Mar
Making Kitchen Hand Towels Actually Work
So last spring around March 2022 I decided to make kitchen hand towels because I was tired of buying those sad thin ones from Target that fall apart after like three washes. The whole thing started when my sister was complaining about the same issue and I thought okay how hard can this be.
First thing you gotta know is cotton is basically your only option here. I mean you could use acrylic but that’s just gonna push water around instead of absorbing it and what’s the point then. I used Lily Sugar’n Cream for my first batch because it was on sale at Michaels and honestly it’s still what I reach for most of the time. The solid colors work better than the ombres in my opinion because you can actually see stains and know when to bleach them.
Yarn Weight and Texture Stuff
You want worsted weight cotton. Not the thin stuff, not the chunky stuff. Medium. The Lily Sugar’n Cream comes in that weight and so does Bernat Handicrafter Cotton which I’ve also used. There’s also this brand called We Are Knitters that makes cotton but it’s more expensive and honestly for something you’re gonna use to wipe up spaghetti sauce I don’t see the point.
The texture matters more than I thought it would. I made one towel with a really tight stitch pattern thinking it would be more durable and it was like wiping my hands on cardboard. Not great. You need some give in the fabric so it actually like… conforms to your hands? Hard to explain but you’ll know it when you feel it.
Size and Measurements
Most hand towels are roughly 16 inches by 24 inches but honestly I make mine closer to 15 by 20 because they’re easier to handle and take less time. Nobody’s measuring your kitchen towels. I chain around 60 stitches with a 5mm hook to get the width right but this depends on your tension which is probably different from mine.
One thing that really annoyed me about this whole process was figuring out how much yarn each towel takes. The pattern I was sort of following said “approximately 200 yards” which is useless information because some skeins of Sugar’n Cream are 120 yards and some are 95 yards depending on the color for some reason. I ended up using about 1.5 to 2 skeins per towel depending on the pattern.
Patterns That Actually Function
Here’s where people get all fancy with their stitch patterns and honestly most of them don’t work for kitchen towels. You’re not making a decorative piece you’re making something to dry dishes.
Moss Stitch or Linen Stitch
This is my go-to. It’s just single crochet and chain stitches alternating and it creates this nice textured fabric that absorbs water really well. You chain an even number, then do: sc in 2nd chain from hook, *chain 1, skip next stitch, sc in next stitch* repeat across. Next row you sc into the chain spaces and chain over the sc stitches. It sounds complicated but once you get going it’s totally mindless.
I made like four of these in summer 2024 while watching that show The Bear and just zoned out completely. My cat kept trying to sit on the working yarn which was annoying but whatever.
Half Double Crochet Rows
Super basic but it works. Just hdc back and forth. The fabric comes out a little stiff but it softens up after washing. This is faster than moss stitch if you’re trying to make a bunch of towels as gifts or something.
Waffle Stitch
Looks impressive, actually pretty easy, but takes forever. It’s front post and back post double crochets in a pattern that creates these raised squares. The texture is really good for scrubbing stuck-on food off your hands but the towel ends up thicker and takes longer to dry after you use it. I made one of these and it lives in my kitchen but I don’t think I’ll make another.
What Doesn’t Work
Granny squares look cute but the holes mean it doesn’t absorb well. I tried making one with solid granny squares (no gaps) and it was just… why would I do that when I could make a regular rectangular towel in half the time. Also anything with a lot of surface texture like popcorn stitches or puff stitches holds onto gross kitchen smells even after washing.
Construction Details Nobody Tells You
Okay so you’re gonna want to add a hanging loop because otherwise where does it go. I crochet mine right into the towel as I’m making it instead of sewing it on after. When you finish your last row, don’t fasten off. Chain like 15-20 stitches depending on how big you want the loop, then slip stitch back into the corner where you started the chain. This way it’s secure and won’t rip off when you yank the towel down.
The edges want to curl. This drove me crazy for my first few towels until I figured out you need to block them. I don’t mean like serious blocking with wires and pins, I just mean wash them and lay them flat to dry before you use them the first time. After that they’re fine to throw in the dryer.
Speaking of washing, these towels can handle hot water and bleach which is good because kitchen towels get gross. I wash mine with my regular towels on hot and they’ve held up fine. The colors fade a little bit over time but not terribly. The “Hot Blue” color from Sugar’n Cream has stayed pretty vibrant even after months of washing.
