Tea Towel Creations

I found these cute tea towels for a great price, a few months ago and I have been busy making placemats, napkins, and grocery or gift bags with them.

The napkins were made by cutting the tea towel in half and sewing the four edges, with a 1/4" then a 5/8 "seam.

The bags were made by folding the towel in half and sewing the two sides to-gether. Then I did a box pleat to square off the sides, and it defines the bag.I added handles by cutting 2 straps of purchased 2 inch webbing, which can be bought by the yard or meter. You have to sew them very securely , I used an x pattern at the end of each strap on the towel and sewed above and below the x.

For the placemats, I cut the tea towel in half again and ironed on a 1/8" fusible web onto the wrong side of one half of the towel, then with right sides together, I sewed around the edges leaving a 2 -3 inch opening and turned them inside out. You have to stitch the opening by hand and then press.The fusible web gives them a bit of stiffness.