PumpkinSundae

Hi...I had been wanting to try to sew fabric onto a kitchen towel for decoration for a long time and finally tried it this weekend. I got a few really good quality towels, washed and dried them, and then sewed on a couple strips of fabric that were not washed only because I wasn't sure how to wash the strips and I thought it would be hard to then fold them under to sew onto the towel.

Not crazy about the way they turned out...a lot of wrinkles because the towels are all cotton. I wanted to give them to a friend at work but not so sure now. I don't iron my towels...LOL.

Any thoughts would be appreciated to try again. Thanks so much!

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jhoward

I don't iron, except when sewing. I've sewn towels like yours. Ignore the wrinkles or iron them prior to gifting them.
: )

ArlaJo

I would iron before gifting and let the person know that the towels are cotton and will therefore wrinkle when washed.

suern3

Your towels are cute. I don't iron towels either, except if I make special ones for a gift. I've made some with hand embroidery and then a coordinating fabric band and some with embroidery and fabric binding. They make a fun gift but IMHO, look best when ironed for gifting.

SillySusan

Very cute!! Great for gifts! Like the suggestions above, they do need to be ironed. I think the people who receive these will appreciate them!

zozee

Very cute, and it won't take long at all to iron them. You'll feel so much better giving them when they look brand new after a good pressing.

PumpkinSundae

Hi..actually I will iron the towels before giving but I am more worried about the person I am giving the towels to....when she washes them it will look like a little wrinkly mess but I guess I am being a little silly about it...thanks to everyone who replied.

Mitty

I don't think you're being silly about it, but whether to iron or not will be her choice, and it's not like cotton towels that "need" to be ironed are unusual, so I wouldn't worry about it. I wouldn't iron them if they were mine unless I were displaying them for decoration.

Lena1952

I have made several towels like yours and used them. What I found is this: if the fabric piece added is more than 3" wide it slips and slides when trying to dry with it. To,solve the slipping issue, I sewed several lines across the towel or did checkerboard stitching to secure. I do iron them when gifting but for myself, I like that rumpled look:-)

mac

What if you didn't wash the towels or the fabric? Would they shrink at the same rate? It would certainly save time on your part and they would look new when you gave them as a gift.

If you did it this way, you can just put some washing instructions with the towels and include a note saying that the towels will wrinkle after being washed and ironing them is optional.