Is It A Tea Towel or A Dish Towel?

 Today as I was doing laundry, I picked up a kitchen towel to fold.  Some I admire as the towels are handwoven; others are tattered and torn but still useful.  Then my brain wondered to ask the question--is a kitchen towel called a 'tea' towel or a 'dish' towel?  Or have you heard towels called “ cup” towels? 

Many moons ago, I did towel exchanges with several other weavers around the country.  Now, when I pick a towel from the kitchen drawer, I give it a look over and think "oh,  this one was woven from such and such" or this one was in an exchange from late 1990's.  The only thing I don't like is the fact, many of the weavers didn't put a name label on their exchange!  What a shame--I don't know who did the work!  I admire it all the same.

These towels have been used for years and not ready for the trash pile yet--all are from exchanges. 

This one has some holes from wear and usage--but still good to go! I could get my needle

and thread to reweave the vacant spots--nope, think I'll let it have the character it has--besides, I'm lazy!

The Very Best Ones are in the bottom drawer--not to be touched until one in the above drawer has absolutely exhausted their life period!!  Bet you have some of those--don't you?

I did give mother and mother-in-law hard time when I would give them a gift of handwoven towel and they put it away, never to be seen again.

Mine can be seen!  if you open the bottom drawer, just be sure you don't pull them out to wipe up a spill!!

Mother-in-law would give gifts of feed sacks that she had hand embroidered--poor cloth is waning away from use--still ready to be useful though.

Okay--now back to tea towel vs. dish towel--"a cloth for drying dishes." Often made of linen, cloth, or a combination of the two, tea towels date back to England in the 18th century, when they were used to insulate tea pots at tea ceremonies (hence the name), dry fine china, and cover baked goods. During this time, people also used tea towels to practice embroidery, often gifting friends and family tea towels stitched with flowers, initials, or other designs. As the times changed, so have tea towels: By the 19th and 20th centuries, most tea towels were reportedly made with striped or checked cloth for a more decorative touch.

The only time that you shouldn't use the names interchangeably is when you're using a towel made of terry cloth. By definition, tea towels are only made of linen or cotton, whereas dish towels can also be made of terry cloth. Both types of towels, however, are roughly the size of a hand towel, ranging from 16″ x 28″ to 18″ x 30″.

And now to a cup towel…

 

CUP TOWEL ..noun..soft fabric, used to dry dishes. Called CUP TOWEL/DISH TOWEL  in the South, especially in TEXAS..  

So, call them what you want--tea or dish or cup!  They serve the same purpose--

I'm going back to admire my handwoven towels and maybe dry some dishes!