Jute - knitting and crochet

I've been having fun with dishcloths. For some reason I had a little cotton yarn to play with and it didn't make good socks, but did knit up nicely into dishcloths. Then I had a thought - rather than buying expensive yarn, maybe I could use cotton string (TBC). Then I had another thought, maybe I could use garden string, tough and water resistant, it might make a good scouring wash up pad. A bit of investigation turns out this is a thing, both for washing dishes and as an exfoliating skin cleaning cloth. Although rather scratchy when dry, the string becomes softer when wet, but still tough. It can be machine washed to clean, produces no plastic microfibres and can be composted at the end of it's life as a useful washcloth.

exfoliating wash cloths

image source
As I'm thinking of making these for gifts I bought some new string in different colours (very good service from UK based Nutscene). My first effort was a knitted dishcloth, which turned out pretty well (unlike the photo)

knitted jute dishcloths

I did find however that the string was pretty hard on my hands. It might be that it would be easier with larger needles. It then occurred to me that a crochet 'granny square' would have a nice amount of texture for a scrubbing cloth, so I decided to have a go at that. I'm not an expert crocheter, so I had to look up the basics and had a practice with a spare bit of string. Although I broke the first (plastic) hook fairly quickly I soon got the hang of crochet again with a more robust metal hook, and am now hooked on granny squares! I'm finding it much easier on the hands and they are knitting up pretty quickly - easy to make the size and colour you want too.

learning to crochet jute string granny squares

Anyone else had a go knitting or crocheting with jute string? What did you make and how did it go?

I haven't tried yet, but had the same idea that it could work well for making inexpensive crocheted dish scrubbers. I've seen similar for sale and they are not cheap. I like the coloured jute you're using. I was going to try Poundland garden string, if they had jute or a similar natural fibre. But it seriously must be rough on the hands while making them!

Ohh, what an interesting idea.

I wonder how they wear compared to the cotton? I'll have to see if I can get my hands on some and see is the misses would mind whipping up a few test squares.

Jane - for some reason I found knitting to be much more hard work with the string than crochet. It may be that I was blaming the jute for a rough end on a bamboo knitting needle however. The string is slightly rough, but it is more that it is quite stiff so the knitting, where you bend the whole cloth each stitch seems very heavy to work. In crochet you just do one stitch at a time so seems a lot easier.
I need to work on my tension consistency though. I'm not very good at crochet and I noticed that my last granny square has turned out quite a bit smaller than the first. It is much easier if you can keep the string fairly loose, but I found then it has a tendency to become uneven.

Timothy Norton wrote:I wonder how they wear compared to the cotton? I'll have to see if I can get my hands on some and see is the misses would mind whipping up a few test squares.

I'll let you know how they wear once I have one to use myself (I may choose the roughest looking one when I get them finished) I suspect that it depends on how easy jute is to get hold of as well. In the UK it developed as an industry around the Dundee area of Scotland as another fibre (Like cotton) from the Indian subcontinent so has been cheap and easily available. I like it in the garden because unlike plastic string, you don't have lots of rubbish in with your plant stalks when you tidy them up at the end of season.


(Crochet is not just for the missus - and there's a BB for making a dishcloth: https://permies.com/wiki/113969/pep-textiles/Crochet-knit-dishcloth-PEP-BB. It's a nice small project if you fancied learning a new skill)

My grandfather did a lot of crocheting while my grandmother did a lot of knitting. So I grew up thinking crocheting was for boys and knitting was for girls :)

I learned to crochet because my grandfather did it. Of course I haven't done it in 25 years... maybe I should go get a hook and take it up again... along with the 47 other things I don't have time for these days :)

a couple years ago I made a bunch of plant hangers out of a heavy-ish jute-- same weight as hay bale twine, I'd say. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/hanging-teardrop-planter-pods-crochet-free-pattern-crochet-knitting--751186412861354119/
It was hard indeed, my hands were aching.
I hadn't thought of making scrubbies out of it, that's a great idea. I buy various weights of jute to use in my garden and I always have some around. When I'm back to crocheting (maybe one of these days?) I'll try it with thinner jute and see how it goes. I enjoy using loofahs for dishes, but I do like a cute dishcloth too, and anything that can go in the compost is a wonderful thing.

I'm actually really enjoying crocheting. I'm very much a beginner, I never managed more than a chain until a few years ago and these granny squares are the first finished crocheted item I have completed. If you will forgive the expression, I am now hooked on crochet!
So I was looking for more small projects to make with my string. In my filing I have various patterns and I started one for a pair of slippers. I need some, as the dog ate my last pair....I didn't get on very well with the pattern though - it was supposed to be very loose, and I think I will need to find a bigger size hook to achieve that so I decided to go freestyle!
These ones by P Colvin look very pretty in the colours.

jute slippers

from the HUSP footwear thread
Apparently jute is also used these days for the soles of espadrilles (ref. Dave de Basques post here)
I'm pretty sure that the string would be reasonably durable used outside, although would likely let my feet get damp - I'm thinking indoor slippers mainly (although I have been know to pop outside in them too). One way round the damp if that were an issue might be to make a double layered sole with a sandwich layer of a waterproof material like leather.
So far I've made a convincing sole and just started the sides of one foot. I'm hoping to make a slip-on style but haven't decided yet how to make the tops. I haven't learnt decreases yet, but a separate 'granny square' might fit in nicely.

The dishcloths have turned out a bit too rigid - functional, but not flexible. I thought they would soften more when wet.
If I were making some more - what sort of crochet stitch would be better? I'm a beginner crocheter, so be kind! I'm thinking I want a lacy sort of stitch with more gaps in the finished article. Is that going to be difficult?

The granny squares are too stiff? Or the other ones? I'd think the granny squares would give more flex... Also, simply trying a larger hook, just like in knitting, using larger needles, will give more movement.

Yes the granny squares. Hopefully the knitted ones will be functional, as they are already on the way to the recipients....

Carla Burke wrote: simply trying a larger hook, just like in knitting, using larger needles, will give more movement.

Good idea Carla - I suspect the hook I used was smaller than the yarn really demanded - I did find it a bit...congested at times, but since these were my first squares, I wasn't sure what to expect.

i would suggest, if you're new to this, making square cloths first, and use it as a chance to practice your openwork. No pattern needed: chain on a good length, using a bigger needle than the yarn calls for. Single crochet (that`s US terminology, I know across the pond is different) a base row, then start playing. I like to do double crochet/chain 1 alternating, then turn and go back with single, for example, that gives a nice bit of openwork. you can play with each different stitch you know, taking turns with a base row and then chains (to open things up).

I wanted to add a photo of something i whipped up the other day to see if I could crochet yet (i can!! woooooot). This is exactly what I describe, single and double+space. I prefer half-double crochet but i think it gets too cramped, this is a weird scrubby yarn that is thick though.