towels for each of them.

[@ActonCreative]

Oh, how wonderful!! What thoughtful gifts!!

[@ggma4743]

I justed asked them what their kitchen colors are since I'm redoing mine they thought I was just getting ideas. I like your wife's idea better.

[@mercemurray]

I found the series about gifts at the loom! Thanks!

[@ActonCreative]

Oh yay!!!

[@myrany8407]

Couple of thoughts on hand towels. 1. Another gift that is rather nice along the same line is waffle weave washcloths. It is a very simple weave pattern and at the same time quite popular as a "Spa" sort of gift. 2. Small towels and washcloths are entirely doable for those with smaller rigid heddle looms. I have done them on my Schact flip 15 inch loom many times. Yes you can do waffle weave on a rigid heddle either with multiple heddles or with string heddles/pickup sticks. So this is a fantastic project even for those without larger looms. 3. Another great fiber option is cottolin (a cotton and linen blend). I find it even more absorbent than unmercerized cotton.

[@ActonCreative]

Myrany, thank you so much! What great suggestions!! These are fantastic!!

[@myrany8407]

@@ActonCreative Thought of one more thing if I may. Prewash in HOT water BEFORE hemming the towels. That will make sure the hems don't ripple from shrinkage. Been there, done that and have a drawer full of kitchen towels that will never be seen by guests. LOL

[@ActonCreative]

@@myrany8407 Been there!! Ha!! If you're working with cotton yarns, you can also use an all-cotton sewing thread to hem (like what the quilters use). Then, everything will shrink at the same pace. I love all your helpful suggestions!! Thank you so much!!

[@willich123]

I'm looking forward to the weave along in October. Those towels are pretty.

[@ActonCreative]

Me too, Tia!! Thanks so much!

[@maryjowolf6465]

OMG you’re towels are so beautiful! I want to pull off the boring old projects gathering dust on my looms, and jam on some fab and colorful TOWELS. TOWEL-ON SISTER😊

[@ActonCreative]

Oh yay!! I can't wait to see what you weave next!

[@kathleenmcconnell95]

Great idea. Are the towels waffle weave?

[@ActonCreative]

Hi Kathleen! No, they are a mix of plain weave and twill!

[@Delldgm]

I'm brand new to weaving and pretty much learning as I go on a countermarch loom. Your videos have been hugely helpful. I've just completed My first project of a set of kitchen towels, I used a 4 ply knitting cotton I already had. But now I am ready to purchase some specific weaving cotton. What size yarn do you prefer for these present towels and what Dent reed would you recommend? I'm thinking of trying 8/2 cotton in either a 20 (10 Dent) or 24 (12 dent)ends per inch. but I'm worried this will be to thin and I should just stick with a 4 ply knitting cotton?

[@ActonCreative]

@@Delldgm Welcome! And congratulations on your first project! That's fabulous!! If you like a thinner towel, an 8/2 in a 20 or 24 epi is a great place to start! I love an 8/4 cotton for towels at 12 epi. It does particularly well with any twill variation. As for the knitting cotton, I'm not directly familiar with it. But if you already have it on hand, that seems like a perfect opportunity to use it! Let me know if you have other questions! I'm happy to help!

[@gemmaluescher-verseckas1243]

I struggle with imperial measurements- I have worked in metric since I was in grade 6 in Canada, Switzerland also has worked in metric for a century.

[@ActonCreative]

Hi Gemma! That's totally understandable! I had someone else ask about including metric in the future, which I'll definitely consider.

[@lindaakers2991]

What is the best towel yarn?

[@ActonCreative]

I like a cotton for towels!

[@lindaakers2991]

Where do I order the cotton from

[@ActonCreative]

@@lindaakers2991 There are a number of options for you! I like Cotton Clouds & Three Moons Fiberworks!

[@lindaakers2991]

Thank you