100% Cotton Spa Cloths (Free Pattern)– Discovering the Joys of Cotton Yarn

I confess. Sometimes I’m resistant to trying new things. Although some forms of change excite me, I’m also of the mindset that “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. Thus was the case with yarn types. New colors thrill me, and I’d tried a few fancies – liked some of them, didn’t care for others. Until recently, I was an acrylic yarn girl all the way. The softness and the multitude of  brands appealed to me. And, if I’m honest, it’s easy to find inexpensive acrylic yarn.

After my grandmother passed away in October 2012, I inherited some of her yarn and a few crochet hooks. Tucked in amongst the various balls of acrylic pastels, variegated yarns and numerous skeins of heather gray were four balls of Yarnspiration’s Sugar n Cream 100% Cotton Yarn. 

Solids

Twists

Stripes, showing the blue and green yarn that hooked me.

The turquoise-blue, lime-green and rose-pink skeins (all with flecks of white and part of the Twists Collection) were unused and still in their original wrappers. A work in progress was attached to the fourth skein, which was red, and sealed in a plastic sandwich bag. My grandmother had been working on a dishcloth before she passed away. She’d crocheted five rows and the hook was still attached. I couldn’t bring myself to use the yarn or even remove the hook for that matter, so I tucked the plastic bag safely into my yarn stash and let it be. 

For about a year, I continued crocheting with acrylic yarns. I couldn’t bring myself to use my grandma’s skeins. Then my mother added to my very small selection of cotton yarns with a skein from Sugar n Cream’s Stripes Collection. The beautiful shades of turquoise, green and yellow dazzled me, making me want to turn that colorful skein of cotton yarn into something useful. Knowing that a close friend of mine was allergic to acrylic yarn, I decided to surprise her with a set of spa cloths (appropriate for using as washcloths or dishcloths). 

Spa Cloth Directions

This set of spa cloths is easy to make, and the textured effect of the stitches makes them great for scrubbing. Choose colors that appeal to you to add to your bathing or kitchen-cleaning experience. Sugar n Cream has a dangerously large selection of cotton yarn, and I will soon be expanding my collection! You can also order your own set of spa cloths from me right here.

1. Chain 26 to start. If you want a wider cloth (mine are about 7-8 inches), add a few more chains.
2. Create texture by Chaining 1 (does not count as st). Crochet (1 SC, 2 DC) in the first stitch. Skip the next 2 stitches. *Crochet (1 SC, 2 DC) in next, skip next 2 stitches*. Repeat from * to * across until the last 3 stitches. Skip the next 2 stitches. 1 SC in the last stitch, turn. (25 stitches total) Make sure to crochet into that little "hump stitch" on the side from your last row so your spa cloths have straight edges!
3. Crochet 18 rows using the directions in Step 2. Modify with more or less rows if you want to alter the size of your spa cloth.
4. For the last row, SC into each stitch. Continue to SC all the way around the spa cloth until you return to the last row. SC all the way around the cloth once more to finish the edge. Fasten off.

 Tips:

Add a scalloped edge to your spa cloth if you want something a little more fancy or feminine. *Crochet 5 DC into the same stitch. Skip the next three stitches, then SC into the fourth stitch.* Repeat from * to * all the way around. 

Add a loop for hanging your spa cloth. After completing the second round of SC’s, slipstitch into the corner. Ch 8-10 for your loop, and then slipstitch into the corner again. Fasten off.

Clearly, my cotton yarn adventures have only just begun. I can’t wait to crochet more cotton items, which means a trip to the craft store will be necessary. Yippee!! Tell me what you love to crochet with cotton yarn. Sharing ideas is half the fun.