Cotton Yarn question

[Misticsmom]

I wanted to make washclothes ... did ... and used 100% cotton yarn from Sugar and Cream. Made a nice cloth and when it got wet it stretched out so much so that I would be embarrassed to give them as gifts. I made another one using a smaller needle (G), a tight single crochet stitch and it too got looser when wet but not nearly as bad as the first one. I thought cotton yarn would get tighter?? Can anyone lend some thoughts on working with cotton yarn? Is it just the nature of the beast or what? How can I keep my crochet project tight??  Thanks all.

[mva5493]

I prefer to knit my dishcloths for 2 reasons.  The don't stretch as much as the crochet version..  Also I find that it is easier for me to wring out the knit version.  The crochet ones are just to heavy for me.  

[pakat]

thank you

[deanna6812]

With that pattern, you increase by one stitch at the beginning and end of each row, then decrease at the beginning and end of each row by sc2tog.

[Granny Square]

It looks like the stitch is sc in the back loop (like you would make ribbing)

 

In general for any stitch pattern, to work on the bias, you start in the corner, probably with 1 stitch in this case, then increase 1 stitch on each end for the next rows until the sides are as long as you want, then decrease 1 st on each side until you are back to 1 st. 

[pakat]

http://www.ravelry.c...nal-dishcloth-3

 

I could download this from ravelry.  

Could anyone give me the gist of it please?

[tiniree]

tiniree ... changes I made to pattern were after chaining the 4, sc into the back bump of the 3 stitches. I creates a cleaner line and matches the one you end on.  Also it failed to note on the decrease rows that you still have to chain 1. 

 

Thank you so much!  Noted and will give it a try

[Misticsmom]

tiniree ... changes I made to pattern were after chaining the 4, sc into the back bump of the 3 stitches. I creates a cleaner line and matches the one you end on.  Also it failed to note on the decrease rows that you still have to chain 1. 

[tiniree]

I'm concluding tiniree that I just may have had a bad pattern for the "first time out" making a cotton wash cloth. I found a pattern that uses a single crochet in the back loop and crochet'd on a diagonal and my test cloth worked out great. Used a (G) hook, tight enough stitch and when it got wet it didn't stretch to the horrible state that my first one did. I'll look for the Nubbie Scrubbies pattern too. Thanks.

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diagonal-dishcloth-3

WOW!  I really like that one too.  Have just added it to "my list"   Glad you found it and it worked out.

[Misticsmom]

I'm concluding tiniree that I just may have had a bad pattern for the "first time out" making a cotton wash cloth. I found a pattern that uses a single crochet in the back loop and crochet'd on a diagonal and my test cloth worked out great. Used a (G) hook, tight enough stitch and when it got wet it didn't stretch to the horrible state that my first one did. I'll look for the Nubbie Scrubbies pattern too. Thanks.

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/diagonal-dishcloth-3

[tiniree]

I have crocheted several face cloths and do notice that when wet, they do stretch.  But when dry, they go back to their original form.  I use Sugar N Creme cotton yarn.

 

The one thing I will say, is that when crocheting face cloths, a lot depends on the pattern used.  The first one I made used sc & dc stitches (my very first project) and it stretched something horrible    The next ones in a different stitch pattern, didn't stretch out when wet as much.

 

My current favorite pattern is the "Nubbie Scrubbies" pattern.  I made my sister three different colored ones with matching handmilled soaps for Xmas.  She has reported they scrub nicely, hardly stretch when wet, and wash/dry great.

[Misticsmom]

I can not knit ... I have tried several times and it just is not working. I love knitted projects and so wish it would come to me but ...

[Misticsmom]

Wow, good and helpful information wheat. My thoughts when I use 100% cotton yarn is that it is soft and I would appreciate something just a little rougher to exfoliate and will look into what you mentioned. I know acrylics are not a choice and had thought about wools but were I buy yarns the staff is not at all helpful or knowledgable. I will look at purchasing yarns on line too and order the blends you mentioned. Stores in my area carry the basics     Thanks for the feedback.

