I was searching through Joanns online sales and came across Huck Toweling. I've never heard of it. Does anybody know what it is?

Thanks

Ok, this is going to age me. . . . :roll: Do you remember those towel holders in the public restrooms that were on a roller, but real cloth? That was Huck Toweling. Please also use Huck toweling for embroidery work, my aunt used to pull the cross wise threads and create a fringe on them.

I Googled and found this.... I'll try to get a picture for you in a few...

Huck Toweling, an old-school Nordic weaving or embroidery technique that gained popularity in the 1940s, is making a comeback among young crafters.

Huck Toweling can refer to the fabric used for the craft, most often Monk's Cloth today, or the actual embroidery technique which is also sometimes called Huck Embroidery. The technique, traditionally used to embellish hand towels, curtains and other household fabrics, is a surface embroidery technique that requires "floating" floss. "Floating" yarn or floss means that the fibers are woven under the top layers of the fabric but don't penetrate the back or "wrong" side of the fabric.

Though this sounds like painstaking handwork, many advocates find the precision and detail of the small stitches something that relaxes them and allows them to lose themselves into the craft. Once you get into the rhythm of the stitching, projects can be completed quickly since the floss isn't going through the fabric completely.

Here is a how-to on the craft from eHow and a simple free pattern from Avery Hill that would look great on the edge of a towel for your first project.

I wonder if it is akin to waffle pique? I'm still looking for some of that. I use to make decorated towels and aprons to match for Christmas Gifts about two and half light years ago. Now who is telling age??

This is going to age me as well, but we embroidered huck towels in jr. high home economics class. I really enjoyed doing that.

Midwestqltr

Wow, that is really beautiful!!

My cousin taught me that years ago, she has passed but I have two of her hock towels hanging in my sewing room it's really fun and easy like crossstitch everytime I see those books I would like to do one.

How strange to read this post today. Last week I was at a local Craft sale. One vendor had some Huck towels for sale.
It is also known as Swedish Weaving. I did this craft years ago and still have some of the books on it. I commented on how beautiful the towels were and called them by Huck Toweling. The lady said that in the last 1 year I was the second person to know what it was. She handed me a towel and said it was my prize. Of course I had to buy a couple more from her. I'm sending one to my daughter for Christmas. The fabric is still available on line.

I learned to do "Swedish Weaving" in Az a couple of years ago. It is a lot of fun but very time consuming. This technique was done on Monks Cloth and the weaving was done with varigated yarn. The needle used is a flat needle. It is a lot like needlepoint counting threads.

I do both Swedish Weaving and Huck Embroidery. Even though you can use some of the same patterns and the stitches are the same, they are really different. Huck is smaller and you use floss or perle cotton. Swedish is done on Monks Cloth-Larger floats- and usually done with yarn. Pique is one of the different material that can be used but the squares aren't really square so the pattern looks different. I have made hundreds of throws, table runners, tissue holders, candle cozies, etc. I find it to be a very relaxing craft. I'll post some pictures in the next post.

Parrothead, those are beautiful!!! I'd love to find someone close to me that could teach me how to do that. Such elegance.

I remember at about age 14 having a lovely dress with some pretty embroidery on it that my Grandma had made. It was some sort of crinkly fabric that didn't look like it had ever been ironed. The name of it escapes me now...darn, I HATE it when that happens.

I have some huck embroidered towels that I use today.. I love them.. they are beautiful and huck toweling drys dishes beautifully.. I also have books in my basement with patterns.. I haven't made any in a long long time.. I love doing them.

Monks cloth and huck toweling are quite different. Monks cloth is more of an even weave.. If you could see them side by side you'd easily see the difference. Either one make up beautifully, and are wonderful to have in the house..

Featherweight, that is a beautiful Swedish weaving pattern and the colors are just gorgeous.
I am glad for this post as I was not sure of the difference between Swedish weaving and Huck embroidery. I have picked up several pieces at antique shops, etc.

Oh My gosh this brings back childhood memories. I learned hucking in 4H.

Thank You so much. I did enjoy making this throw.

Oh boy, does this bring back memories...we were taught to do this weaving so many years ago by a grandmother...thanks for the memory booster.

Nowadays the huck towelling is different than years ago. In order to get the old-fashioned kind it's Popcorn Huck Towelling. (I have some of my mother's to finish that she gave me some 30 years ago--and I'm somewhat still young.) :)