Crochet: Spa Cloth Gifts

I have a group of girlsfriends with whom I swap birthday gifts. Seems such a rare thing at this age--to give and receive birthday gifts with friends--and so it is so much fun!  There are no spoken rules but the idea is that these aren't expensive but they are girly and fun and sometimes a bit luxurious. Some very minor indulgence you wouldn't buy yourself, not necessarily due to cost, but because it isn't a necessity. We get together for lunch a few times a year near one of the birthdays and the birthday girls goes home with an armful of little luxuries.

Two of these friends share the same birthday and it's in early December, so I make an effort to chose something for them that has nothing to do with Christmas becauase I figure December birthdays are threatened to be overwhelmed by the big holiday this month. For the past few years I have also tried to give something handmade. I have been coming up with something and then duplicating it throughout the year for all the birthdays. Last year I made and gave monogrammed stationery, and the year before that I gave felted flower corsages, and before that some simple crochet scarves like these.

This year I am doing spa cloths. These are cotton washcloths I crocheted in the sedge stitch using this pattern. I love this stitch! It has such a gorgeous texture. I've thought of using it for a children's sweater but haven't yet. Seems the perfect little indulgence for the bath. I am giving two paired with a good bar of soap. So many possibilities here but I went with Burt's Bees Radiance bar. It smells great and I love the natural ingredients. A good all-natural package.

Wrapped the little stack in a natural tissue, tied with yarn and added a tag I punched from some scrapbook paper I had on hand.  I would enjoy receiving something like this (and haven't yet made some cloths for myself--cobbler's children...) so I hope the birthday girls feel the same way!

Oh, and did you notice I seem to be continuing what I'll call my Tess Color Palette, which began with this cut-chenille blanket and this lavender crib bedding? Why not? I think these colors are gorgeous together!