Mother's Day Gift Ideas Day 2: Calico Topper Kitchen Towel

I use hand towels in my kitchen all the time, I don't like to wipe my hands on the tea towel I use for dishes. These towels are really pretty and very quick to make. You can use a tea towel or a hand towel to make them - you'll get two hand towels from each one.
I like the country look of calico toppers but you can use any cotton fabric - a toning plain or a pretty print would look just as good. I've made them with gingham toppers and plain towels, very pretty and super quick and easy - no other embroidery necessary.

For this towel I embroidered Mickey and Minnie Mouse. You can leave them plain, embroider something onto them, cross-stitch a pattern or even use fabric paints to embellish the toppers. Use your imagination and the materials you have in your craft stash and you won't need to buy anything other than perhaps the towel!

Calico Topper Kitchen Towel
You will need:.
1 hand towel (you will get two kitchen towels from one hand towel) Scraps of cotton fabric for the topper
button
thread to match fabric of topper

Step 1. Print and cut out pattern. DO NOT resize - it will print at the correct size.

Step 2. Using pattern cut two pieces of fabric for topper.  Mark buttonhole.

Step 3. Place both pieces of fabric right sides together. Using a 6mm seam and starting at the bottom left side of the topper stitch around the edge, finishing at the bottom right side and leaving the bottom edges open.

Step 4. Turn topper right side out, clipping curves if necessary. Press. Turn bottom edge under 6mm to form hem.  Press.

Step 5. Cut hand towel in half widthways. Place topper over raw edge of one half of the towel, gathering towel to fit if necessary and matching edge of towel with inside edge of topper hem. Pin. Stitch through all thicknesses, close to bottom edge of topper, being sure to catch raw edge of towel.

Step 6. Make buttonhole. Sew on button - choose a pretty one from your button jar. If you don't have a sewing machine and don't know how to make a buttonhole by hand, stitch on a set of velcro dotsl to keep the tab closed.

From Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing

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