Over Christmas break, I wanted to work on some projects for my home. The goal was to add touches of color and put my signature throughout the space. We live in a no-frills military base house here in Japan, so making things for the home really warms up the space. I already had some very plain IKEA hand towels for the bathroom, but they needed some color and life. I went to my giant bag of scraps to make this scrap-busting project. It’s quick and fun, so I hope you try it out!
Materials Needed to Sew a Hand Towel
Large scraps of fabric (or smaller pieces you have already pieced together)
Trims (if you desire)
Hand towels (terrycloth or other—mine were cheap from IKEA)
I found large scraps in my scrap bag and I sewed them together, ironed the seams flat, and cut them just 1/2” larger (on all sides) than my existing towel. I then pressed the 1/2” seam under on all four sides and sewed it to my towel using the Edgestitch Foot #10D.
You can see in this photo that the stripes are still partially visible from the towel underneath so I decided to add some pom-pom trim on top.
2. Add Trim on Top for Added Color and Texture
I find the edgestitch foot really comes in handy when putting pom-pom trim on things. The two different heights (one side flat and one side bumpy) came to be hard to sew a straight line on without the little divider part of foot#10D.
I added three strips of pom-poms to each end of the towel.
I love how it turned out! So I went ahead and made another, only this time with no trim:
You might be thinking: Why not just make a regular tea towel? But I personally don’t find that those absorb enough water. I prefer the function of the terry cloth and the beauty of the smooth cotton. My family was confused at first, but I told them to just wipe their wet hands on the back of the towel where the absorbent terry cloth is! Form and function, perfect. Hope you enjoy this quick, colorful scrap-buster!
*All fabrics used are my personal design. You can find links to my fabrics on my website.
You will need approximately 4 oz / 114g / 206 yards per crochet hand towel made. I used I Love This Cotton in Rosy. You can use any cotton yarn you prefer. I Love This Cotton is 100% cotton and is very soft for cotton yarn, so I use it for most bath items.
For a more relaxed and casual vibe, drape towels over towel bars or hooks. This approach works particularly well for hand towels and washcloths. Experiment with different draping styles, such as folding the towel in half or leaving it partially folded while letting it hang in a loose and effortless manner.
I cut four pieces, each about six inches long (cut at an angle so the ribbon doesn't fray). And then I sewed each piece into a loop, right in the middle of the towel's long side. I sewed across each ribbon loop four or five times, using a short stitch, to make sure it was on there securely.
Chain 49 for a finger towel, or 91 for a larger hand towel or kitchen towel. See my granite stitch tutorial here if needed. Row 1 Single crochet across, chain 1 and turn. Row 2 Sc in second stitch from hook, *ch 1, skip stitch below, sc in next stitch.
As is clear from the name, a hand towel is used to dry your hands and usually hangs by the sink for easy access after washing your hands. It is generally 15 x 25 inches to 18 x 30 inches large and sometimes has decorative edges like tassels or a fringe for some extra visual interest.
Twist loop drying towels: These towels are made of a looped microfiber material that is extremely absorbent and effective at drying your car after washing. They are typically large and plush, making them ideal for soaking up water and drying large areas quickly.
Terry cloth is a fabric with uncut loops or pile, deliberately standing away from the base. It is woven using two warp beams: the ground warp, which forms the base of the towel and the pile warp, which creates the loops of the thread. This process creates a thoroughly absorbent and cozy towel.
Conclusion. To produce a soft and absorbent fabric, towel manufacturers often use materials like cotton, bamboo, or microfiber. Spinning the yarn, weaving or knitting the fabric, and then using finishing methods like dying, printing, and softening to complete the creation process.
Do you have a little extra time and want to get a hand or bath towel hot? Dampen it by misting the cloth with plain water.Pop the slightly moist towel into the dryer and run it on low heat for a few minutes.
Introduction: My name is Duane Harber, I am a modern, clever, handsome, fair, agreeable, inexpensive, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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