TUTORIAL: Fall Kitchen Dishtowel

Fall Kitchen Towel Sewing TUTORIAL

Crafting Time: 15 minutes

 

I also just posted a FALL TABLE RUNNER sewing tutorial. CLICK HERE to see it. The table runner and dishtowel make great housewarming gifts for friends or handmade holiday gifts. Monogram them, applique on them or leave them as is to show off some gorgeous fabric.

 

Kitchen Dishtowel Sewing Tutorial

Gather Materials:

 

7/8 yard main fabric for dishtowel

1/4 yard fabric for ruffle (or pleat)

pins, iron, sewing machine, ruler, scissors

 

1. Cut your main fabric to 29 inches long x 23 inches wide

2. Cut your ruffle fabric trim to 6 inches long x 44 inches wide

3. Lay main fabric right side up. Fold ruffle in half with wrong sides together, matching the long ends. Now your ruffle will measure 3 inches long x 44 inches wide. You will be looking at the right side (the pretty side) of the fabric. Press well with an iron.

4. To give this dishtowel a ruffle you can sew a basting stitch (your longest stitch length) down the raw edge of your ruffle strip using a 3/8 inch seam allowance. Do not backstitch at the beginning or ending. Leave a tail of thread 6 inches long at the beginning and end of your ruffle strip. *TO RUFFLE the strip - grab the bobbin thread only and pull the fabric down along the bobbin thread. It will ruffle as you slide it down the thread. Continue until it is the width of your dishtowel

OR you can do it this way to more of a pleat:


Pin the left and right end of your ruffle strip to your main fabric on the bottom of your dishtowel fabric. The raw edges will be touching. The folded edge of your ruffle will be facing the top of your dishtowel.

5. Pin the middle of the ruffle strip to the middle of your dishtowel.

6. Keep finding the middle of your ruffle strip between two pins and pin it down. Repeat until you have gathered your ruffle strip evenly. I used 9 pins total which gives me more of a pleat. If you want more of a ruffle, just do one more pin between each of those 9 pins to give you 17 pins in all.

 

7. Sew along your ruffle strip / pinned edge using a 5/8 inch seam allowance. Remove pins as you sew. Serge or zig-zag stitch the raw edge.

8. Iron down your ruffle strip towards the bottom of your dishtowel, making sure the seam allowance is pressed up towards the top edge of your dishtowel.  PRETTY!!

9. Topstitch above the seam you just sewed using a 1/8 inch seam allowance to keep the ruffle in place and give it a nice, clean and professional finish.

9. Lay dishtowel right side down. Iron a 1 inch hem around the top and both sides of the dishtowel. Pin.

10. Sew around all three sides using a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Remove pins as you sew.

11. Press with an iron.

12. Fold back the left and right sides each five inches. Press with an iron.

13. Hang on your oven handle or put next to your kitchen sink. SMILE WHEN YOU SEE IT!!

Or put it next to your kitchen sink to dry off your hands - this is completely washable and can even go in the dryer - so have fun using it!

Happy Fall Everyone!
Jenny

Cozy Hooded Cape sewing pattern NOW AVAILABLE!

Whew, it's been a very busy week around here at Seamingly Smitten! The Cozy Hooded Cape pattern for girls is now available and in the pattern shop! I have enjoyed seeing all the pattern testers' pictures! Don't you love being inspired by a new fabric color combination? People always think of different color schemes that just look great! Some ladies used a cotton on the outside of the cape and then a snuggly flannel or corduroy as the lining and others (like myself) used a flannel or corduroy on the outside of the cape and then a simple and solid cotton as the lining. But you can sew this Cozy Hooded Cape pattern either way! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Sweet Baby Tatum in her corduroy cape

I could just pinch those little baby cheeks!

(She's precious, Allison!!)

 

What pattern would you like to see for the Fall and Winter? Comment below with your ideas. I just might create exactly what you want!

Some little girls need to show some sass, right? How about a zebra printed flannel that really stands out? Then to be a little sweet, there is a cupcake printed cotton on the inside. Babies are super sweet!!

This is flannel that is sure to stand out! Thnk how great this would look for all those holiday parties over dresses, for church or even just to wear with jeans on any given day!

 Precious fall and winter outfit!

The hood will keep those little ears warm and cozy when the wind blows.

Owls make this cape a flying "hoot!" This little girl loved pretending she was Bat Owl Girl and now wants to wear it as her Halloween costume. Lucky Momma, now her costume is done!

This pattern even goes up to a SIZE 10 for all those older girls who want to look cute and stay warm!

