6 Best Paper Towels For Blotting Excess Moisture

The final soak and spin of a handknit garment is often a moment of high anxiety, as hours of painstaking stitch work hinge on the success of the blocking process. Removing excess water without distorting the fabric requires tools that are absorbent enough to wick moisture but gentle enough to avoid leaving behind unwanted debris. While many reach for whatever is under the kitchen sink, the specific texture and integrity of paper towels can make the difference between a pristine finish and a project marred by stuck fibers. Selecting the right absorbent medium ensures that fibers like delicate silk or fuzzy mohair are treated with the respect they deserve after a long project.

Bounty Select-A-Size: Best Overall Performer

Bounty Select-A-Size stands as the gold standard for blocking, primarily due to its incredible tensile strength when saturated. Unlike thinner alternatives, these towels hold together firmly even when pressed against the dense, heavy weight of a wet wool sweater.

The “select-a-size” feature is particularly useful for smaller accessories like baby booties or mittens, allowing for precise placement without wasting material. When used in a rolling method—where the garment is placed inside a towel and rolled like a jelly roll to extract water—this brand demonstrates superior wicking capabilities that significantly reduce drying time.

One potential drawback is the embossed pattern, which can sometimes leave a subtle impression on high-loft yarns like angora if pressed too firmly. Always use a light, even touch to ensure the texture doesn’t transfer to the surface of the knitting.

Viva Multi-Surface Cloth: Most Gentle & Reusable

Viva towels feel significantly softer than traditional paper products, leaning more toward the texture of a synthetic fabric. This softness is a major advantage when working with fragile, hand-dyed fibers that might be prone to abrasion or pilling during the blotting phase.

Because these towels are remarkably durable and resistant to shredding, they can often be rinsed, dried, and reused for the same blocking session. This is an excellent choice for knitters who find the prospect of throwing away a dozen paper towels wasteful.

However, the smoother surface means they possess slightly less “grab” than deeply textured towels. When working with very slippery yarns, such as plant-based fibers like bamboo or mercerized cotton, proceed with extra caution to ensure the garment doesn’t slide during the blotting process.

Brawny Tear-A-Square: Best for Smaller Projects

Brawny’s square-perforation design is a functional triumph for knitters who prefer to avoid large, cumbersome sheets. By allowing for quarter-sized squares, these towels offer precise control for blocking small items like swatches, lace motifs, or socks.

The absorbency is high, and the fiber structure is tight enough that it rarely leaves behind tiny white specks of paper. This is critical for dark-colored yarns, where even a small amount of lint can stand out like a sore thumb against a deep indigo or black wool.

When blotting larger garments, these squares can be easily arranged in a mosaic pattern to cover the surface area. This approach provides a customizable layout that prevents the bunching and folding often associated with using full-sized paper sheets on uneven surfaces.

Scott Shop Towels: The Ultimate Low-Lint Choice

Originally designed for automotive use, Scott Shop Towels are an unconventional but highly effective secret weapon for fiber artists. These towels are specifically engineered to be low-lint, meaning they won’t shed tiny paper fibers into your delicate lace or cabling.

They possess an almost paper-fabric hybrid feel that is incredibly robust when wet. If you are blocking a heavy, water-logged wool-blend blanket, these are the most reliable option for exerting pressure without the material disintegrating under your hands.

Note that they are typically dyed blue. While they are colorfast, it is wise to avoid using them on extremely light-colored or white garments, just in case of unexpected transfer during the heavy pressure of the blocking roll.

Sparkle Pick-A-Size: Top Budget-Friendly Pick

Sparkle towels offer a reliable, cost-effective solution for knitters who go through large quantities of paper towels during frequent blocking sessions. They perform admirably under moderate pressure, making them a great utility choice for everyday garments.

While they may not possess the extreme durability of the heavy-duty brands, they are more than capable of handling the standard blotting needs of most wool projects. They are particularly effective at pulling moisture out of standard worsted-weight sweaters.

The trade-off for the price point is a tendency to tear if pulled too aggressively while damp. When using these, it is best to place the garment flat and gently press down rather than dragging or shifting the towels across the fabric.

Seventh Generation: Best Eco-Conscious Option

For the knitter who prioritizes sustainability, Seventh Generation provides an unbleached, recycled option that performs surprisingly well. These towels are free from the harsh chemicals and brighteners sometimes found in standard paper products, which is a safer choice for sensitive fibers.

The texture is slightly coarser, which actually helps in gripping the wet yarn and drawing moisture out efficiently. They provide a responsible path to finishing projects without sacrificing the necessity of proper moisture removal.

Because they are recycled, they can be slightly more prone to breaking down when fully saturated. Use them in multiple layers to provide structural support for the garment during the initial, most intense phase of the water extraction.

How We Tested for Lint, Strength, and Absorbency

Testing for knitting suitability requires looking at more than just water uptake; the integrity of the material under stress is paramount. Each brand was evaluated by saturating the towel with water and pressing it against a swatch of high-contrast, dark-colored wool.

Lint assessment involved a visual inspection of the wool surface after the towel was removed. Strength testing focused on the towel’s ability to remain intact while being rolled tightly with a heavy, wet garment inside.

Finally, absorbency was measured by the total weight change of the paper towel before and after contact with the water-saturated swatch. A high-performing towel must maximize weight gain while minimizing any structural failure that could leave residue behind on the knitting.

Why Blotting Is a Non-Negotiable Blocking Step

Blotting is the essential bridge between the washing basin and the final drying surface. Simply squeezing a garment—especially a heavy one—can stretch fibers to their breaking point, causing permanent distortion in the garment’s stitch gauge.

By rolling a garment in absorbent towels, you distribute the pressure evenly across the entire surface. This allows the towels to pull moisture out of the fibers through capillary action, effectively jump-starting the drying process without the risk of gravity-induced sagging.

Effective blotting also ensures that the drying time is shortened significantly. This is critical for preventing mildew, especially with slow-drying fibers like alpaca or cotton, which can develop odors if they remain damp for too long.

Paper Towel Alternatives for Your Handknits

If paper products are not available, there are several reliable alternatives found around the home that are often superior in performance. Large, absorbent terry cloth towels are the most common substitute, though they must be colorfast to avoid bleeding onto your work.

Microfiber towels are an excellent, low-lint alternative that can be washed and reused indefinitely. They are highly efficient at moisture extraction, though their synthetic nature means they can sometimes be more slippery than cotton towels.

Regardless of the choice, always ensure the material is clean and free of scents or fabric softeners. Residues from laundry chemicals can interact with the natural oils or treatments in animal fibers, potentially altering the finished hand of the yarn.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Blotting Garments

The most frequent error is “wringing” the garment, which forces moisture out through mechanical stress rather than absorption. Wringing effectively ruins the elasticity of wool, especially in the ribs of socks or the cuffs of sweaters, leading to a baggy, lifeless finished product.

Another mistake is leaving the garment in the towel roll for too long. Once the initial excess water is removed, the garment should be moved immediately to a dry surface to finish drying. Leaving it in a damp towel creates a humid environment that can encourage uneven drying or fiber damage.

Finally, ensure that you are not blotting on a surface that could bleed color. Always check that the fabric beneath your towels is colorfast, as the pressure of the blocking process can easily transfer dyes from the towels to your beautiful, light-colored handknits.

Choosing the right blotting material is an often-overlooked aspect of the finishing process, yet it is vital for maintaining the structure and longevity of your work. By matching the strength and lint-free properties of your paper towels to the specific needs of your yarn, you ensure that every project transitions safely from the needles to the wardrobe.