ljptexas

Could anyone advise me on how to or what to do with towels having fraying edges? Towel's in great shape but edges are fraying? TIA....

PurplePansies

Cut off the frayed edge then make a new hem by folding once, folding again, and stitching near the top edge (not near the fold.)

mermaid

I've gone around mine with serger..same color or contrasting threads.

NJ Quilter

I just rip off the strings and let the towels be afterwards. Does not seem to impact anything at all and, honestly, I don't even notice that the edge is not 'finished'. Now would I use them for guests? Certainly not. For just us, absolutely!

Mkotch

As a former innkeeper, you can add bindings to the edges for a pretty look, or you can turn them into bathmats. I cover a towel with a little quilt top the same size, quilt minimally, and bind all the way around. Makes a great gift and also brightens up the bathroom.

bearisgray

I overcast the frayed edges with a zigzag stitch or the serger.

I have even sewn towels that have torn - like gotten caught on something - back together with a darning stitch.

I was raised "frugally".

I even - way back when - would cut worn washcloths down the middle and sew the less used outside edges together. Now these washcloths are in the rag pile for icky clean-ups.

If the overcasting is done soon enough with matching thread, it is barely noticeable.

Tartan

If the rest of the towel is in good shape, I just turn up and hen with a zig zag, if the towel is threadbare, into the rag bin for clean ups or shoe polish.

sewbizgirl

Why not trim it clean and then put a binding on the edge, like we bind quilts?