Guilt-Free Dishtowels

• White cotton dishtowel (ours is 30" square)
• 1/4 yard blue print cotton fabric (42" wide)
• 1 yard rickrack or other trim (optional)
• Water-soluble marking pen
• Embroidery floss: turquoise

Click on "Download this Pattern" above for embroidery pattern.

1. Select an embroidery pattern and decide where on the towel you want to position it.

2. Tape chosen embroidery pattern to a light box or sunny window. Position towel right side up over the pattern; tape in place. Trace the pattern onto the towel with water-soluble marking pen.

1. Using two or three strands of embroidery floss, stem-stitch traced design.

2. Remove markings following manufacturer's instructions.

3. Press towel lightly from wrong side.

From blue print, cut:

• 1-8-1/2x31" strip

Note: If your towel is a different size, cut 8-1/2" wide strip 1" longer than the edge that will be finished with fabric trim.

1. With wrong side of blue 8-1/2x31" strip facing up, fold over 1/2" at each short end. Press.

2. Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong side inside, to make a 4-1/4x30" folded strip. Press to mark centerline; unfold.

3. Fold in long edges to meet at centerline (pressed line); press again.

4. Fold strip in half lengthwise, aligning folded edges to make 2-1/8"-wide folded strip; press again.

5. Unfold strip. With wrong sides of fabric strip and towel facing up, align one long edge of strip with one long edge of towel.

6. Pin strip to wrong side of towel as shown.

7. Using pressed fold as a stitching guide, sew strip to towel.

8. Press strip toward bottom of towel.

9. Fold strip to front of towel, enclosing bottom edge of towel.

10. Pin edge of strip to towel.

11. Topstitch strip along short edges and one long edge to complete fabric band. We used a white thread so you could see the stitch lines, but you can use a matching thread so it's less visible. 

12. If desired, sew rickrack or other trim to towel above band.