Hook Size Experimentation
I started with a 5mm hook because that’s what the yarn label suggested but the fabric was too loose and see-through. Went down to 4.5mm and that was better. Some people use 4mm for an even tighter fabric but then it takes longer and your hand cramps up. Find what works for you but generally go a bit smaller than what the yarn recommends.
Practical Usage After You Make Them
These towels are heavier than store-bought ones when they’re wet. That’s just the nature of cotton yarn being thicker. It doesn’t bother me but my sister complained about it so apparently it’s a thing some people notice.
They don’t slip off the oven door handle as easily as regular towels which is actually nice. The texture grips better. I keep one hanging on my oven and one by the sink and rotate them every couple days.
You can’t really use them for handling hot pots though because they’re not thick enough. I made that mistake once and it was not great. They’re hand towels not pot holders even though they’re made of the same yarn.
The Color Situation
I thought I’d want all matching towels but actually having different colors helps me remember which one I used last. I’ve got a yellow one, a dark blue one, and a white one with little flecks in it. The white one shows stains immediately which is kind of gross but also useful because then I know to wash it.
Don’t make red or dark purple ones if you’re gonna bleach them. I learned this the hard way and ended up with a sort of pinkish-orange towel that I eventually just gave away.
Time Investment Reality
A basic hdc towel takes me maybe 3-4 hours if I’m watching TV and not really paying attention. The moss stitch ones take closer to 5-6 hours because there’s more stitch manipulation. That waffle stitch one took me like 8 hours spread over several days and I was so sick of it by the end.
Is it worth the time compared to just buying towels? I don’t know honestly. I like having them and they’re definitely more durable than cheap store ones but you can buy decent kitchen towels for like $5 each. I think I keep making them because it’s a project where you can see progress quickly and actually use the thing when you’re done, not just stick it on a shelf.
Border Options
You don’t need a border. I put borders on my first two towels thinking they looked unfinished without them but it’s extra work for basically no functional benefit. If you really want one just do a round of single crochet around the whole thing to clean up the edges.
Some people do that crab stitch border which is single crochet worked backwards and it creates a little rope edge. Looks nice, total pain to do, and it makes the edges stiffer. Your choice.
Starting Chain Alternative
The starting chain always ends up being a different tension than the rest of the towel for me. I’ve started using a foundation single crochet instead which is where you build the chain and first row at the same time. It’s hard to explain in text but there are videos online and it makes the bottom edge match the top edge better.
Or you could just not care about that because again, it’s a kitchen towel not a wedding dress.
Yarn Shopping Strategy
Wait for sales. Michaels puts Sugar’n Cream on sale constantly, like every other week there’s some kind of deal. I stock up when it’s cheap and then I have yarn when I feel like making towels. Joann’s also has sales but their selection is smaller.
The 4oz balls are better value than the 2oz or 2.5oz ones. Just check the price per yard because sometimes the smaller ones are actually cheaper when they’re on clearance but usually the big cones are the best deal if you’re making multiple towels in the same color.
I bought some Paintbox Yarns cotton from an online store once thinking it would be nicer but honestly couldn’t tell the difference after washing it a few times. Save your money.
Gauge Doesn’t Really Matter Here
Unlike making a sweater or something where gauge is super important, kitchen towels are pretty forgiving. If your towel ends up 14 inches wide instead of 16 inches it’s fine. If it’s a little longer or shorter than you planned, also fine. This is actually a good beginner project for that reason even though people usually suggest like… dishcloths? But dishcloths are small and fiddly and towels are big enough that you can see what you’re doing.
What I’d Do Differently
I wouldn’t make them as long. My 20-inch towels are plenty and the longer ones just hang weird on the oven handle. I’d also stick to lighter colors because the dark ones show lint and dust more easily which seems backwards but it’s true.
Maybe I’d try that Bernat Handicrafter Cotton in the big balls because I think it’s softer than Sugar’n Cream but I haven’t actually tested this extensively. The Sugar’n Cream works fine though so it’s not like a priority.
I definitely wouldn’t bother with variegated yarn again. I made one towel with this teal-to-white gradient yarn thinking it would look cool but the color changes were too short for the width of the towel so it just looked messy and chaotic. Solid colors or very subtle heathers work better.
The main thing is these towels need to be functional first and cute second. If you make them too lacy or decorative you end up not wanting to actually use them for messy kitchen stuff and then what’s the point. Make them sturdy, make them absorbent, and don’t overthink it.
