Worn Out Shower Curtain into Tea Towels

One of the best purchases I’ve ever made was Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing.  The projects are not only easy to sew, but they’re actually useful.  I feel good about giving people gifts I know they’ll use and appreciate, and I’ve made almost every project at one point or another to give as a gift.

I decided I’d start off pretty basic with my first Stash Busting project and make these wonderful little tea towels.  I’ve included a step-by-step photo tutorial below.  I used most of what I had left of a beautiful chocolate brown and cream linen damask shower curtain.

You’ll need:

- Fabrics
3/4 yard (44″ wide) light-weight cotton or linen for the towels
1/4 yard (1/2″ wide) twill tape or cotton ribbon for the towel loops

- Supplies:
yardstick
fabric marker
scissors
straight pins

Step 1: Cut out all pieces from the fabric

- The book says to measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the wrong side of your fabric using a yardstick and fabric marker. Then, using your scissors, cut out each piece, following the marked lines.  (I don’t have a yardstick, however, but I do have tweezers and I find it just as easy to make my measurements and pull out a thread where I’ll need to cut.  I find that my lines are actually a little straighter that way, since I’m very bad at drawing and cutting straight lines.)
From the fabric, cut 2 towels: 18″ wide x 24″ long
From the twill tape: cut 2 loops: 4 1/2″ long

- With the wrong side of the fabric facing up, fold each edge over 1/4″ toward center of the towel, then press.  Fold over another 1/4″ and press.  Set aside.

- The book says to fold the twil tape so it makes a loop, and tuck it under the fold in the center of one short side.  Pin the loop in place.  I did this for photographic purposes, but for my own use I prefer a straight piece of twill tape in one of the top corners.

- Machine stitch a 3/16″ seam around all four sides, backstitching at each end.  Make sure you stitch through all the layers.  Press.

- If you chose to use the loop method, then, with the right side up, stitch across the loop, just inside the folded edge (approximately 1/16 to 1/8″), through all the layers.  This wills top the edge from curling.

- Repeat the previous steps to make the second towel.

I made two sets of these towels, one with orange stitching and one with blue.  I used bright thread I’d bought for special projects in the past.  If I can rustle up some dye, I’d like to also dye the towels a coordinating color since I really prefer to use kitchen towels that won’t show every speck of dirt.

And here’s proof that my stash is already dwindling!

Related Posts:

• Five Green Moving Tips
• Sweet Spring Jersey Skirt
• Simple Sewing Machine Cover
• Handmade Valentines
• For All You Crummy-Apartment Dwellers

You Might Also Like: