Handmade bath sets: loofah and bast mitts, cases, hangers

I grow loofah myself and turn the ripe gourds into washing mitts, rounds and long straps with handles. The vines stay on the trellis until the skin goes papery and the fruit rattles with seed; then the gourds are soaked, peeled, shaken out and rinsed several times until nothing is left but clean fibre, and dried in the shade with air moving through, because loofah dried in the sun turns grey and brittle.

When the fibre is dry I cut it to the shape you order. A mitt is cut from the widest part of the gourd and stitched so the hand slides in freely and the seam does not rub the wrist; a round is cut across the fruit; a back strap is joined from two lengths and finished with sturdy cotton handles. Firmness differs along the gourd: the lower part is coarse and springy, the upper part is noticeably softer, and I always say which cut went into your piece. A coarse loofah is not for everyone. If your skin is thin, reddens easily or is prone to irritation, take the soft cut or wash with plain cloth instead.

Bast mitts are made the old way: lime bast is soaked, plaited flat and bound at the ends. Before the first wash steam it in hot water for ten to fifteen minutes so the fibre softens and stops scratching. Every piece gets its edge bound in cotton tape so the fibre does not fray, and a loop for hanging.

Care is simple and it decides how long the piece lasts: rinse it after every bath, squeeze it without twisting and hang it where air moves, never in a closed bag. A loofah mitt used weekly serves six to nine months; when the fibre goes limp, dark or begins to shed, it is time for a new one.

What you get:
— loofah mitt, round or back strap with handles, firmness of your choice;
— bast mitt, steamed and ready for its first bath;
— linen case with a drawstring and a hanging loop;
— gift wrapping and a short care note.