Tea towels or dish towels?

Do you use these terms interchangeably? Most of us do. We were told to grab a tea/dish towel and dry the dishes that were washed by hand. After a large family meal several towels would be used before the mountain of dishes were dried and put away. We might get a way with spreading a tea towel on the kitchen counter top and stack washed dishes in a intricate pyramid. And all of us had the cousin or brother that used the damp towel to snap it on our arms or legs. These humble kitchen accessories have had an interesting history.

Google search found that persons in the UK and Australia almost exclusively entered the term “tea” towels and persons in Canada and the US looked up the term “dish” towels. This has been attributed to the English and Irish’s long practice of serving tea…from the “cuppa” in the simple cottage to “high tea” in the lords ad ladies manor drawing room. A towel was wrapped around the tea pot to keep it warm and catch any spills. Tea towels were spread over the bread or cakes before the tea was served. Linen was usually reserved for the wealthy. Mass production with the cotton mills allowed the ordinary housewife to use cotton tea towels. But with the severe depression of the nineteen thirties, no money was available to spend on fabric.

In the last half of the twentieth century, printed terry cloth towels became more popular. They were very absorbent and were printed in the colors of the time or season. I still have some of those avocado green and gold floral towels–as cleaning rags. They were inexpensive and were great for wiping counters and drying hands. But terry cloth leaves lint on dishes, glassware and flatware. Regular woven cotton towels are now preferred for dish towels.

Paper towels were “invented” in the 1890’s but were not marketed specifically for kitchens until the 1930s. They were hailed for their convenience and sanitation. BUT they have a tremendous negative impact on the environment–they can’t be recycled, they use virgin paper pulp contributing to the depletion of the forests and harmful chemicals are used in their manufacturing. Personally, I have reduced my use of paper towels–not eliminated their use. I still wipe the countertop with a paper towel after cutting up raw chicken. But cloth towels are much better for our world!

Embroidered tea or dish towels make great hostess gifts or a special thank you gift.. …. useful, unique, and not expensive. Use an embroidered towel as the gift wrap…a gift wrap that won’t be put in the trash. Plus a kitchen with an embroidered tea towel seems homey!

We will have several embroidered projects in the Quilts Etc. Sale in October, but here is a peek of what is available now. The towels are approximately 26″ x 33″ and all cotton muslin.

The following are single towels–

Ric rac and reproduction fabric is used on some….

These towels are great to have in your kitchen, no matter if you call them dish or tea or kitchen towels. Come to the Quilts Etc. Sale in October to see in person all the towels we will have—-or buy one now!