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Spa Wash Cloth on a Rigid-Heddle Loom

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As I've said in earlier articles, I'm a sucker for interesting yarn. So I wasn't able to resist when I ran across two handspun yarns from Nepal.

One was hemp, and the other aloo (nettle.) Both were singles yarn, naturally colored, and with a rough, rustic, texture.

My plan was to weave spa-style organic, exfoliating wash cloths and give them as gifts with a bar of artisan soap.  Hemp, being naturally antibacterial and moisture resistant, is perfect for bath linens, and aloo smells great and is good for buffing skin.

Plain weave, however, seemed a bit too plain, especially given the rustic nature of the yarns.  I wanted a weave structure that would show the two yarns off to best effect, keeping them distinct and special.  I also wanted something which could be woven on a simple, rigid-heddle loom so I could weave them during my summer travels.

Inspiration hit: hand-woven looped pile!  The structure is similar to terry-cloth towels or Berber carpet.  You can weave it on a rigid-heddle or any loom with two (or more) shafts, since it's just a hand-manipulated variant of plain weave.

The aloo being more flexible than the hemp, I used it as the weft because it made pulling up the pile loops easier.

When I was done weaving my handspun yarns, I was thrilled with the results. They looked like something you'd see in an upscale spa: rare, funky, and authentically textured.

Spa-style wash cloth

Because not everyone shares my hippy-granola asthetic, or can get their hands on handspun hemp and aloo, I've also included directions for weaving the wash cloths in Lily Sugar'n Cream, an inexpensive worsted-weight cotton available from most yarn and craft stores.

 

Project details

A quick and satisfying weave, these looped-pile wash cloths make a great gift, especially when paired with a bar of handmade soap.

 

Equipment

  • Any loom that can weave plain weave, with a weaving width at least 10 inches wide. The samples in this article were woven on a Schacht Cricket rigid-heddle loom.
     
  • A knitting needle or dowel to form the pile loops over.  I used a 5mm (US 8) needle, but anything close to that will do.
     
  • A small crochet hook (optional) can be useful to help pick up the loops.

 

Warp yarn

Hemp/aloo version
Handspun 100% hemp, single ply, approximately 640 yards per pound.  You will need 144 yards for 4 washcloths.

You can also substitute 20/2 wetspun linen  for the hemp warp.  Linen is also great for bath linens and can be easier to work with than the high-energy singles yarn

Hemp and aloo

Note: bast fibers, like hemp and linen, behave better when there's humidity in the air.  If you live in a dry climate, spritzing the yarn with water occasionally will help even out the warp tension and help the weft turn.  It's like magic!  I keep a spray bottle full of water on hand.

Cotton version
Lily Sugar'n Cream worsted-weight 100% cotton from Lily (or equivalent) 50 grams in White.
 

Sett

8 ends per inch

 

Weft yarn

Hemp/aloo version
Aloo (nettle) handspun singles from Himalayan Yarn (100 grams/approximately 150 yds)  The amount of weft needed depends on the density and length of your pile, but I've found that one skein more than enough for 4 washcloths.

(You can also use the hemp singles as the weft, though it is less flexible and more abrasive.  It all depends on how exfoliating you want your scrubby wash cloth to be.)

Cotton version
Sugar and Cream worsted-weight 100% cotton from Lily (or equivalent) 50 grams in Lime Stripes. (Using a different color than the warp makes it easier to see the weft when picking up the loops.)

 

Warping

Wind a warp of 72 ends, 2 yards long.  Makes four wash cloths.

Weaving

  1. Weave 1-1/2 inches of plain weave. This will be folded into a hem later.
     
  2. Weave a section of looped pile, as described in the following section. 
     
  3. Weave a second 1-1/2 inches of plain weave for the second hem. 

Repeat the steps above for each washcloth.  (Note: Remember that this means you'll have 3 inches total between washcloths.)

If you have extra warp at the end, you can weave a soap bag, a simple draw-string bag that you tuck scraps of soap into and then use as a wash cloth.  It's a thrify way to use up every last bit of the soap.

 

Weaving Looped Pile

The following video illustrates how to pick up the pile loops using a knitting needle.

 

The process is as follows:

  1. Weave a pick of plain weave.
     
  2. Change the shed, and throw the shuttle. Leave the shed open.  Do not beat the weft into place.
     
  3. With the shed open, use a knitting needle (or other pointed stick) to pick up loops of the weft between the raised warp threads. I find a small crochet hook helpful for picking up loops.  

picking up the pile

detail of picking up the loopsMake sure the weft has slack when you are picking up the pile loops.  You'll need a lot weft to form the loops.

The size of the rod you use determines the height of your pile loops.  Again, this is entirely up to you.  Do you want a subtle, nubbled texture or long, plush loops?

I like to leave a plain-weave border on the edge of my pile block. To do so, I simply do not pull up pile loops between the first four and last four raised warp threads in the shed.

