Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums > General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
Tea Towels - Alternative to Purchasing Pre-Made Towels? >

Tea Towels - Alternative to Purchasing Pre-Made Towels?

Tea Towels - Alternative to Purchasing Pre-Made Towels?

Thread Tools
 
Old 08-01-2014, 06:06 AM
  #11  
Swap Hosts
Thread Starter
 
Krystyna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 8,814
Default

Originally Posted by pakwoman View Post
I make my own tea towels using osnaberg fabric that I buy at Walmart. I turn the edges down and sew them all the way around. They turn out really nice and very reasonable to make.
I'll have to check that out. I wasn't familiar with the word osnaberg!
Krystyna is offline  
Old 08-01-2014, 06:17 AM
  #12  
Swap Hosts
Thread Starter
 
Krystyna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 8,814
Default

Here are a few I made in the past.

The ladybugs are on homespun and have an eyelet lace edge. Unfortunately, I think they're mostly for show as the embroidery is quite dense.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485898[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485899[/ATTACH]

Here are some Irish recipe ones I made for a fair a few years ago. They were done on a pale green toweling type fabric that I found at an estate sale. Some had rickrack and some were edged in lace.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485900[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485901[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485902[/ATTACH]

Then some "Busy Birds with Virtuous Sayings" which I'm using right now. Done one Muslin.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485903[/ATTACH]

And I love these for kitchen or guest towels in the bathroom ... Fun with Santa!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485904[/ATTACH]

More on homespun ... crows!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]485905[/ATTACH]
Attached Thumbnails embroidered-ladybug-tea-towel-set-1.jpg   embroidered-ladybug-tea-towel-set2.jpg   irish-tea-cake-recipe-tea-towel-1.jpg   irish-tea-cake-recipe-tea-towel-2.jpg   irish-potato-candy-tea-towel-1.jpg  

busy-birds-virtuous-sayings-tea-towels-red-work-1.jpg   fun-santa-tea-towel-guest-towel-set-1.jpg   country-primitive-crow-tea-towel-set-1.jpg  
Krystyna is offline  
Old 08-01-2014, 07:01 PM
  #13  
Super Member
 
mike'sgirl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: starke,Florida
Posts: 2,025
Default

I love all your towels. So cute!
mike'sgirl is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 03:31 AM
  #14  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,376
Default

Your towels are really cute. I would probably not use any of them except the ones on muslin. Where dish towels are concerned I'm very practical. I buy a dozen flat diapers and keep them in the kitchen cabinet. I pull at least one, sometimes more, every day for use in the kitchen. Once a week they all get subjected to hot water and bleach and the cycle starts all over again. There is nothing, IMO, that rivals them for drying dishes.
sparkys_mom is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 04:02 AM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
LITTLEOLDME's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Great N W Oregon
Posts: 562
Default

Originally Posted by AngeliaNR View Post
Good muslin makes a very soft, absorbent towel--it isn't usually too expensive, and you can make the size you want.
I use muslin also for dish towels,works fine.
LITTLEOLDME is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 04:19 AM
  #16  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,018
Default

Sorry, but as cute as all those "tea towels" are, in my world they would take up precious drawer space or simply collect dust hanging on something.....my kitchen towels are just like my hand towels in the bathrooms......except " kitcheny". Good idea about cloth diapers..did not know they are still available......don't do much shopping in baby dept.......also have dishwasher so no need for wiping dishes......only use kitchen towels to wipe hands while handling food, cooking......
Geri B is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 04:20 AM
  #17  
Super Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,657
Default

Originally Posted by sparkys_mom View Post
Your towels are really cute. I would probably not use any of them except the ones on muslin. Where dish towels are concerned I'm very practical. I buy a dozen flat diapers and keep them in the kitchen cabinet. I pull at least one, sometimes more, every day for use in the kitchen. Once a week they all get subjected to hot water and bleach and the cycle starts all over again. There is nothing, IMO, that rivals them for drying dishes.
are these what we used to call Birdseye diapers?
Misty's Mom is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 07:00 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
kellen46's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 811
Default

I look for cotton damask table cloths at the thrift store. I can get about 4 to 6 out of one depending on size. I usually pay $1 to $2 for one. I only need to do a minimal amount of hemming but then I can embellish them with ribbon or embroidery. Also look for all cotton remnants or linen blend remnants that be cut to size and used.
kellen46 is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 09:19 AM
  #19  
Power Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Southern USA
Posts: 15,912
Default

Walmart has packaged Aunt Martha's tea towels white or striped. They are hemmed, ready for embroidery. They are about $8 a package. I have received a few thin towels for gifts that lasted just a short time after use and laundry. The hems came undone, the embroidery started to break and ravel because the fabric started to rip around it. The Aunt Martha's towels I have are years old and still look nice.
Onebyone is offline  
Old 08-02-2014, 10:11 AM
  #20  
Swap Hosts
Thread Starter
 
Krystyna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 8,814
Default

Originally Posted by Onebyone View Post
Walmart has packaged Aunt Martha's tea towels white or striped. They are hemmed, ready for embroidery. They are about $8 a package. I have received a few thin towels for gifts that lasted just a short time after use and laundry. The hems came undone, the embroidery started to break and ravel because the fabric started to rip around it. The Aunt Martha's towels I have are years old and still look nice.
Thank you, but I am looking for types of fabric. I prefer to make my own.
Krystyna is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tlcquiltnut
General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
7
02-26-2011 03:38 PM
craftybear
Links and Resources
1
01-03-2011 08:47 PM
craftybear
Links and Resources
0
01-01-2011 07:55 PM
bertadel
Main
18
07-24-2010 01:40 PM
zennia
Links and Resources
0
08-09-2009 10:57 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



FREE Quilting Newsletter