Kitchen Towels

	If you’ve ever wondered where some of our commonly used household objects came from, then chances are your curiosity might have turned to the towel. While the invention of conveniences like the paper towel are well-documented, there is little historical or archaeological data to indicate who first washed their hands of the whole question, and then dried them. When you think of it, even early Man must have used something to dry off when he got wet. Not that Neanderthals were big on baths or knew a lot about hygiene, but hunting Saber Tooth tigers in the rain must have made those fur suits pretty wet. Perhaps they grabbed another skin to wipe off the drops. It would have been left to the more civilized societies to actually create a fabric or item that was meant specifically for the purpose of drying things. Of necessity, it should be absorbent. Chances are it wasn’t, since many of the earliest cultures had neither the raw materials nor the know-how to maximize the absorbency. But when you study a civilization like the Ancient Egyptians, and note their highly refined processing of flax into everything from clothing to bandages for mummies, it’s entirely possible that linen provided their towels as well. Not very absorbent, but usable nonetheless. Please browse through our selection of products or to read more about Kitchen Towels please Click Here

Falling Leaves Kitchen Towel and Pot Holder

Autumn theme
100% cotton
Towel 18 x 24 inches

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Apple Kitchen Towel/Pot Holder

Apple design
100% cotton
Towel 18 x 24 inches

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Veggies Kitchen Towel Set

Vegetable theme
100% cotton
18 x 24 inches

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Kitchen Towels: Origin and History

Whether Ancient Persia made inroads in the matter is debatable, but one thing they did provide, if unwittingly, is the weaving process for modern-day terrycloth, that loopy, soft, highly absorbent material that not only goes into things like kitchen towels, but housecoats, babies’ sleepers and all kinds of items. Terry is made by the exact same process as Persian rugs were, with two threads running in a longitudinal direction and another being shot through it.

Oddly enough, kitchen towels today have taken a wee step back in the direction of the Egyptians, often being made from a cotton weave that while thicker and more absorbent than linen, still bears a resemblance. Other people are die-hard believers in terry cloth for dish drying, or wet hands in the kitchen.

Often overlooked as decor accessories, kitchen towels come in solids, prints, and embroidered designs that will work with your decor theme, or complement it. You can even make your towels match such accents as the curtains or a tablecloth, by taking leftover material and creating a print or patterned border for the towels.

Many times the towels come with the main design repeated at both ends. These are extremely popular for the half, hanging towel. These are made by cutting the towel in half, hemming the cut side, and then crocheting or knitting a panel that ends in a loop which can be hung over a doorknob, or buttoned over the handle on the oven door.