  1. Leaving the knitting needle in place, beat the weft into place. If you are weaving on a rigid-heddle loom you can angle the heddle to beat under the knitting needle.
     
  2. Weave 1-3 shots of plain weave to secure the pile. 

    The number of plain-weave rows between each row of pile loop is up to you.  Fewer rows of plain-weave makes a denser pile.  Experiment until you get the cloth you want.  I used three plain-weave rows for the hemp/aloo version and two plain-weave rows for the cotton version.
     

  3. Remove the knitting needle and begin again at Step 2.

 

Variations: Pictoral Designs

heart variation

You know how you created a plain-weave border by not picking up pile loops between the four threads on the edge?

You can actually do that anywhere along the pile row.  Each potential loop can either be picked up or left down, to create patterns or designs in the pile.  This is what I did in the free-form heart design to the right.

Think about it, you could weave in a message, initial, a teddy bear, a skull and crossbones, whatever you desire.  Needlepoint books and counted cross-stitch patterns would be a great starting place for creating your own designs.  Or you could make up your own with graph paper.

Think of these little washcloths as a fun little creative palette, and in no time you'll have a pile of these little treasures to hand out as hostess gifts or during holidays.

 

Syne MitchellSyne Mitchell enjoys playing on the rigid-heddle loom and seeing just how far this simple loom can go. She teaches rigid-heddle classes at various venues, including the Madrona Winter Retreat, John C. Campbell Folk School and others. Syne is also the editor/publisher of WeaveZine.

 

Comments

Yarn & Project Match!

This project makes me want to start weaving washcloths immediately to go with my handmade soap. What a great use for the aloo yarn that's been languishing on the shelf. Thank you!

Great project!

I think this will be a great stash buster for those of us with an addiction to those colorful kitchen cotton yarns :)

Now, if I can just remember which box(es) labeled "YARN!" the cotton stash was packed into...

Adrienne in Pendleton, OR

or dish rags

I'm a sucker for practical projects. I can't stand my old grey shrunken knitted dish rags any longer.  So I'm going to try some pile dish rags which I mainly use for wiping up counters and the stovetop. Pile should hold onto all those crumbs better!  Thanks for the fun article Syne.

Cheers,

Nadine Sanders

Aloo (nettle) & Hemp Yarn

 Syne,

These are just what I have been looking for to make cloths from my hemp and nettle yarn from Frabjous Fibers (as is the ball you have pictured above). I think weaving will be easier than knitting. I will definitely try the the spritzing technique as it is "crunchy" to knit with. Thanks so much for posting this project!

C. Suter

Or Potholders

Wouldn't this technique also make great potholders and trivets as well??!!  Great ideas here--thank you Syne!

so cool

this is so cool, thank you so much. Now I know what to give my brother to his birthday (you know, the man who has everything but loves handmade things)

I'm glad weavezine and weavecast exist

Ulrike

So smart!

Thank you for such a fabulous tutorial - this was so easy to follow and makes perfect sense.  Will be trying this for sure!

~Keri

knittygrittythoughts.typepad.com

Wash Cloth

Syne, you really are doing a great job of keeping something new infront of us..don't know how you do it!! Thanks

love the hemp wash cloths

this is such a great pattern thanks "fur the warsh rags" pattern, i have a buch of hemp and it will be perfect!

edges

Syne..how are you finishing off the warp end edges?  I didn't see anything specific.  If I missed it, apologies.  I ask because I find the cotton a bit coarse for turning under and hemming.

Nancy c

Substituting yarns in wash cloths

Hi Syne.

Thanks for a great project for using up small amounts or making projects that take little time to finish, and in general for a fun and inspiring weaving-resort on the internet. But I do wish that types of yarn could be described in a more general term (like 20/2 linen) in stead of mentioning a trade name from the USA, which is quite useless for someone living in Europe. It is hard enough to have to translate all measures etc into decimal centimeteres and grams, and turn every threading upside down compared to what we do over here :-)

Best wishes,

Ellen

 

Finishing edges

Syne Mitchell's picture

I serged the ends of the raw fabric, then washed it all as one long strip.  After washing and pressing, I zig-zagged stitched two lines between each pair of washcloths and then cut between the zig-zag stitching.  Then I turned the hem, pressed, pinned and stitched the hem down.

Non-US yarns

Syne Mitchell's picture

Where possible, I give yards per pound and other specifics so that readers can substitute in their own yarns.  The handspun yarns from Nepal are, by their very nature, irregular, so I can only provide rough figures there.

As for the Sugar'n Cream, any worsted-weight cotton will work.  Being located in the U.S., I don't know the European brands, can someone in Europe recommend a local yarn that might work?

Potholders!

