my problem is during the winter I have to bring these inside and they are put in a back bedroom and almost forgotten about. It may be two months... in the past it has been... before they get a drink. They don't tend to do real well lie that. But outdoors during the summer they get lots of rain and seem to do pretty well. I had one in my kitchen window and drowned it though. But your idea just seems like the perfect babysitter.
Perhaps I can try different types of cloth or widths to try and determine what one carries more or less water. I have about six of these so I may have to turn the whole thing into a lab experiment.
lol
I did some searching and it may work if you use some cotton string. According to the pictures in this article they seem to be using this system for succulents, so I guess it might work.
I also found this article on watering Aloe Vera plants. Although they are in hibernation during winter, they still suggest watering every 2 weeks, so I assume it's worth a try...