Pros and Cons of Knit, Crocheted and Woven Dishcloths using Scrubby Yarn.
Though I enjoy using any of the scrubby dishcloths, there are definitely some pros and cons to each type. Let’s take a look at each one separately.
The Knit dishcloth was the easiest one to make. It was easiest on which to find the stitches. I made mine 25 stitches wide using the garter stitch with size H needles. I did not count the rows, so I’m really not sure how many there are, and it’s nearly impossible to count! It has the nicest drape and is stretchy. It is fairly thin and fits nicely in glasses and pots.
The crocheted one was the fastest to work up. I also worked it 25 stitches across and the number of rows needed to make it a square using an H hook. It was very difficult to find the stitches, so I had to count my stitches every row. It was surprisingly not too difficult to pull out stitches if I missed a loop. It is the thickest dishcloth and has a moderate amount of drape. It feels bulky in comparison, but feels very sturdy for washing.
The pin loom woven dishcloth was the most difficult to make. I sewed four 4″ squares together. I wove the squares on the Zoom Loom, a 3-pin arrangement with 3 warp layers. The weaving needle often caught in the middle of a warp strand and was very difficult to pull through. I tried exaggerating the weaving motion, but that only helped a little. It was also very difficult to sew the squares together as it was hard to see the loops on the edges. The sewing needle often went through the strands and were difficult to pull through. It is the thinnest dishcloth and most static. It does not stretch. Because it is the thinnest, it fits into cups and bottles the easiest. And despite the frustrations to weave, it is fun to use.
*It might be easier to weave a 2-warp square, as there will be fewer layers around which to maneuver, though I’ve not tried this. Some weavers have found it much easier to warp the loom in cotton, and only weave with the Scrubby yarn. That would most certainly take away almost all of the difficulties I mentioned before. Continuous weaving would also be much easier, like on the Turtle Loom or other continuous weaving looms. Speaking of which, now I want to see how a hexagonal dishcloth works up!
All of the dishcloths were made using Red Heart Scrubby yarn. The woven one used the least amount of yarn and will make 11 squares, enough for 2.75 dischloths. The knit dishcloth used slightly more yarn and will easily make two dishcloths. The crocheted dishcloth used the most yarn, but you should still get two scrubbies of 25 stitches wide using an H hook.
First, I’m used to using a pin loom where the pins have no heads. The TURTLE Loom uses nails with heads. I thought I’d HATE that. Turns out, I don’t! Because the first several rows are done using bias weaving, the heads are actually very important! I think I would hate it if it didn’t have heads!
