Fall in Love

Designer: Sherri K.Falls of This & That

• 22" square cream linen towel (available at crafts and home decorating stores)
• 7--4-1⁄2" squares assorted plaids in green, rust, brown, and gold (prairie points)
• 1⁄4 yard black plaid (prairie point, accent strip)
• Embroidery floss: orange, green, yellow, brown, and red
• Water-soluble marking pen or pencil
• Tapestry needle
• Embroidery hoop (optional)

Finished towel: 22×23-1⁄4"

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances.

Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for pattern pieces. Instructions that follow are for the pumpkin towel. To make the acorn towel, use a yellow linen towel and the Acorn Towel Full-Size Embroidery Pattern.

From black plaid, cut: 

*  1--1-1⁄2 ×23" strip

*  1--4-1⁄2" square

All embroidery is done using three strands of embroidery floss.

1. Fold linen towel in half vertically. Lightly finger-press fold to create an embroidery placement guide; unfold.

2. Tape Pumpkin Towel Full-Size Embroidery Pattern to a light box or bright window. Lay linen towel atop embroidery pattern. Position pattern so bottom of pumpkin is 3" from towel hem. Using a water-soluble marking pen or pencil, trace embroidery pattern onto front of linen towel to make an embroidery foundation.

3. Secure embroidery foundation in embroidery hoop if desired. Using tapestry needle and orange floss, backstitch pumpkin motif. To backstitch, from the back of your fabric pull your needle up at A (Backstitch Diagram). Insert it back into fabric at B, and bring it up at C. Continue in same manner.

4. Referring to photo, use green floss to backstitch vines, pumpkin stem, and flower leaves. Backstitch flowers with yellow floss, and use brown floss to backstitch flower stems and leaves.

5. Satin-stitch flower centers using red embroidery floss. To satin-stitch, fill desired area with straight stitches, stitching from edge to edge and placing stitches side by side.

1. Fold an assorted plaid 4-1⁄2" square in half diagonally with wrong side inside to make a triangle (Diagram 1). Fold triangle in half again and press to make a prairie point. Repeat with remaining assorted plaid and black plaid 4-1⁄2" squares to make eight prairie points total.

2. Referring to Diagram 2, pin prairie points to right side of bottom edge of towel about 1⁄2 " from hem; overlap prairie points as needed to space them evenly along edge. Baste prairie points in place.

3. With right side inside, fold black plaid 1-1⁄2 ×23" strip in half lengthwise. Sew together along length of strip, leaving both ends unsewn. Turn right side out; press to make accent strip.

4. Place accent strip over raw edges of basted prairie points, tucking in raw ends of accent strip; pin. Topstitch around all edges of accent strip to complete embroidered towel.