Cloth in Stardew Valley is a versatile resource used in crafting, tailoring, and completing various quests. Whether you’re looking to create stylish outfits, fulfill requests for villagers, or simply stock up on essential materials, knowing how to obtain cloth efficiently is crucial for any aspiring farmer. This comprehensive guide will explore all the different methods for acquiring cloth, from raising sheep to mastering the recycling machine.
Understanding the Importance of Cloth
Before diving into the methods, it’s important to understand why cloth is so valuable in Stardew Valley. Cloth is primarily used for:
- Tailoring: Emily’s sewing machine and tailoring kits allow you to create clothing items.
- Crafting: Cloth is an ingredient in several useful recipes.
- Quests: Villagers frequently request cloth for various reasons.
- Gifting: Certain villagers like cloth as a gift.
- Bundles: Cloth may be needed for completing community center bundles.
Having a steady supply of cloth on hand will ensure you are always prepared to tackle these activities.
Methods for Obtaining Cloth
There are several ways to obtain cloth in Stardew Valley, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. We’ll cover the primary methods in detail:
- Raising Sheep
- Using the Recycling Machine
- Killing Mummies (Skull Cavern)
- Purchasing from the Traveling Cart
- Completing Quests
- Fishing Treasure Chests
1. Raising Sheep: The Most Reliable Method
Raising sheep is arguably the most reliable and sustainable way to produce cloth in Stardew Valley. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Prerequisites
- A Coop: You’ll need a Deluxe Coop to house sheep. This is the final upgrade to the coop and can be purchased from Robin at the Carpenter’s Shop for 25,000g, 150 Hardwood, and 500 Stone.
- Hay: Sheep need to eat! Ensure you have a steady supply of hay either by growing grass and harvesting it with a scythe or purchasing it from Marnie’s Ranch. A Silo is essential for storing hay harvested from grass.
- Shears: You’ll need shears to harvest wool from your sheep. These can be purchased from Marnie’s Ranch for 1,000g.
Steps to Raising Sheep for Cloth
- Purchase Sheep: Once you have a Deluxe Coop, visit Marnie’s Ranch and purchase sheep for 8,000g each.
- Feed Your Sheep: Make sure the feeding trough in the coop is filled with hay each day. If your sheep can access grass outside, they may eat that instead, especially during Spring, Summer and Fall.
- Increase Friendship: Like all animals in Stardew Valley, sheep have a friendship level that affects the quality and quantity of their products. Higher friendship leads to more frequent and higher-quality wool. You can increase friendship by:
- Petting them daily.
- Ensuring they are fed.
- Allowing them to graze outside.
- Shear Your Sheep: Sheep produce wool every few days. The frequency depends on their happiness and friendship level. Once they have wool, you can use the shears on them to harvest it. The sheep will appear with a fluffy, wooly coat when they are ready to be sheared.
- Turn Wool into Cloth: Place the wool into a Loom. A Loom can be crafted once you reach Farming Level 7. The recipe requires 60 Wood, 30 Fiber, and 1 Cloth. Each wool will create 1 cloth.
Tips for Efficient Sheep Farming
- Automate with an Auto-Grabber: Once you’ve upgraded your coop to the Deluxe version, you can place an Auto-Grabber inside. This machine, purchased from Marnie’s Ranch for 25,000g, automatically collects any animal products inside the coop, saving you time. Note, the Auto-Grabber does *not* shear the sheep for you; you still have to do that manually.
- Maximize Friendship: Prioritize increasing your sheep’s friendship level. Happy sheep produce wool more frequently.
- Utilize the Tracker Profession: If you choose the Tracker profession at Farming Level 10, animal products will be marked on the map. This makes it easier to see when your sheep are ready to be sheared.
- Keep the Coop Clean: Animals are happier and healthier in a clean environment. Clean the coop regularly to prevent disease and maintain happiness.
2. Using the Recycling Machine: Turning Trash into Treasure
The Recycling Machine is a surprisingly effective way to obtain cloth, especially in the early game when raising sheep is not yet an option. Here’s how to make the most of it:
Obtaining the Recycling Machine
The Recycling Machine is obtained by reaching Fishing Level 4. Once you reach level 4, you will unlock the crafting recipe. It requires 25 Wood, 25 Stone, 1 Iron Bar, and 1 Garbage.
