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-   -   Hand Embroidered Flour Sack Dish Towel? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/hand-embroidered-flour-sack-dish-towel-t274873.html)

JanieH 01-24-2016 11:12 AM


Originally Posted by quiltsRfun (Post 7442990)
My mother did a lot of embroidery. She didn't put anything on the back of her dish towels. But she always told me the back should look as good as the front and hers did. Somehow she hid her knots and she never carried colors across. I didn't have the patience or the skill.

This is how I was taught to embroider, and my mother told me the same thing - the back should look as good as the front. Now, even if I am embroidering something where I know the back won't show, I work to keep it neat.

carolynjo 01-24-2016 12:08 PM

I did them years ago and I never covered the back. I hid the knots and did not carry them over any distance. d

lynnie 01-24-2016 04:45 PM

thanks coopah on the pictures. I try to keep my backs like yours too.
I was just wondering if there was another way, but I guess it's ok for
the back to show. Now everyone here can go and emb some towels. thanks.

coopah 01-25-2016 06:17 AM

Confession: This towel was stitched by my great-grandmother in her late 80's. Even though it is full of holes and unusable, I can't get rid of it. I have other embroideries, but we were talking about towels, so that's what I photographed.
It's good to see hand embroidery making a comeback.
P.S. Thanks for the compliments. AZ Jane, come to FL and I'll teach you! My suspicion is that you are awesome without any help.

maryfrang 01-25-2016 06:34 AM

I have made at least three or four sets. I was surprised but the stitches did not take away from the towels. Just remember do NOT run stiches on the back over large areas.

Beachbaby12 01-25-2016 07:30 AM


Originally Posted by Sandra in Minnesota (Post 7443261)
I agree. My mother taught me to embroider, and my grandmother taught her. Neither of them put anything on the back to hide the stitching. Just make it look neat on the back. Have fun ---- don't worry about it. The embroidery police don't come around very often.

I agree - I also learned the same way to embroider as Sandra in Minnesota. Have fun and enjoy!

selm 01-25-2016 08:12 PM


Originally Posted by lynnie (Post 7442997)
so it doesn't matter if stitches show on the back?
I know that it should look nice on the back, but if if the thread is used in more than one spot? Do you carry it over or do you knot and start over in another spot? I too want to emb some towels and am wondering about this also. Does anyone have a picture of the back of a tea towel they can show us how it looks?

I took an embroidery class many years and was taught not to carry colors across to a new starting point but to secure stitches and start over in new spot. Doing this makes the back as neat as the front.

QltrSue 01-26-2016 03:30 AM

As I see it, a tea towel is a utility item and as such, can be more casual than an item made for show or competition. Embroidering as neatly as possible is good, but I wouldn't worry too much about the back side. I LOVE hand embroidery and have many items from my sister, who does a neat job, but no covering on the back. I always fold them with the finished side out and hang them that way, too. So, to me, it the back really doesn't matter.

craftymatt2 02-06-2016 09:27 AM

I love this board, thank you so much for all the tips and pics, i was taught to embroider by my 5th grade teacher, and have always loved to do it, have lots of flour sack towels and thread, and lots of surgeries so will be doing lots of these. thank you again


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