Handmade Linen Dishtowels

I like to make my own dishtowels. I was inspired by a dishtowel that I got in Shipshewana, IN when I went with my mom and I've never been able to find another one like it. It's a nice soft cream cotton with pictures of black kitchen gadgets all over it. I like it because my kitchen is black and cream and I rarely come across that color combination, it's usually always black with WHITE. It's the perfect towel to hang on my wall oven as it also serves a dual purpose - it's decor too. 

I started thinking about how I could make my own towels. I was at our local garden center in the gift shop and saw a dishtowel that said:

GOOD MOMS HAVE

STICKY FLOORS,

DIRTY OVENS & 

HAPPY KIDS.

I thought that's cute, and would be very easy to make. So I went to Jo-Ann's and bought some nice linen and picked up some letter stencils. Washed it, which made it a nice soft cottony feel and got all ready to make my towels. I used my own that I liked so well as a template for size. I was going through my stencils when I decided to just do a monogrammed towel and add some ric-rac to give it a vintage feel. 

I started out by folding over all sides 1/4" twice and sewing for a hem. Then I stenciled my P and the frame and sewed the ric-rac.

So, the next one I decided to use one of my favorite sayings "Never Trust A Skinny Cook." I don't know why but I've always found that funny. 

Again, I cut my {pre-washed} linen out to be 20"x 27.5". 

 

There had been some time that had gone by since I made the first dishtowel, and so now I have a serger. I decided to just serge all edges instead of double fold and sew. I still did a 1/4" hem all around 4 sides.

Then I picked out my letter stencils and figured out my letters for each word and where they would be positioned on the towel. I then used black fabric paint to paint the letters. I like to use the Tulip brand.

 

I then just free-handed a dutch oven.

I wanted to add some color with my forest green accent color in my kitchen so I decided to add some stripes. I put a strip of tape right on the edge of my towel, and then another one 1" apart. I made sure my piece of tape was long enough to secure the towel to my surface so it wouldn't move.

Then I just started painting in between the 2 tape lines.

The paint bottle says to let it dry 4 hours flat. I let it dry an hour, then removed my tape and let it dry the other three. After 72 hours, then it can be washed.

See how nice it looks? It looks a little stiff right now because I can't wash it but after the 72 hours, then it will be all nice and soft again. 

And these wash up really nice. I've had the monogrammed one for almost a year and it's been washed countless times and is still in great shape. 

My other favorite saying? "Virgin wool comes from ugly sheep." Another one I find totally funny! My mom hooks wool rugs and when I was in my teens, she'd go to Vermont each year for rug hooking school. One year she brought back a frig magnet and it had that saying and I just think it's hilarious! I think it might be a bit much for a kitchen towel, maybe I will have to make a wooden sign with it. Take a peek here at some of the awesome rugs in my house she has done!

 

The possibilities are endless and very customizable when you are able to make your own. They'd make great bridal, wedding or housewarming gifts!

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