Back to basics. How to make kitchen towels by Jane.

Once again I am helped this week by Jane.   I can't thank her enough.   We have been sewing partners in crime for sometime.  Jane is a much better sewer than me but we both look to thrift stores and unused cottons from old sheets, quilt covers, pillowcases, curtains....  these items are a gold mine of a ton of fabric!   A big favourite is cotton waffle weave fabric because it is pure cotton, thick and very absorbent.  This makes it perfect for kitchen towels.   Large amounts make wonderful soft bath towels...   cottons from old sheets etc also make beautiful napkins, aprons, pillowcases,  table cloths,  curtains...   the list is just endless.   You can make so much for your own home and so many gifts.  Don't forget the little girls dresses from a pretty pillowcase.   Even if the fabric is plain white if it is 100% cotton I buy it as this can be used as backing/lining and even dyed.   If you know someone who is into retro then sheets from the 70s make the most amazing kitchen accessories.   Anyway over to Jane...

 How to make tea/kitchen towels from old cotton pillow cases.

Hello everyone. Many of us are looking for ways to make the dollars we have go further. This is getting increasingly difficult in our current economic environment. 

I like to make sure that items in my home, give me every last bit of use they can, before they leave my home. My linen closet is an amazing asset to my home. Once towels, sheets, doona/duvet covers and pillowcases are too worn for the bed and bathroom, they get another life, by being made over into something else, and continue their usefulness in my home. Now that doesn’t mean my home looks like it belongs to a Rag and Bone Man. It most definitely does not. 

I want to show how I make my tea towels/kitchen towels, out of old pillow cases. Now before you think that purchasing these towels from somewhere like Kmart, is not a big expense, it is still an expense. Using old pillow cases means they get another life. Being a well used linen, they are now lovely soft and absorbent. They are perfect to use in the kitchen. Being double sided they are a better quality towel as well. 

If you can sew a straight line, you can make these. I have made one with my overlocker/serger and one on my machine. My overlocker/serger is 12 years old and my machine in almost twenty years old. You don’t have to have the most modern and up to date sewing machines to make items for your home. I have used a quilting ruler and rotary cutter as well as just scissors. You can do this.

Step one

Lay your pillow case on a flat surface. Cut as close to the stiched edges as possible. You now have a double layer cut out.  My pillow case was large enough to fold in half and cut along the fold line to get to cut out double layer towels.

Step two is optional

I took one of the layers and decided to add some trim to the towel. I had some flower trim that I just used a zig zag stitch to sew onto the towel. I also had a moustache iron on motif that I attached following the instructions that were on the packaging.

Step three.

Place right sides of the front and back of the towel together and pin. 

Step four.

Sew the front and back of the towel together. Make sure that you leave a good opening for turning. You can see the pins where I have left the turnings. If you have used a serger you don’t need to worry about this part. If you used a machine, trim about 6mm/1/4 inch from the sewing line. Cut away the corners being careful not to cut the stitching

Step five

Turn the towel out and use something to poke out the corners. I use an old plastic knitting needle. Iron the edges. Top stitch around the outside edge. This will close up the opening you had for turning the towel. I can see Annabel and Jenny adding an extra layer of prettiness by crocheting around the edges of these towels. You are only limited by your imagination. 

Congratulations you have made your own unique tea towel/kitchen towel. You have given another life to something that was bound for the donation pile. You have kept the cost of purchasing one of these towels in your wallet. You have added value to a useless product and added to your own home economy. 

Mine are bound for the gift cupboard. I have plans to make hand towels out of the second pillow case to go with these tea towels. I then have the King Size doona cover that is so much fabric with so much potential to use. I see hot pads and pot holders being made. I will use and old towel as the insulation in both. 

Beautiful and practical gifts will be made with almost zero cost. You cant ask for more than that. 

Thank you Jane!   I am adding that a crochet edge is another option.  Jennifer also makes table runners with a crochet edge.  Really,  the sky is the limit.   Kitchen cafe style curtains with a crochet edge ...  there are too many possibilities and not enough days in the week to sew! 

Facebook market place, garage sales,  Nana's sheet collection, telling people what you are looking for... are all ways to come across wonderful fabrics.    Thrift stores in your area might not be much good... many of them have lost their minds.  But don't give up,  check out any in different areas you are passing by.  Country areas are often better.  Here some are very expensive but I still know of a couple who are amazing.  Wherever I might be I will be sure to check out the thrift stores.  Also form a team... my friends know what I am looking for and I know what they are looking for.  We cover a lot of ground this way!   I have a friend who actually works in a thrift store and she watches out for me too.   So be encouraged...  so much fabric can be found for both your home and gifts.   Thank you so much dear Jane.xxx

Thank you for so much support.  It is two weeks today that Andy died.  This doesn't seem possible.   I know that I can only read a few messages at a time and I know I can't reply and I hope you understand.  I normally do my best to reply and answer questions.  I had to make three phone calls today and that was my limit,  it is as though normal things are exhausting and draining.  Just about every one of us has been there at some point so I know. you understand.xxx