ALL about Cotton Yarn
Guys, welcome to the post where I tell you all of my favorite cotton yarns for creating reusable cloths for your kitchen and bathroom. Recently I have been on a huge quest (yes, it is big enough to be called a quest) to replace all of my single-use papertowels and makeup wipes with reuseable options.
Now before you ask, NO I AM NOT CROCHETING REUSABLE TOILET PAPER. Or tampons. Yes, I have seen both and no I am not going to break from using my Co-Op toilet paper or Thinx period undies. *Snap*
I digress, let’s talk about cotton yarn. Cotton yarn is great for lightweight summer knits, durable dishcloths/washcloths/reuseable paper towls etc. I do caution you against using 100% cotton for your clothing. I find they don’t hold up very well over time and get a little...crusty. I am also a very sweaty person so I need a fabric that wicks, which cotton does NOT. So for little ole me, I am not using cotton for garments. If you aren’t winning competitions in Russia for the amount of sweat your produce, cotton garments may be great for you.
I do use cotton for my dish cloths, paper towels, napkins, face scrubbies, wash cloths and hair wraps because cotton is durable and very easy to wash. Want more info on these patterns? Sign up for my free pattern emails. Also, it is an easier natural fiber to work with for beginners and I love that. So here’s a few brand that I love rated on a scale of 1 to 10 hearts. 10 being best, 1 being worst.
Lion Brand’s RE-UP yarn
7/10 hearts
Pros: Recycled cotton, affordable, yarn has a great ply (twist) so it doesn’t split, decent wear (at least 10 washes...I’ll let you know when I do more)
Cons: Not all colors are 100% recycled cotton and some have polyester in them. -2hearts
Not all colors have the same yardage per ball -1heart
Sugar’n Cream
7/10 hearts
Pros: can find it everywhere, great twist, great colors, very affordable, dye lots match well
Cons: different weight and yardage between the solid colors and variegated yarns -2hearts
machine washing takes quite a toll on these after a year -1 heart
Lion Brand 24/7 cotton
9/10 hearts
Pros: can find it in most craft stores, good twist, colors are vibrant (which is really hard for cotton) dye lotted and very affordable.
Cons: one skein lasts forever if you are only doing dishcloths. Really that’s my only complaint.
Hooks & cotton
So this is a personal preference, but I like using a metal needle or hook with cotton yarn. I don’t like the drag that wooden hooks/needles create on cotton yarn. Although if you are someone who needs a little extra control (a beginner) a wooden hook may be the way to go.
Secondly, when I am using cotton for kitchen/bathroom projects I like to go down a needle/hook size so it makes a denser fabric. Because Lord knows I don’t want my finger going through a dishcloth when I am washing away two week old leftovers that are...fuzzy.
Cotton obsessed or environment obessed?
Cotton is a great way to create reusable cloths that can positively impact our landfills and wallets. I do have a special offer for you if you want to make your own crochet dishcloth/washcloth. SERIOUSLY this pattern can do double duty. Sign up here for my free pattern.
XOXO,
Evie + MeanieCat