Quick and Easy Dishtowel Potholder Tutorial

There are literally two seasons in south Florida….it’s either hurricane season or it is not. To feel any sort of seasonal change here, we pretty much have to rely on the décor in our homes.  One thing I like to do as the months go by is swap out the kitchen towels.  Simple, I know…but it is the small things that count J

I love the towel / potholder combo that hangs from my oven door handle and I have always purchased these at craft shows....you know, supporting our crafty friends.

Nothing says August like sunflowers…and this one has seen way too many Augusts!  I’m not sure how it survived last year (or the year before).

So, I picked up new materials at the dollar store and made a replacement.

There are tons of YouTube videos and online instructions for these but this is how I did it:

Carefully remove the tags from the potholder and dishtowel

Lightly press the towel in half

Mark the center of the towel with a Frixion pen (I love these pens because I can simply remove the mark with a warm iron when I am finished)

Mark the center of the potholder with the loop either above or below the line.  You'll need the loop to wrap around a button when folded in half

Thread a needle with a double-strand of sewing thread and insert just inside the potholder binding and on the center line

Hand sew a basting stitch through the towel only and when it is gathered to fit the potholder, you insert the needle and thread through the other side and pull tight...do not knot the thread, this is to just hold the towel in place while you adjust the gathers

Once you have the towel gathered and centered on the potholder, then pin it in place.  Sew in place using a straight stitch about 2.5 to 3.0 in length, removing the pins as you go

Remove the basting thread

If you like the placement and you actually plan to use your towel then I suggest sewing over it once more

Attach a cute button on the opposite flap from the loop

Finished within minutes!

Once I realized what was inside the OLD potholder, I grabbed the seam ripper....

We'll use this guy at least one more August J

I am not a tutorial writer by any means, but if you like these towels then I hope this post is somewhat helpful. 

Have a great week, my friends.

A Whole Lot of Fun…

That is what has been going on around here…FUN!

Working through my list of Works or Projects in Progress… Willow Weave is a flimsy and I love it.  As a reminder, this was a sew-along hosted by Doreen from Aunt Reen’s Place.

I’m hoping to pick up the backing fabric and take it to the long arm quilter’s next weekend.  Can't decide if this will be my summer picnic quilt or a cuddle quilt...hmmm.

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I moved on to the list of new projects I wanted to try...

New towels for my daughter's bathroom.

These are from the same design set from Anita Goodesign that I used to make her throw pillows for her new bed.  

Not sure why the color is so different here

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I have somewhat of a rooster theme in my kitchen so I test-stitched a rooster design on flour sack material.  I love the design but will either use different colors on the white fabric or use a different color towel.

This is also from Anita Goodesign.

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My best friend and I have been hanging out.  Below is a cosmetic bag like the ones I've made several times before.  For whatever reason, my machine has decided it no longer wants to create these fun and easy bags.  So, my friend made this one and I made the little tissue case to match.

The cosmetic bag is from Anita Goodesign and the tissue case is from Pickle Pie.

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Speaking of Pickle Pie designs, my best friend and I made her granddaughters each a little 'back-to-school' purse in their favorite colors.  These little bags are completely made 'in the hoop' of the machine embroidery unit and are relatively fast.  I've only made two projects from Pickle Pie but they seem to be well digitized.

What fun have you been having lately?

Yes Sir, Yes Sir, Three Bags…

No, not bags full of wool.  Three more bags finished.  I have made so many from Stephanie’s Uncommonly Corduroy that I’ve become the UC bag lady.  That is ok with me J

My daughter asked for a tote just like mine.

Travels with Lou pattern using Lilly Pulitzer fabric

Then she asked for a smaller purse.

Sister Sharon pattern using fabric from my stash

I also made this one for my sister’s birthday gift.

California Girl pattern, again using Lilly Pulitzer fabric

We have been really busy this summer but I did manage some mini vacations.  My husband and I spent a couple of days in Miami, relaxing and took in a baseball game when our beloved Phillies were in town.

I just returned yesterday from a few days in Fort Walton Beach with my daughter, Mom and sister.  We always have a great time…I just wish we could do it more often.

Today I am home catching up on cleaning and laundry but will be back soon with a couple of projects just to prove I can be a bag lady and so much more J

I hope you are enjoying your summer!