What to Recycle for Cloth
The key to getting cloth from the Recycling Machine is to recycle trash items. Specifically:
- Wet Newspaper: This is a common item found when fishing or digging in garbage cans. Recycling Wet Newspaper has a high chance of producing Cloth.
- Trash: Generic trash items also have a chance of producing Cloth, although the probability is lower than with Wet Newspaper.
- Joja Cola: Recycling Joja Cola also has a chance to produce cloth.
Steps to Obtaining Cloth with the Recycling Machine
- Collect Trash: Fish in ponds, rivers, and the ocean. Dig through garbage cans (be mindful of villagers nearby, as they may disapprove).
- Place Trash in the Recycling Machine: Place the collected trash items into the Recycling Machine.
- Wait: The Recycling Machine takes time to process items. The time varies depending on the item.
- Collect Cloth: Once the process is complete, collect the resulting Cloth (or other recycled items) from the machine.
Tips for Maximizing Recycling Efficiency
- Fish Strategically: Focus on fishing in areas where trash is common. The Beach, particularly near the broken bridge, is a good spot.
- Check Garbage Cans Daily: While it’s not the most glamorous task, checking garbage cans regularly can yield a surprising amount of trash for recycling. Be careful not to get caught by villagers as they will dislike this!
- Invest in the Recycling Specialist Profession: At Fishing Level 10, you can choose the Recycling Specialist profession, which increases the chance of finding quality items when recycling.
- Keep Multiple Machines: Crafting multiple Recycling Machines allows you to process more trash simultaneously, increasing your cloth output.
3. Killing Mummies in the Skull Cavern
While combat is not the primary method for obtaining cloth, killing Mummies in the Skull Cavern can yield cloth as a rare drop. This method is more suitable for players comfortable with combat and exploring dangerous areas.
Prerequisites
- The Skull Cavern: The Skull Cavern is located in the Desert and requires the Skull Key to enter. The Skull Key is obtained by reaching the bottom of the Mines (level 120).
- Weapons: Bring strong weapons to defeat Mummies effectively. Swords, daggers, and clubs are all viable options.
- Bombs: Bombs are essential for quickly clearing rocks and navigating the Skull Cavern.
- Healing Items: Stock up on healing items such as food or potions to recover health during combat.
How to Kill Mummies for Cloth
- Enter the Skull Cavern: Head to the Desert and enter the Skull Cavern.
- Find Mummies: Mummies are commonly found in the Skull Cavern, particularly on lower levels.
- Defeat Mummies: Mummies have a unique mechanic: they cannot be permanently defeated until they are lying on the ground as a pile of bandages and then hit with an explosive. After damaging a mummy, it will fall to the ground in a bandage form. Place a bomb next to the pile of bandages and detonate it. This will permanently defeat the mummy and give it a chance to drop cloth. Without the bomb, the mummy will simply revive after a short time.
- Collect Cloth: If the Mummy drops Cloth, collect it. The drop rate is relatively low, so don’t rely solely on this method.
Tips for Skull Cavern Cloth Farming
- Prioritize Depth: The lower you go in the Skull Cavern, the higher the chance of encountering Mummies and other valuable resources.
- Use Staircases: Use staircases to quickly descend through the Skull Cavern, bypassing less profitable floors. Staircases can be crafted from 99 stone.
- Bring Luck Buffs: Eating food that provides luck buffs increases your chances of finding rare drops, including Cloth. Lucky Lunch and Spicy Eel are good options.
- Go on Lucky Days: Checking the TV for your daily luck is important. On days where the fortune teller says the spirits are in good humor, you will have better luck finding rare items.
4. Purchasing from the Traveling Cart
The Traveling Cart, which appears in the Cindersap Forest on Fridays and Sundays, occasionally sells Cloth. This is a straightforward but unreliable method, as the availability of Cloth is random.
How to Find the Traveling Cart
The Traveling Cart is located in the Cindersap Forest, south of your farm. It appears every Friday and Sunday, as well as during certain festivals.
Purchasing Cloth
Check the Traveling Cart’s inventory each time it appears. Cloth may be available for purchase at varying prices. The price of cloth at the traveling cart can vary widely, from a few hundred gold to over a thousand. Be prepared to pay a premium for the convenience of buying it directly.
Tips for Traveling Cart Shopping
- Check Regularly: Visit the Traveling Cart every Friday and Sunday to increase your chances of finding Cloth.
- Have Gold Ready: Keep a supply of gold on hand in case Cloth is available.
