KITCHEN HOLDERS.
Make three kitchen holders, one to put away with the ironing apparatus, two others, to be hung up, one each side, under the kitchen mantle piece, so as to be ready for lifting pots and kettles off the fire, or taking hold of the hot handle of a sauce pan, or skillet. Small squares of old, or new carpet, are best, with an inner lining of old cloth, and an outer one of dark twilled cotton, which may either be sewed to the edge of the carpet, or the whole may be bound with worsted binding. Add a loop to hang it up by.
WASH RAGS.
Small squares of crash* hemmed, make very nice wash rags, or small, coarse tea napkins, fringed on the sides; very good ones may also be made out of the best part of old dinner napkins, or tablecloths. Be careful always to supply them to every sleeping-room with the towels, and see that they are changed once a week.
-From Jennie June’s American Cookery Book 1868
Footnote ours – * Crash is probably referring to a coursely woven cotton or linen.