For those of you who think about making potholders with this approach, USE WOOL.  Wool doesn't burn -- it smolders.  Making it a much safer potholder than cotton or bast fibers.  I have started making all kinds of potholders, all of wool.  They have a nice cushioning spongy feel, conform to the pot or pan you are holding and work beautifully.  The pile approach would work great with wool.  Would be fund to try different kinds of fibers -- non-shrink and regular wool:  using the non-shrinking wool (the washable stuff) for the loops might be fun since they would get squeezed and pushed out more if the base is a nice shrinking, felting base.  

Would also make a nice scrubby washcloth as it felted...  Meg 

spa wash cloths

Hi Syne!

I am going to get started on these wash cloths today! I appreciate that you included the 'how to' using the readily available cotton!

Thank you, thank you!

PattyAnne

Selvedge colours

I'm an inch or so into my first washcloth. Thoroughly enjoying it, but if I do it again, I'll warp the selvedges in a different colour to the main fabric. I'm having a little trouble locating the edge of my looped section when it's underneath the chopstick I'm looping it over. Maybe selvedges and header weft in white, loops and main fabric in green. That way I'd get cute little white squares on the corners.

Catherine from London, UK

Spa Washcloths

Thanks so much for a wonderful tutorial. I'm making this my next project. I also love the tip for creating raised pictures using this method.

Kathryn

substitute cotton with European yarns

Nice project, I'll try this out soon!
I kind of had the same question about how to substitue the cotton yarn. I found the following table http://www.yarnstandards.com/weight.html which translates the terms like 'worsted' to needle diameter (in mm! amongst others)
Based on that I got some cotton yarn - which I still have to try out.
The aloo yarn is available in  the Netherlands (e.g. Diversan sells it). There are probably more countries where it's offered.

What about the drawstring sack

What about the drawstring sack in the picture?

Is that just a pouch for carrying soap? I'm not sure I know what that is for. My spa experience is hot showers at the KOA campground.

Have a good day!

Franco Rios

Potholders of cotton

I use potholders made of cotton. I've used cotton terry cloth in the past for pot holders. Normally cotton cloth does not support flame. I was taught in training school for wildlan fire fighting and in welding class to wear cotton clothing for that reason.

Having said that, I have seen cotton items with tassels and threadbare towels ignite in the kitchen. I've seen frayed cotton denim trouser legs ignited by sparks from welding.

But generally thick cotton cloth doesn't ignite or support flame.

Your mileage may vary.

Have a good day!

Franco Rios

http://francosfiberadventure.blogspot.com/

 

 

A start for velvet

I've always dreamed of weaving my own silk velvet.  This project is just what I needed to understand how to do a loop pile and start on my way towards velvet.

Thanks much,

Cheekyredhead

I guess it's your fault.

I just wanted you to know that because of this pattern I finally took the plunge and purchased myself a 20" Schacht Flip loom with all three heddle sizes. I had resisted the temptation to not buy a Rigid Heddle loom for years, literally. These did me in.

And I got my loom last Thursday and have been practicing making plain dishcloths. But one of the practice pieces will surely be looped. And then I'll be looking to purchase some hemp. You are such an "enabler"! 

 

Thank you!!

Stephanie/TX

Soap bag: bonus project

Syne Mitchell's picture

Ah yes, the soap bag.  I had a bit of warp left over at the end, not enough for another wash cloth, so I wove it in plain weave with the aloo.  I folded and sewed it into a soap bag and twisted some linen together into a matching cord for the drawstring.

I use the little bag to hold scraps of soap, and then use it like a washcloth.  It lets me use up every last bit of soap, no waste!  (As someone who's spent a lot of time making handmade soap, I hate to waste even a teensy bit.)

Velvet

Syne Mitchell's picture

Actually, traditional velvet is woven with a warp pile, not a weft pile as in these wash cloths.  So while this little project is a great way to start playing with pile loops, you might also want to check out some references on traditional velvet.  Jan Paul is a wonderful velvet weaver and teaches workshops in the subject.

Bonus project

Thanks for the reply.

I thought it would be a good little wash cloth bag. I definitely will weave up some matching soap bags!

Have a good day! - Franco Rios

Hi Syne, I can't believe I am

Hi Syne, I can't believe I am just getting around to reading this well crafted article! You are so full of great ideas and boundless energy. Thanks for making me smile. Bonnie Tarses

making loop pile cloths

I am a new weaver and am trying this project.  What fun!  I am on my second one and this is making a believer out of me.  If even "I" can do this, anyone can.  Thanks for your great projects and this awesome website.

Sheena Mowery

Great project

Syne - this was a fun and easy project that got me back to my looms. I experimented with various wefts and now have a small stack of washcloths. Wanted to share a photo of the results.

spa cloths

thanks for a great article,

cheryl

Great pictures!

Syne Mitchell's picture

Thanks so much for posting the pictures of what you've been weaving.  They look great!

wash cloths

When weaving a raised design, like your heart, do you still use 2-4 unlooped weft rows between looped rows? In the photo it looks like they are all looped rows of weft in the heart. 

Thanks for the ideas. Laurel

That soap looks gorgeous and

That soap looks gorgeous and homemade too.

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