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22354
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012 ( edited May 06'12 22:52 )
+33

ATTENTION ALL IN TEA TOWEL SWAP...

This may seem like an odd question, and I should have asked it a while ago. But What exactly is a tea towel? Is it made of terry cloth like a bath towel or is it more like a towel for drying dishes? And what size is it? I thought I knew, but now I'm not sure so I ask. It never dawned on me that what I thought was a tea towel is possibly just a hand towel, lol! And if both are considered a tea towel, does it very from country to country? What do you call a tea towel is it terry cloth or a heavy cotton dish towel?
Thanks
Diane

Comments (6)
115778
by asterixsew 06 May 2012
+7
This probably changes around the universe. To me a tea towel is cotton/linen so it is absorbant and dries the dishes. The fabric can be woven or terry towel and it is not large. The one I have just measured is 27"x 15". I have some in pure linen that are much larger. They were my grandmothers, then my mothers and now mine. All put away unused...
1 comment
by asterixsew 06 May 2012
There might be some surprised swappers as they have a international tea towel that fits the description for the doners country
132773
by castelyn 06 May 2012
+6
Hi Diane,

I have given you a link - what is a tea towel?

Hope this helps.

Hugs Yvonne
1 links:
[1] direct link - what is a tea towel
www.wisegeek.com
3 comments
by shirlener88 06 May 2012
Yvonne, very nice article.
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
Thanks Yvonne,
This is one of the articles that got me asking questions, lol! What is referred to as a tea towel was refered to in my house as a hand towel or a dish cloth. I'd never heard the term tea towel until this swap, and after going on line I had more questions than answers, lol!
No two on line sites gave the same answer or an exact answer, so I thought I'd ask what the general public here thought.
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
had more questions than answers, lol!
No two on line sites gave the same answer or an exact answer, so I thought I'd ask what the general public here thought.
15982
by theduchess 06 May 2012
+6
Most tea towels are linen or cotton fabric.Huck toweling is also used because this fabric does not leave lint on your glassware. Linen or cotton towels can be used to line a tray or as a large napkin.Some are embroidered and some just have pretty stripes or designs.As an oldie I have lots of towels, Examples: pink are huck towels(weave)Some had days of week embroidered on them. In the old days NO woman EVER had a tea towel that did not have hand work or some type of lace on it in her kitchen. We were just lucky to have a roof on our heads.
3 comments
by shirlener88 06 May 2012
Stella, thank you. Very nice!
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
Very lovely! Thank you Stella.
by theduchess 07 May 2012
As for the Tea towels I think everyone would be delighted no matter what we exchange/get, at least I will.
15982
by theduchess 06 May 2012
+5
Here are some of my OLD towels.The next picture is applique.last is hand work.
3 comments
by shirlener88 06 May 2012
Loely work.
by cfidl 06 May 2012
yes, lovely.
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
I love the displace in the first photo! Reminds me of my grandmother when I was a child. The hand embroidered ones where our "Dish towels" when I was growing up. I've dried lots of dishes with them and still do, lol!
Diane
211079
by shirlener88 06 May 2012
+6
The flour sack tea towels - reminds me of doing dishes as a child - Hehehe!

the flour sack tea towel - isn't as lovely as the linen - but it can be used daily.
1 comment
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
These remind me of drying dishes when I was a child. I of course passed that tradition to to my children, lol!
11473
by read180 06 May 2012
+4
I am so glad you asked this question. I too was wondering what a Tea Towel was. In my growing up they were all dish towels and all heavy cotton, or what they use to call flour sacks. Now I see that everyone has a different interpretation depending on where you live.I thought tea towels were something little just for afternoon tea. How silly of mee.
Cindy B
1 comment
by sewfrenzie 06 May 2012
Not silly at all Cindy, I was wondering if thats what they where myself, lol!
Diane