Hanging Kitchen Towel Tutorial

Materials

•  15" x 25" kitchen  hand towel (one half)
• 7" x 9" quilted fabric for topper, or you can use fabric of choice and either fleece or batting  (fleece is easier to work with)
• 2 pcs 1-1/2" x 16" matching fabric for ties 
• 2 pcs 1-1/2" x 7" matching fabric for bottom of topper
• Thread to match ties and bottom of topper
• Pattern here Towel Top Template (make sure to click on "actual size" when printing this)

Instructions

          Cut the kitchen towel in half (will measure 15 x 12-1/2”) and fold so that it is in a 1/3 width of the towel in sort of a zigzag fashion, pin raw edges, see photo below, I have the back side of the folded towel showing.

Baste raw edges, total width of towel should now be approximately 5-1/4"

Cut out the pattern of the towel topper, using the quilted fabric, Towel Top Template  pattern is actual size, so please click the button for actual size when printing. (note: if using a towel that is larger than 15 x 25" in total size prior to cutting in half, you will need to add width to the bottom edges of the towel topper). Towel topper should extend 1/4"  on both left and right sides beyond the width of the folded towel.


If you are not using quilted fabric, you can also use either scraps of fleece or thin batting, I prefer to use the fleece as I think it's a little easier to handle here.  Cut out the fleece/batting slightly larger than the towel topper pattern, and then trim it back after each seem has  been stitched in place.

Picture at left, is if using fleece/batting, disregard if using quilted fabric.

 Cut 2 pieces of the fabric for ties, (1-1/2" x 16"), fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and press, open and then fold in raw edges of of sides towards the center, but not touching the center, press, repeat with the other side.  
 
 


I leave about 1/16-1/8" gap in the middle between the edges to make for easier folding and sewing later, see photo. 




Now fold in 1/2 lengthwise again, and press

                                                                                                              

Take one end of the strip and fold "inside out" so that the flaps are on the outside and stitch across the end thru all four layers using 1/4" seam allowance, repeat with the other end, do this with both of the strips.  Trim close to the seam being extra careful not to cut thru the stitches as in photo below.

Turn right side out and press

It should end up looking like this photo at right








If you are using a heavy fabric, it helps to pin together and let it cool after ironing until you need it later






Center one 1-1/2 x 7" strip with right sides together along straight (outer) edge of towel topper and stitch using 1/4" seam allowance.  turn and press, repeat with other side as in photo.

If using fleece or batting, be sure to line up the strip even with the main fabric and not the fleece or batting.  Trim excess batting to match main fabric after seam is set in place.  If using quilted fabric, disregard this photo.








With right sides together, center the towel top so that the raw edge of one of the 1-1/2 x 7" strips are along the basted raw edge of the folded towel as with the photo at right.






Ok, this is where it gets a little tricky, turn the towel over and roll up the towel tightly and pin the opposite side of the towel top to the basted raw edge of the backside of the towel, pin and stitch using a 1/2" seam allowance.  Turn right side out and press, See photo at left, this is what it looks like rolled up before turning.

Clip edges of the strip just sewn in to match the angle of the towel top.  If using quilted fabric, baste close to the edge, trim excess if needed, if using fleece or batting see next step before basting.

If using fleece or batting, stitch across the towel topper horizontally about 1" below the top of the topper, and then again about 1" below that seam, now you can go ahead and baste the angled sides, trim close to seam being carefull as not to clip into the stitches  (see tip below)






Another thing that you can try, is taking three to four strips of 3/4 to 1" wide masking tape, and laying it across the face of the towel topper, stitch along the edge of the tape as a guide.  Remove tape when finished, see photo.

With strips for the ties, place one of the folded edges over "around" one of the bottom corners of the towel topper where they are extending past the folded towel, (so that this strip will be overlapping both on the front and the backside)

Stitch in place and keep pulling up the strip along the angled basted edge of the towel topper, stitch close to the "innermost" edge being careful to stitch thru all layers thru to the back of the strip too, stitch the whole full length of the strip.  Repeat with the other side.  This will finish your hanging kitchen towel. I hope you get lots of use out of it.