Welcome back to the American Dishtowel Club (ADC) show and the much-anticipated final selection of Best of Show!
With your thoughtful and generous input we’ve applied conformation standards to three groups of dishtowels.
The voting was very tight, reflecting the high-caliber of entrants in the show, as well as discernment of the voting public.
Nonetheless, the people have spoken and we have arrived at the three finalists for Best of Show in the competitive world of dishtowels. These are: the Flour Sack Towel, the 1950s Towel, and the Fringed Display Towel.
Please review the finalists carefully and vote, in the comments section, for your choice of “best of show” dishtowel!
Working Class Winner/ Best of Breed
Flour Sack Towels
Affectionate, playful and vivacious into old age, water lover
Guidelines: The flour or feed sack towel is designed as a towel to do a specific job—drying dishes. Despite its humble origins and surface appearance of fragility, these towels are perfect for their job. They display great thirst, are long-lived, and, as one would expect of a water towel, they dry quickly. There are few absolute characteristics to be applied to this group, although they are often so beloved by their families that they are decorated lavishly.
Sporting Class Winner/ Best of Breed
1950s Towels
Happy, eager, and charming
Guidelines: It is common for dishtowels to reflect societal preferences and trends. This can be seen nowhere more clearly than in the 1950s-era towel. Towels of this breed are resolutely upbeat and sociable. Members of the group often have a pink and aqua coloration, although they may display other bright tones, and stylized graphics. Potential owners should know that towels of this group are enthusiastic to a fault; they will not behave in a subtle manner or remain quiet, no matter how well trained.
Non-working/Non-sporting class Winner/ Best of Breed
Fringed Display Towels
Serious-minded, dignified, bright, and aloof
Guidelines: If ever a towel was designed for the show ring, the Fringed Display Towel fits the bill. Physically commanding and of large build, these towels are arresting in appearance. They are prized for their genetic make-up—only the highest quality linen is found in these towels. The towels are expensive to own and maintain, and owners are proud to display these towels for others to envy and admire. The towels are haughty and can appear untouchable; however, anyone who appreciates sheer physical perfection and breeding will be entranced.
Now that you have reviewed the best of breed finalists, we encourage you to vote for your favorite; as you vote, please keep in mind that you are voting not for a specific towel but the category of dishtowel you feel exemplifies best of show. Voting is open for one week. Results will be announced at the end of voting. Don’t delay in making your voice heard!
Love Those "Hands at Home" 
flour sack towels gets my vote now 🙂
You like that hand embroidery, right?!
There is only one winner POSSIBLE: the 1950!!!
Johanna has spoken! People are being quite fervent about their votes–LOL!
1950s towels must win – so practical and never understated!
Never, never understated–they have such attitude!
I vote for the 1950s towels 🙂
They are hard to resist!
I am jumping up and down with excitement! I love the 1950’s towel so much that I have a severe attack of towel envy! They get my vote because how could anyone be anything other than happy drying dishes with those ! Oh, I want to buy them!
They would add a little fun to doing a chore! Most of the ones pictured have found new homes already, I think, but keep you eyes open!
I’m so in love with the Fringed Display Towels ! they look so pretty and sophisticated !! I’m voting for this group 🙂
Sophisticated pretty much says it all! The quality of the fabric is amazing.
Fringed display towels is my vote. Elegant, the crème de la crème of towels!
I get a little annoyed that they are “just look, don’t touch” but I just love how lush and opulent they are!
I love the 1950’s, not for the time 🙂 but for the towels!!
Funny how they reflect the sort of clueless and happy mood of that era, though, huh?
Flour sack towels all the way! Cute, serviceable, AND repurposed!
I know–I love the way some of them still have the faint marks from the original feedback labels!
19502 have my vote…I remember fondly helping my mother and grandmother dry dishes with these towels. Serviceable and attractive, filled with memories!
I think a lot of these old dishtowels spark nostalgic memories for people! I can’t, for the life of me, remember what we used on the farm when I was a kid.
,,,oops, **1950s**…
Fringed display towels: a really class act I think, destined to be the heirlooms of the discerning family. The other two categories merit some accolade. But not Best in Show.
The fact that some of these towels have made it, intact, into the 21st century amazes me. Just one trip through a washing machine or dryer would be the end of them!
I voted for all these towels I believe in the semi’s so have a real conundrum on my hands! I love the elegance and sophistication of the fringed babies – but as I am neither elegant or sophisticated they are of no use to me……….. Recently I was gifted my first flour sack towel and have used it for the first time and fallen in love with it’s unbelievable ability to soak up water and leave articles dry and sparkly – who knew! And of course the idea that one can decorate them oneself and recycle the fabric too just takes the cake!
Flour sack towels all the way for me! ❤
They really are such useful towels–perfect for their work. But the embroidery is what really sells them–so homey and authentic.
I’ll go for the flour sack towels, because they look most likely to be the love children of loving hands at home.
“love children of loving hands at home”–OMG, I wish I had said that! Hahaha–perfect!
The flour sack towels please. ;-D
Okay–got your vote for the super cute!
so sad, my favorite isn’t there so I’ll vote for what my mother would have liked – flour sacks!
Aw–your mom would be so proud and happy!
For me, it’s a terrible decision between the 50s towels and the flour sacks. Aaaiieeeee! Flour sack! But it’s definitely fine if 50s win!
A VERY close race between those two so far! Whee!
I just love the fringed towels , they take me beyond my practical self.:)
That’s a good way to say it! They really stand for some things I don’t especially relate to but the quality and craftsmanship is just so astounding.
Oh, I love them all. But I’m always partial to those which tell you what to do each day. When I visited home this weekend, my mother had a new (old) “Saturday is for baking” towel (not sure if actually from a flour sack). Though, if you’d had 1940s instead of 1950s as an option, I’d probably have to have gone for that (my weakness).
SO many of the flour sack towels are day-of-the-week towels or the ones that say “china,” “glass,” “silver.” Gotta love a towel that tells you what to do!
Flour sack dishtowels, all the way. Were flour sacks made from calico?
No, I think calico is a stiffer, tighter fabric. They were traditionally made from actual feedsacks or flour sacks that were recycled–the fabric is pretty lightweight–sort of like muslin.
I do remember flour sacks and their softness, but suddenly realised that I didn’t know what fabric they were made from.
Oh, torn between 1950’s or flour sack – but the 1950’s just sneak in there for me!
They have such zippity do dah!
Flour sack towels! They soak up water (just what towels are supposed to do!) and are adorable at the same time. Love them.
I suspected they’d get your vote! I have never seen one that didn’t make me smile (well, except the Sunbonnet Sue ones–don’t really love those!)
I vote for the fringed display towel even though they probably weren’t used it was added elegance to even simple surroundings. The lace and/or deer motif towel I would be a proud owner of.
The weaving on these towels amazes me. Do you think the deer one was made on a Jacquard loom? How is that weaving done?! That one is on my “permanent collection”!
Jacquard or Dobby loom are possible . One would have to figure out harnesses required. I know I couldn’t weave on my 8 harness.
Fringed Display Towels 🙂
Aren’t they gorgeous?! Thanks for stopping by to vote!
Yikes, I love them all! It’s a tie!
I’m glad not everyone thinks it’s a tie–what would happen to my silly competition?! 😉
Many votes have already been cast but I’m not adding them up. I am torn this time…hmm…uh…I’ll go with the charming 1950s towels even though the floursack is a sentimental favorite.
I haven’t added the votes up either yet! I do know those ’50s towels make a lot of people smile!