Swedish dishcloths are a great, eco-friendly alternative to paper towels. And they are perfect for crafting with too - including crochet! Learn how to crochet an edging on a Swedish dishcloth, and enter to win a pack of 10 courtesy of Swedish Wholesale on Moogly!
Disclaimer: Materials for this project provided by Swedish Wholesale and Yarnspirations; giveaway sponsored by Swedish Wholesale; this post includes affiliate links.
What are Swedish Dishcloths?
Swedish dishcloths "combine the benefits of a traditional hand tea-towel with the super absorbency of a cellulose sponge!" These cloths absorb over 20 times their weight, and are perfect for cleaning up all around the house!
They are so unique to use too! When they're dry, they are stiff and hold their shape. Once wet, they are soft and flexible, with a bit of texture for scrubbing power. Let it dry and it's stiff again!
Swedish Wholesale's Swedish dishcloths are dishwasher and washing machine safe! Made from biodegradable cellulose and all-natural cotton, they are earth-friendly. These cloths are reusable like a towel but tossable when they get gross (great for those really terrible messes), and absorbent like a sponge but so much easier to keep germ free! And you can compost them when they're done too!
Crafting with Swedish Dishcloths
While Swedish dishcloths are fab as they are, they're also a great medium for crafters! You can embroider the cloths with special designs, cut them with scissors into whatever shape you like, and as I'll show you below, you can crochet a border on them too!
Another fun idea is painting the cloths - fun for kids and adults! Using acrylic paint, you can paint the matte side of the cloth. (It does take a bit of paint though - they're so absorbant!) Let them dry thoroughly, and then iron them with a hot iron to set the paint. They aren't dryable in the dryer after painting, but they air-dry very quickly!
With all these fun ideas for dressing up the Swedish dishcloths, you can see how they can make amazing personalized gifts and stocking stuffers!
How to Crochet on a Swedish Dishcloth
Of course, crochet is my favorite medium, so I grabbed some yarn and started figuring out how best to work into the cloth. I used Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie, but Scrubby would also be great - and add a bit of extra scrub for those really bad messes!
Why would you crochet into a Swedish Dishcloth? Not everyone like crocheted or knitted dishcloths - they are slow to dry, and aren't usually terribly absorbant. With this craft idea, you can still make it pretty - and practical!
Supplies:
Swedish Dishcloth from Swedish Wholesale
Red Heart Scrubby Smoothie or Scrubby
US - 5.0 mm crochet hook (Furls shown)
Hole punch (6mm Leather Punch used)
Pencil and Tape Measure
Prep the Cloth:
The first step is to use the pencil and tape measure to mark where you want the holes to be. I found that it works best to mark 11 holes along the longer sides, and 9 holes along the shorter sides - all the marks should be about ¾" apart. (Note - the pencil erases from the cloths when you make an error! Love that!)
Then you can use your hole punch to punch holes on each mark. Make sure the holes are big enough to fit your crochet hook through!
Finally, it's time to crochet on that border!
The Pattern:
For the edging, I used the Shell Stitch Border - free on Moogly!
Starting in the hole right after a corner hole, I joined with a standing sc. Then, I worked a 5-dc shell in the next hole, and a sc in the next hole, alternating til I got to the corner. The corner holes got 7 dc shells.
Continue on around, et voila!
And they look great when wet and ready to use too!
Where to Buy Swedish Dishcloths
Swedish Wholesale Dishcloths are available on Amazon US - there are lots of Swedish dishcloths on the market, but theirs are made in Europe and undergo extensive product testing to make sure they're the highest quality product. And it's a great way to support a small business! Learn more at SwedishWholesale.com!
The Swedish Dishcloth Giveaway
The Swedish Dishcloth Giveaway is open to US addresses only. The giveaway ends June 29, 2020, at 12:15am Central US time. To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below. If you are on mobile and have difficulty entering, please use a desktop computer to enter. Only the email option is mandatory – all other tasks are optional, for bonus entries only.
The winner will receive one Bulk 10 Pack of Swedish Dishcloth Cellulose Sponge Cloths in their choice of available colors courtesy of Swedish Wholesale, and will be notified by email.
GOOD LUCK ALL!
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Joyce Wood
Would love to win these!
Connie
I've never heard of these until now. One can never have too many dishcloths. Thanks for the giveaway
Paula
What a great give away! Thanks for having such a fun site. Love it!
Sue Stevens
Wow 10!!! I have 1 and love it!!!