 

RoseRed ... I am working with an (F) hook now on a practice square of 100% cotton yarn. My stitches are pretty tight and I'm concluding it's the behavior of cotton yarn that surprised me. I just didn't expect it to give like it did. Thank you too for posting.

[wheat]

May I respectfully suggest you not use an acrylic/polymer yarn for a wash cloth.  It will not be as useful.

 

Cotton, because it is a short staple fiber, does stretch when wet and since it will absorb and hold water, that the weight of the water will stretch the cloth.

 

You may find that a mercerized cotton, while less absorbent will hold its shape better, not to mention often holding dye/color more effectively.

 

My personal preference for wash/body cloths is either a cotton/linen or cotton/hemp blend.  There is a blend often sold to weavers "cottolin" that I like.   However, these do create slightly stiffer fabric thus far better exfoliating properties - in my mind a big plus for a body washing cloth.  My favorite is a garment qu ality Hemp that is only about 6 inches wide, but 2 ft long with "with handles" for hard to reach places.  I did several different motif swatches in sequence so it also looks interesting hanging to dry between uses.

 

I can see some new ones coming now that Kim's Tunisian Stitch Guide is calling to me. Tunisian rather than "regular" crochet.  as this creates a slightly less dense fabric and by using open lacy-ish stitches the stretching is less of an issue.

 

For soft, absorbent and somewhat useful as an exfoliante,  I like rather open stitch sequence, from a good quality wool, preferably a merion, that has been properly fulled and slight felted.  Some of hte sock yarns work nicely for this.  by choosing a open/loose lacy stitch motif, it stays pliable even after repeated machine wash and dry.

[RoseRed]

It sounds as if you crochet loosely also.  When cotton gets wet it stretches as far as the tension in the stitch will allow it to.  I also suggest trying it with an F hook.  If you crochet really loose you may have to go down to an E. 

[Misticsmom]

Thank you everyone for replying with help. Your feedback is appreciated. Real Deal - I'll try even a smaller hook (F) and I'll throw the one that stretched really bad in the dryer because I do want it to shrink and stay shrunk. On that one I used a (H) hook per the pattern instructions ... arrrghhhh.

[Real Deal]

I always use an F hook with worsted weight cotton. I clean my cloths in the washing machine and hang them to dry.

 

For your cloths that stretched, you can get them wet and put them in the dryer. Make sure you want them smaller (or tighter) though, because once they shrink in the dryer, they stay shrunk.

[Granny Square]

(looks around furtively) I knit mine, but I've learned to do solid patterns as eyelet lace + the stretch factor is too much.  They do shrink back up in the laundry, tho.

 

Think of it this way, they are still much more luxurious than plain old terrycloth.

[Skysmom]

I've only used I Love this Cotton for washcloths, but it seems to wash well and not stretch too much.  Using a G hook and "tighter" stitch works well for me.

[Misticsmom]

I'll try the Red Heart yarn. I understand about the stretching thing but with the stretching it seemed to have lost its tension which I wasn't expecting. My neice knitted me a wash cloth and its nice ... kept the tension in the stitches. Maybe knitting works better. I don't know. I'll check out the two stiches you noted above. Thanks for replying. I appreciate it!

[magiccrochetfan]

In my experience, crocheted or knitted cotton cloths do stretch out when wet.  I don't think there is a way to prevent that.  One thing I do is make them a little smaller because i don't like the drippy corners hanging down.  

 

The yarn I like to use for washcloths is Red Heart Creme de la Creme, it is a light worsted with a tighter twist and just a bit lighter overall.  I've never seen it in a store but you can order it online from Red Heart or Joann.  

 

And as you say, using a less-holey stitch helps.  the marguerite or star stitch might be one to consider http://bloomingpatterns.blogspot.com/2008/04/little-starbursts-dishcloth.html