Making Kitchen Cleaning Fun Again

Confession: I enjoy cleaning. I treasure tidying. Putting possessions in their proper places provides a domestic bliss I have savored for years.

But the kitchen? After several hours of cooking – or even a quick dinner of tacos or spaghetti – how much to charge for cleaning is what leaves on everyone’s mind. It leaves something to be desired. The spills and splatters that adorn our kitchen counter (check the Renew here), cabinets, and (yes) the floor require a Herculean strength … especially on weeknights.

Cleaning with something pretty and charming, in bright colors and soft textures, can lighten my stress of keeping our kitchen clean. Which is why, after discovering Lion Brand Yarn’s Kitchen Cotton, I spent a recent weekend knitting a handful of washcloths.

You have to keep your kitchen beautiful after getting it renovated by a renovation company. With my trusty US 10 knitting needles and around forty stitches (or so) to start, I knitted at a relaxed and casual pace. I used some of my (well-worn) washcloths as a guide on size. In just a few hours’ time, I had a new set of colorful, handmade washcloths that are easy to use, delightful to display, and make for great gifts.

They wash up beautifully and are ideal for all the cleaning that comes with the kitchen. And the cotton yarn is a much better choice versus its wool counterparts.

Our good friends, Lowell and Diane of St. Joseph, Missouri, recently hosted our extended family for an overnight’s stay. What better way to thank them for their hospitality and truly SPECTACULAR wine selection than with a knitted washcloth of their very own.

Editor’s note: This blog post was published in collaboration with Lion Brand Yarn. Follow Lion Brand Yarn on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more knitting inspiration.

kitchen cotton, knitting, lion brand yarn

23 Comments on “Making Kitchen Cleaning Fun Again”

1 Monica Pearce said at 8:41 am on August 7th, 2014:
Looks like a great starter project. Can’t wait to try it. Love the yarn choice as well.

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Thanks, Monica! It’s fun AND easy :-)

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2 Harlene Johnson said at 8:59 pm on August 7th, 2014:
So, what is the pattern?

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Crystal LC Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 8:30 am
this is all the same knit stitch (both sides)

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Correct, Crystal! Very easy and basic. I assume you could change up your stitches to vary the pattern, if you’d like.

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
Hi Harlene! One skein of Kitchen Cotton is enough for one washrag. I used US 10 knitting needles and casted on around forty stitches. You could cast on more stitches for a larger washrag. Then, I just knitted until I was happy with the size. I used my other washrags as a guide.

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3 Lisa @ Captivated Reader said at 11:36 pm on August 7th, 2014:
These look so fun and easy to make for even a newbie knitter like me!!

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:40 pm
Lisa, they are! Even after more than a year of knitting, I still consider myself a newbie :-) They are definitely goof-proof. Have fun :-)

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4 Rita said at 12:03 am on August 8th, 2014:
Good Evening,

Just a quick note to inquire if you can use this yarn for WASHCLOTHS instead of DISHCLOTHS?

Have never seen this yarn? Is it soft to use?

Thank you.

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Hi Rita :-) This yarn is SUPER soft. A great cotton. You could easily use Kitchen Cotton for washcloths. It’s worth buying a skein or two and playing around with it.

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5 Jean Edmonds said at 6:41 am on August 8th, 2014:
didn’t know about the kitchen yarn–love the colors, will have to get some need new dishcloths and these look really cool!

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Thanks, Jean! The wide variety of colors are the best, I think: http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/kitchencotton.html Happy knitting!

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6 Sue Hand said at 8:36 am on August 8th, 2014:
Could you please post the pattern instructions?

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Absolutely, Sue! One skein of Kitchen Cotton is enough for one washrag. I used US 10 knitting needles and casted on about forty stitches. Then, I just knitted until I was happy with the size. I used my other washrags as a guide.

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7 Deb Benton said at 2:08 pm on August 8th, 2014:
Started making these for myself this summer. Love them.

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 4:44 pm
I know, right?! I’m already thinking ahead to knitting sets of four as Christmas gifts this year :-) Thanks Deb!

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8 dawn roll said at 9:02 pm on August 8th, 2014:
i love knitting dish clothsfor gif

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Wendy Townley Reply:
August 8th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
Same here, Dawn! Handmade gifts are the best.

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9 Angela said at 4:21 am on October 16th, 2014:
I hear about the Kitchen Cotton for the first time.I also like to clean with beautiful cleaning tools, so I know what you are talking about.Thanks for this amazing article!Regards!

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10 Sharon Potter said at 8:41 am on December 16th, 2014:
So interesting article! I’ve never heard for such a thing like the Kitchen Cotton but it sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing!

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Wendy Townley Reply:
December 28th, 2014 at 2:14 pm
You are quite welcome, Sharon! Glad you enjoyed it :-)

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11 Ophelie Stone said at 7:08 am on June 9th, 2015:
What a great idea! I’ve made four for my mother and she just loves them! And I’m making some blue cleaning cloths for myself this weekend. Thank you for the inspiration!

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Wendy Townley Reply:
June 15th, 2015 at 6:00 pm
I’m so glad!! You are very welcome, Ophelie :-) Happy knitting!

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