Unbleached muslin hemmed all the way around makes a very absorbent tea towel. They will embroider nicely also on your machine; however, the ones I have made from muslin wrinkle badly and I have to iron them each time they are laundered. I still prefer them, but when I give tea towels as gifts I buy ready made tea towels at Walmart and embroider those. I don't have any DILs who will iron a tea towel.