- Consider Other Items: The Traveling Cart also sells other rare and valuable items, so it’s always worth checking even if you’re not specifically looking for Cloth.
5. Completing Quests
Sometimes, villagers will offer quests that reward you with Cloth upon completion. Keep an eye on the bulletin board outside Pierre’s General Store for these opportunities.
Checking the Bulletin Board
The bulletin board is located outside Pierre’s General Store in Pelican Town. Villagers post requests for various items or tasks on this board.
Completing Quests for Cloth
If a quest offers Cloth as a reward, accept the quest and fulfill the requirements. Quests may involve delivering items, slaying monsters, or performing other tasks.
Tips for Quest Completion
- Prioritize Quests: Focus on quests that offer valuable rewards like Cloth.
- Plan Ahead: Gather the necessary items or prepare for combat before accepting a quest to ensure you can complete it efficiently.
- Check Daily: New quests appear on the bulletin board regularly, so check it daily for opportunities.
6. Fishing Treasure Chests
Fishing treasure chests occasionally contain Cloth. While not a reliable method for obtaining cloth, it’s a nice bonus when you find it while fishing for food or to make money.
Fishing Prerequisites
- Fishing Rod: you must have a fishing rod. The Bamboo Pole is given to you by Willy at the beginning of the game.
- Bait: Bait increases the chances of getting a bite from a fish and can speed up the process.
- Tackles: Tackles can help in various ways such as making it easier to reel in fish.
How to Fish for Treasure Chests
- Find a Fishing Spot: Find a body of water where you can fish, such as the river, the ocean, or a lake.
- Cast Your Line: Cast your fishing line into the water.
- Reel in the Fish (or Treasure): When a fish bites, engage in the fishing mini-game. Sometimes, instead of a fish, you’ll hook a treasure chest.
- Collect Your Rewards: If you successfully reel in a treasure chest, it will contain various items, including the possibility of Cloth.
Tips for Fishing Treasure Chests
- Increase Fishing Skill: As your fishing skill increases, the chances of finding treasure chests also increase.
- Use Bait and Tackles: Use bait to attract fish faster and tackles to improve your fishing abilities. The Treasure Hunter tackle specifically increases the chance of finding treasure.
- Eat Fishing Buff Foods: Foods that give a temporary fishing buff, like Trout Soup or Seafoam Pudding, can improve your fishing skill and thus, your chances of finding treasure.
Crafting Recipes that use Cloth
Cloth is used in a variety of crafting recipes that are very useful. These include:
- Dye Bundle (Requires 1 Cloth): Needed for the Crafts Room Bundle
- Tub o’ Flowers (Requires 1 Cloth): A decorative item
- Crates (Requires 1 Cloth): Can be used to ship goods
- Mayonnaise Machine (Requires 1 Cloth): Used for processing eggs into mayonnaise
- Bee House (Requires 1 Cloth): Used for producing honey
Tailoring with Cloth
Cloth is an essential component for tailoring in Stardew Valley, allowing you to create a wide variety of clothing items. This is done through Emily’s sewing machine, which becomes available after completing the “Rock Rehaul” special order quest for Emily. Tailoring opens up a world of customization, allowing you to express your personal style in the game.
How to Use the Sewing Machine
- Obtain Access to the Sewing Machine: Complete Emily’s “Rock Rehaul” special order quest, which can appear on the special orders board outside Mayor Lewis’ house. This quest requires you to gather 99 stones.
- Visit Emily’s House: Once the quest is complete, you can access the sewing machine in Emily and Haley’s house.
- Select Your Materials: The sewing machine requires one piece of cloth and another item (like a vegetable, fruit, mineral or other item) to create a clothing item. The cloth acts as the base, while the other item determines the type of clothing created.
- Experiment and Create: Place the cloth and the other item into the sewing machine and create your new clothing item. The possibilities are vast, with different combinations resulting in unique outfits.
Common Tailoring Recipes
- Cloth + Any Berry: Creates a variety of shirts and hats
- Cloth + Any Vegetable: Creates pants or skirts
- Cloth + Minerals: Can create hats or accessories
Conclusion
Obtaining cloth in Stardew Valley requires a multifaceted approach. From raising sheep to recycling trash, each method offers its own advantages and contributes to a well-rounded farming strategy. By understanding these techniques and implementing them effectively, you can ensure a steady supply of cloth for all your crafting, tailoring, and questing needs. Happy farming!