Sunday, October 5, 2008

Kitchen Towel Tutorial

I thought I'd put together a little tutorial for those who asked how my kitchen towels were made in my Fall into Fall Giveaway.



If you need a quick gift that you can make in less than 20 minutes this could be your thing!



First get in your car and drive down to a store that sells kitchen things. Pick out a small towel with a coordinating pot holder. They often come as a set sold together.


Then drive over to your grandma's house and steal....borrow her button collection. If you happen to have your own button collection visit your grandma anyways and give her a hug.




You'll need a button with a shank like this.


Take your towel to the ironing board and fold it in half width-wise and press the fold with the iron. This will give you a guide on where to put your gathering stitches.


Next get about 40" of thread on a sewing needle. I used my hand quilting thread but any good tread will work. If you don't double your thread 20" will be plenty.

Either knot the end off or double your tread, put the cut ends through the eye, take a stitch and then put the needle through the loop that's at the end of the thread. Clear as mud right?
All you need is to make sure your thread is secure at the side of the towel and isn't going to come out when you gather the towel. Does this picture help?

Take some stitches all the way across the towel on the fold you made.


When you reach the other side of the towel pull the thread until the towel is gathered. You can either measure your pot holder (mine was 6") or just lay it on top of the towel and make sure the towel is gathered the to same width. Once you've got it the right size make a knot in the thread, close to the towel.



Center the middle of the pot holder on the gathered part of the towel. Take it to the sewing machine and stitch down the middle of the pot holder and towel. Back stitch at the beginning and end.
Snip your threads. If your gathered stitches show pull them out. They shouldn't show unless you used that bright pink thread you've been saving for something special. ;o)


Track down your button and sew it to the side of the pot holder that was opposite the loop.

Fold the pot holder up and loop the loop around the button.



Now go back to your grandma's to return her buttons and use her oven door handle to model your lovely towel. You were making it for her anyways weren't you?

My oven door handle is completely attached to the oven so these towels don't work for me but they make a great gift for others!

And there you have it, a lovely gift! Wouldn't these be great with Christmas towels?

22 comments:

Myra said...

Great tutorial Corinna! Thanks for sharing it with us.

Anonymous said...

This is so much easier than the ones where towels are cut in half and another fabric added to top to hand. This is so versital. Tanks dear lady for sharing all of your tutorials. HELEN

Gina said...

I've always made mine folded, not gathered, but I may give this a try. The folded ones hang nicely but this might be something different.

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for this tutorial! I have wanted to make some for a long time! These will make perfect holiday gifts!
Char

cedar chest quilts said...

OH wow Corinna--to think you use to have to take all that time to crochet a top on a towel--but no more. Thanks so much for the tutorial--I can't WAIT for the Christmas towel/pot holders to come out-so I can make some gifts. Thanks again. Angie

Anonymous said...

Someone gave me one which used velcro at the top of the hot pad rather than a button. I like the button better, I think.

Anonymous said...

Dear Corrina
These will make great "tuck in" and hostess Christmas gifts. LOVE the idea! Thanks!
Edie

Myra said...

That is a great little tutorial girl, and you sound like you have quite a sense of humor! Bonus!!! 8-)
Love the quick little gift towel!!! I will definitely try that! 8-)

Anonymous said...

great tutorial; I got one as a gift that had the potholder folded corner to corner to make a triangle; the top of the triangle had the loop with a button sewed to close it

Janet said...

My mom gave me one and I love it. Thank you for posting this. I was going to try to figure out how to make it, you've helped alot. take care, Iris

Sandra :) said...

What a fun tutorial and a cute project - thank you - I'm going to try this!

Anonymous said...

I just made 2 towels for Christmas gifts & IT IS QUICK & EASY!! Thank you soooo much for sharing this tutorial!

Kathie C.

Anonymous said...

Excellent Tutorial! Thanks for doing it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for a great tute. You should take up writing too - your tute kept me reading to the end just to see how many times, you could make me smile. Going to make some for next Christmas. Great directions.

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Anonymous said...

Very cool! I'm definitely going to have to give this a try :D

Anonymous said...

So easy I am going to make these as Christmas Gifts in the color of their kitchen. Great idea . Thank you.

Sally said...

Thank-you so very much for sharing with us. I have always wanted to make these because they are so handy to use when they are right out in front of you and not stuck in the drawer.

Loie said...

Great way to make a quickie gift, I bought some nice quality kitchen towels at a family $1.00 store, chose matching pot holders now it's up to my sewing room I go...More Christmas Gift tuck-ins..Love it!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have a pattern for making a smocked pot holder from a checkered kitchen towel? I made them with my Aunt over thirty years ago and dont remember how to smck the towel. Thanks
Dorothy

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