I have never knit baby wash cloths, but I would bet cotton would be best. I always made baby washcloths out of scraps of cotton flannel. You can trim the edge with some crochet edging or do some fancy machine stitching on the hem or hand embroider a design or just hem them.

Though I made some flannel washcloths for DGS, I discovered DD prefers using her hands to soap him up in the tub.

I love the idea of crocheted edging, but I don't know how to crochet at all! :-0

Out of the more-than-100 skeins of yarn that I have, I have none that are 100% cotton. I do have a lot of Plymouth yarn - Dreambaby DK, that's 50% acrylic microfiber/50% nylon. It's really so soft... Do you think it would be OK, or should I definitely get some 100% cotton?

I was thinking that even if they weren't used as washcloths for the bath, maybe they'd be good as "wipe up rags" for when the baby spits up (as they always seem to), since the cloths would be machine washable and dryable.

Here's one pattern I found (below). Also there were a couple more at Knitting Pattern Central which you could look at to see what kind of yarn they used. Regular cotton like you would use for a dishcloth seems kind of rough and heavy.

Here is a link that might be useful: baby wash cloth

Oooh. I do have lots of chenille -- I must have 80 or 90 balls of Plymouth's Sinsation in various colors. I make scarves with it -- and because there's a touch of wool in it, it can be "felted" but it just gets yummy soft. :-)

Knittingknonsense has a pattern for baby feet done in cotton. Any cotton yarn will do, but I don't like the Sugar and Cream/kitchen cottons for it. It works, but I didn't like the looks. Right now, I can't remember what I used, and since I am a week away from home, I can't go look! It comes out really neat!

Tami

"lionbrand" has a new yarn called "cotton Ease", it is soft and nice and is not hard to work with at all, it is not as thick as sugar and cream...and has some nice colors.

(Trust me to arrive a day late and a dollar short.)

I am with a number of dishcloth knitting groups - with the occasional spa cloth/baby's wash cloth thrown in.
I seem remember one group being told that cloths (to be absorbent) should consist of cotton yarn. And if not 100% cotton, then the cotton component of the yarn's contents should be at least 50% and/or the highest percentage of any of the yarn ingredients.

Mercerized cotton is softer than the regular cotton one would use for dishcloths, socks12345. It's not as rough or heavy.

Janey

(Trust me to arrive a day late and a dollar short.)

I am with a number of dishcloth knitting groups - with the occasional spa cloth/baby's wash cloth thrown in.
I seem remember one group being told that cloths (to be absorbent) should consist of cotton yarn. And if not 100% cotton, then the cotton component of the yarn's contents should be at least 50% and/or the highest percentage of any of the yarn ingredients.

Mercerized cotton is softer than the regular cotton one would use for dishcloths, socks12345. It's not as rough or heavy.

Janey

Thanks for all of the responses! :-)

Jane2 -- you say that cotton should be used to make an absorbent cloth... but does a baby's wash cloth really need to be more absorbent than soft? I've never had children, so I have zero experience with babies' wash cloths (except when babysitting eons and eons ago). I know that there are a lot of microfiber cloths "out there" for adults to use because they're supposed to be soft and cleanse well...

I just bought six skeins/hanks/whatevers of Plymouth Yarn Fantasy Naturale, which is "100% Cotton Mercerized." Just holding one of the skeins/hanks/whatevers in my hand and a ball of the Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK in my other hand, I can say that the Dreambaby DK is WAY softer than the Fantasy Naturale...

Right now I guess I'm planning on making a lot of wash cloths out of a bunch of different yarns... At the very least, it will give me something to do on my breaks at work. ;-)

I am convinced that absorption is the main thing to be looked for. A cloth - whether it is used as a wash cloth or used to wipe up spit (called "burp cloths"?) - would need to be absorbent.

Otherwise, what's the point of using it? There is not much that is worse than slimy spit just being moved around - and not getting wiped up.

Janey - sorry if too descriptive

Well, yeah, if you're wiping up slimy spit, you'd definitely want something absorbent, but I was thinking more along the lines of having a baby in the bathwater and using a baby washcloth to "move the soapy water around" on the baby. Not mopping up something wet. :-)

Lindsey,
try this website, it might be helpful to you :)
http://www.crochetnmore.com/babywashcloth.htm
there are instructions on how to make a baby washcloth and what materials they recommend ...
What a lucky baby to have an Auntie who wants to make something so special and soft. I think cotton ones are your best choice, they have some really soft cotton yarns for babies, just do a little shopping, and I am sure you will find something that you love to work with....Good Luck :)

Pandora,

Thanks for the link... but I don't know how to crochet! I've passed the link along to my sister (the baby's grandmother), because she does crochet. :-)

Ok, I found this for you, now you have to do some too!!! lol lol lol
I hope I haven't offended you, just thought that you wanted to do it too, so I didnt want you to be disappointed. I copied the pattern for your and I am sending along with the site that has many many knitted items. I hope you enjoy the site, best wishes...the site is:

KnittingPatternCentral.com

Sweet Baby Wash Cloth©

Designed by Marilyn Wallace

Sept.21, 2006

4.5 mm short, circular needle

1 ball CottonTots by Bernatfabric

marker or fabric paintrubber stamp( I bought my sweet baby at Michaels for $1.50)

This cloth is small as it is intended to be baby sizedÂ..

Cast on 30 st.

Bee stitch is (k1, k1 below, k1, k1 below) instead of knitting directly into the next st. put your needle right below next st. & pull all off the needle

Row 1 Knit

Row 2 k1 k1 below, k1 k1 below across

Row 3 Knit

Row 4 K2 k1 below, k1 k1 below across

Repeat these 4 rows for pattern

In centre of cloth insert stockingnette square 10 st by 10 rowsÂ.or desired size of squareÂÂ..keeping bee stitch as sides

The last 10 rows you knit in the bee stitch patternÂCast Off.

I took a rubber stamp I purchased from Micheals for $1.50 & using permanent markers I coloured the stamp & then aligned it up to fit in the squareÂÂThe combination of the Bee stitch & the Bernat CottonTots will make this the softest cloth for baby.....

Pandora,

Yes, I DO want to make some baby washcloths myself, but I could never learn to crochet. I'm strictly a knitter. And, I've never knit anything really complicated - no socks, no sweaters...

I just looked at Knitting Pattern Central to see the photo for the pattern you supplied, and I really like it! I've never done the Bee Stitch, but it looks easy enough to do (I cheated and looked at the how-to video on KnittingHelp.com).

I think that I might try embroidering the baby's name in the center, rather than using a stamp... Since my niece and her husband don't want to know if it's a boy or a girl until the baby is born, I guess I could make a few in advance, since I know what names they've chosen.

Anyway, THANKS! That's a really cute pattern. :-)

It is my pleasure :~)
I go to the CrochetPatternCentral for alot of patterns, they have some vintage ones there, it is a terrific site. I am glad you can make some wash cloths for your neice too. They seem simple enough to me, but then again, I do not knit & Best Wishes on the upcoming little bundle, let us all know what she has...and enjoy :)
Warm Regards

There's a great 100% cotton knit/crochet thread called "Cream and Sugar". I buy it at Michael's. I've knitted a lot of washcloths. I give them to adults. I do a simple one. Cast on 35 to fourty stitches, knit all rows. When it measures square, bind off, and crochet a hanging loop.