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Clara
queen bee
USA
4362 Posts |
 Posted - 05/23/2012 : 7:24:58 PM
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I haven't been fair to cotton. I've let my personal bias get in the way of fair reporting.
Well, folks, all that has changed! I was looking at the latest yarns from Lion Brand and noticed that they now have a dishcloth cotton, called Kitchen Cotton. And I knew just the people who could do this yarn justice. Ann and Kay over at Mason-Dixon Knitting.
It turns out Ann is a little busy designing the cover of her new book (which is fabulous, by the way). But Kay jumped at the chance to give cotton its due.
I couldn't be happier or prouder to share the pages of Knitter's Review with her, and with you. Here's her review.
Clara
Your friendly Knitter's Review publisher
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marfa
Permanent Resident
USA
1875 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 06:37:57 AM
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How do.
Cotton is terrific & I do wish I was able to knit w/it! Dishcloths are so neat to knit - I have tried over the years to see if this time, cotton would be OK w/ my hand challenges & alas, not really.
Thanks for the Kay review, Clara. Cool!
Martha
http://marfasmewsings.blogspot.com |
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Grand-moogi
Seriously Hooked
Australia
773 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 08:06:21 AM
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Thanks Clara and Kay. I thought "I must buy at least one ball and try it" but I can't find it on the Lion brand website.
I knit a hug into every stitch |
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robinstephanie
Seriously Hooked
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 08:12:30 AM
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Hooray for the guest reviewer! Thanks, Kay and Clara, that was fun. I am not much of a dishcloth knitter (yet) but it's for lack of time not lack of inclination. When the wild goose calls, it's important I know either the right yarn, or what qualities I should look for in my dishcloth yarn. Coarse and dry cotton = sturdy and absorbent cloth. Who knew? Not I!
Robinsteph
Different is good. ~Matthew Hoover |
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robinstephanie
Seriously Hooked
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 08:14:29 AM
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Grand-Moogi, are you recovering from your dishcloth burnout? Are you getting ready for another run!?
Robinsteph
Different is good. ~Matthew Hoover |
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chloek
New Pal
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 05/24/2012 : 09:42:02 AM
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I loved the review. Though I have looked at knitting dish clothes a million times, they never seemed to make it to the cue. Now, however, I will definitely take the time to get this yarn and make a few. Great gift idea too. Thanks for the review.
Chloe K
Roads End Llamas |
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Grand-moogi
Seriously Hooked
Australia
773 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2012 : 03:22:51 AM
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We have just moved in to a new house which I totally designed myself and we all love it.
There are four vanities. One each in the ensuite, main bathroom, powder room and an extra one in the hallway outside the WC and main bathroom. I decided I need to knit at least 8 dishcloths in specific colours so I have two for each. They need to be left there so people can wipe over the vanity when we use it. I did put sponges there but because they are not colour coded they sort of wander from room to room and so they are not there to just grab them when you want them.
I found the kitchen cotton on the Lions website so I am just thinking about what colours I need.
I knit a hug into every stitch |
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Grand-moogi
Seriously Hooked
Australia
773 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2012 : 03:36:57 AM
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I just had a look back at the description of the cotton on the Lion website. It says not to bleach it. I always soak my dishcloths and tea towels in Napisan before washing them. They would end up stained and smelly if I did not do this.
AND while we are on the topic of cottons suitable for dishcloths, never try something with bamboo in it. I found a special on cotton bamboo blend bath towels. They were only $10 each and such nice big thick ones too. I bought 8 of them and although they are nice, you always feel as if they are not drying you. When you stop and think about it, they use bamboo to make things and they advertise it as not absorbing water so it makes sense that bamboo yarn would not be absorbent either. Maybe that is why they were so cheap.
I knit a hug into every stitch |
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ikkivan
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
429 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2012 : 07:33:11 AM
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I enjoyed this review, because just in the past year or two I have discovered the joy of knitting dishcloths, which means cotton "dishrag" yarn. I do not USE dishcloths personally (I prefer sponges), but there are many members of my family and several friends who just love them and can't seem to get enough of the things. I have been really pleased with the LB 100% cotton yarn I've used thus far, so will have to think about trying the new "Kitchen Cotton." I think most of the care labels (the ones I've seen, anyway) say no bleach, but the most common uses for these things call for contact with bleach, whether in the laundry or with actual use cleaning sinks, etc., so they are going to get it, anyway. Good thing they are cheap, although I don't think they wear out particularly fast; they just fade.
Cloths make quick and portable gifts! Some of the children I have taught to knit like to make them for teacher gifts.
Donna, with intentions always bigger than her available time. (OkieDokieKnitter on Ravelry) |
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Grand-moogi
Seriously Hooked
Australia
773 Posts |
Posted - 05/27/2012 : 10:29:57 PM
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"the most common uses for these things call for contact with bleach, whether in the laundry or with actual use cleaning sinks, etc., so they are going to get it, anyway."
(I haven't quite worked out how to do this quote thing)
Thanks for this Donna. I will go ahead and try some of the cotton.
I knit a hug into every stitch |
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hillstreetmama
Permanent Resident
USA
3448 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 04:03:58 AM
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I'm curious to know how the price compares with the other dishcloth yarns I usually buy.
Jan
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ikkivan
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
429 Posts |
Posted - 05/28/2012 : 07:12:35 AM
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Jan, I don't know what dishcloth yarns you normally use, but ... I usually order my LB cotton yarn from http://www.knitting-warehouse.com/ (no LYS where I live, Wal-Mart is IT) ... it is at least twice the price of the Peaches 'n Creme from Wal-Mart, but there is at least twice the yardage in each ball (and I still don't understand why there are always FEWER yards in the variegated colors than in the solids!). I like the larger balls for towels, as each one makes a nice sized towel without having to join another ball of yarn; then I can make at least two smaller cloths out of one ball.
According to the suggested price on the review of the new kitchen cotton yarn, it is certainly more expensive than the "Wal-Mart" brands for no more yardage.
Again, I personally have little experience with how these things wear, since I don't use them. I just know that both my daughters have scads of faded "dishcloths" all over their homes (in the kitchen, bathrooms, cleaning supplies, table use for kids' napkins, etc.). As long as they ask for them, I'll make them!
Oh, P.S. ... my "not paper towels" bundles of cloths in various sizes, dishcloth to hand towel, have been big hits and sold fast at our family reunions where there are auctions to raise funds for the next event.
Donna, with intentions always bigger than her available time. (OkieDokieKnitter on Ravelry) |
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tricoteuse
New Pal
2 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2012 : 09:27:10 AM
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Color, schmolor! I almost exclusively knit my dish cloths with either white or natural colored cotton yarn. The dishcloths get stained with heavy use so are washed with the whites & other bleachables, so it makes no sense to make them up in pretty colors. Besides, when I try to give people colored dishcloths, they end up using them as doilies instead of their intended purpose. (Which is fine with me, but if I'd intended them to have a doily, I'd have made them a doily)
I use the pretty colors for things like coasters or placemats - those I'll wash & lay flat to dry when necessary.
But dishcloths - If I feel the need to make them interesting, I go with textured stitch patterns, rather than color. |
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Finally giving dishcloth cotton its due
