simple tea towels

Remember my leaning tower of idle fabrics?

I have begun to diminish its height, starting with fabrics I have the least dilemma attached to. Keeping ideas simple, taking on projects that will achieve a result in a matter of an hour. The prospect of instant results seems to keep the dillydallying and fretting at bay.

So I went and cut up a vintage cotton curtain and a little tablecloth (left over from this project) to make a couple of new tea towels for the kitchen. I asked myself why pay any money for new ones at all when it's possible to run them up in no time and with little effort? Especially when all the ingredients - namely cotton fabric, ribbon braid, sewing thread - are already there in my craft cupboard, not a cent needing to be spent.

To achieve a perfectly formed tea-towel, only a few assertive but very simple steps need be done:

1.) Iron fabric then cut it to ideal tea towel size with 2 cms seam allowance all around. To determine ideal tea towel size, copy the dimensions of a favourite shop-bought tea towel.
2.) Fold 1cm in, then the other 1cm in to form hem.
3.) Clip corners for a bulk-free fold.
4.) Pin in place the hanging loop: in the corner, or in the middle, with its ends folded under the hem. Vintage braid or ribbon is ideal, but a loop fashioned from the same fabric is very sophisticated too.

 

  

5.) Hem with straight stitch all around.
6.) Press perfect with the iron and then Ta-da!, enjoy the new-born tea towel, holding it up toward the ceiling in victory pose (yelps of victory can also be applied, to taste).

Riding the momentum of this glorious ta-da moment, you could quickly make another tea towel like I did.

Now having these brand new specimens, there is no excuse for not to quickly wash and dry all that washing up that's so nicely out of focus in the first picture...

But before I make you think of any outstanding kitchen chores, have a look in your craft cupboard in case you have all the ingredients for a tea towel so you could enjoy this quick project before doing the dishes!