Handmade gifts ~ hanging hand towels

Christmas is all about giving.

And the most treasured gifts are the ones you make yourself.

Soooo. . . how does quick and easy sound to you?

It doesn’t get much quicker and easier than these adorable hanging hand towels. . .

and the bonus is. . . you can whip up several in less than an hour!

Requirements:

(Makes 2 hanging hand towels)

1 hand towel or thick tea towel,

2 fat quarters in matching fabrics,

Iron on medium weight interfacing,

2 large buttons,

Velcro (optional),

Sewing machine and normal sewing supplies.

Download my pattern template HERE

Let’s make hand towels!

• Print off your pattern template.
• Iron interfacing onto the back of one fabric.
• Cut 2 templates from both of the fabrics.

I used a different fabric on both sides of my hand towel, but you could use matching fabrics. The fabric pieces are only 17 cm x 25 cm, so a great way to use up those fabric scraps too!

• Pin 2 fabric pieces together with right sides facing and sew around the perimeter, leaving the bottom open.
• Clip the corners and turn right side out. I like to use a chopstick to push the tight corners out so they are neat.
• Press with iron. Turn the hem up on the bottom edge and press.

See how super quick this is coming together!

The pattern makes 2 hand towels. . .  so I whipped up the other fabric component before moving onto the next step.

Then I made a cuppa and gobbled up the last of the cookies from the weekend cookie exchange.

On to the last steps now.

• Cut your hand towel in half. . . I used a big fluffy tea towel for these ones, so my towel needed a bit more gathering. If you prefer less gathering, a hand towel is usually narrower.
• Gather the towel along the edge you have just cut, so that it is the same width as your opening on the bottom of your fabric piece.
• Insert the gathered edge of the towel about 1/2” into the handle. Pin in place.
• Using a matching thread, sew a seam across the fabric hemline to secure the towel. . . then zip another seam back over those stitches to REALLY make sure that towel is secured.

Flip your handle over to make a hanging tab (shown above).

We need to secure this and there are several options here. I’ve made a few of these hanging hand towels in the past, both with buttons and Velcro. . . and I have to tell you that I prefer the Velcro. One, because it is simpler than mucking around making button holes and two. . . well in all honesty, I just find it quicker to attach it to my oven.

Here’s the thing. . . I like the little button on the outside, so I make a Velcro closure on the inside and sew a pretty button on the outside.

Done!!

So quick and easy and what about all the colour and fabric possibilities!

And everyone needs one of these in their kitchen and laundry, right.

I’m sharing my hanging hand towels with the link parties this week and with these friends: French Country Cottage, The Vintage Farmhouse, 36th Avenue, Clean and Scentsible, Live Laugh Rowe, The DIY Dreamer, Transformation Thursday, At The Picket Fence, Nifty Thrifty Sunday.