You can even show your stripes and make a matching flower blossom to really snazz it up!!

The Cozy Hooded Cape PDF sewing pattern is perfect for beginners! There is NO HEMMING for this cape since it is fully lined. It's so simple to sew, too. If you can cut a circle, you can sew this cape. Full-sized and color-coded hood pattern pieces are included. The pattern pieces are computer generated.

*You get  the pattern for ALL SIZES 3 months - 10 years with this pattern.

So many mothers have written to me about wanting to sew for their older girls and not knowing where to find patterns for them. They also mentioned they wanted modest clothing choices for their girls - so this cape is for all you mommies out there who want the same thing for your sweet girl!

This PDF sewing pattern for BEGINNER SEWERS is not available in our ETSY SHOP.

OR it can be purchased and INSTANTLY RECEIVED via EMAIL on our main website

Seamingly Smitten Sewing Patterns SHOP

What pattern would you like to see for the Fall and Winter? Comment below with your ideas. I just might create exactly what you want!

TUTORIAL: Fall Table Runner with TREAT POCKETS

I have been looking around at all the cute Fall table runners in the stores lately and got INSPIRED! Don't you love all the FALL colors? Red, orange and gold just EXCITE me about the new season ahead!

Rather than spending a small fortune on a new table runner, I knew I could make one for just a few dollars so I headed to the fabric store. I found this modern take on fall with this red berry blossom print and a small red polk-a-dotted fabric for the end panels. There is a little surprise in this table runner for everyone at the table, so KEEP READING to find out what it is!

Table Runner Tutorial

(with TREAT POCKETS - and that doesn't need to mean candy!)

1. Measure your table to figure out how long you want your table runner to be. (I wanted mine to be 72 inches long.)

2. Figure out how wide you want your table runner to be. (I wanted mine to be 13 inches wide.)

So I want my table runner to be 72 inches long x 13 inches wide when finished.


Gather materials: 7/8 yards main fabric, 1/4 yard coordinating fabric for end panels, scissors, pins, straight edge/ruler, sewing machine, thread

3. CUT YOUR FABRIC:

Cut two pieces of your main fabric to: 31 inches x 14 inches

Cut two panels to: 7.5 inches x 14 inches

*I have already included your hems and seam allowances.

TIME TO SEW!

5. Lay your two main fabric pieces right sides together and pin along one short end.

6. Sew along your pinned edge using a 1/2 inch seam allowance and remove the pins as you sew. Serge or zig-zag stitch your edges. Press seam to the side with an iron.

7. Lay your main fabric right side up. Lay one panel on the left end and one on the right end. Match up your raw edges and pin.

8. Sew down your pinned edges and remove the pins as you sew. Serge or zig-zag stitch your edges. Press seams to the side with an iron.

9. Iron and pin a 1 inch hem around all sides. Sew along your pinned edges. Remove pins as you sew.

10. TIME FOR THE TREAT POCKETS! I have two little kids that love surprises so I thought it would be fun to make four pockets on our table runner (one where each person sits).

Cut out FOUR pieces that are 5 inches x 6 inches.

11. Hem 3 sides of the pocket pieces with a 1 inch hem. Sew around all three sides.

12. Place your pockets right side up on your table runner. You will do this at the left and right end of your table runner and at the top and bottom of the middle of your table runner. Fold under the raw edge one inch and place that end 1/2 inch away from the edge of your table runner. Pin pocket into place.

13. Sew along three sides of the pocket to secure using a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Backstitch 3 times at the beginning and ending points. Leave the top open so your pocket will be able to hold a treat!

16. Lay it on your table and sneak in a treat! Next time your little ones head to the table get ready to hear their sweet giggles!!

Things you can put in the pockets: stickers, markers, crayons, stamps, ink pads, notebooks, stencils, silly Halloween socks or even an I LOVE YOU note! And for the morning after Halloween, how about a new toothbrush? :)

Happy Fall!!

Jenny

New PATTERNS coming soon in the pattern shop for FALL! Yay!!

Linking up here:

Cozy Hooded Cape Sewing Pattern for Girls

I don't know about you, but I am SO READY for FALL to be here! Yesterday morning when we woke up it was 65 degrees and I couldn't have been happier! The kids started riding their bikes and then we went to the park. You can't beat a day like that.

That got me thinking about making my Fall and Winter sewing pattern collection and completely inspired it! My next PDF sewing pattern is this Cozy Hooded Cape for Kids. It will come in sizes 3 months - 10 years so even those older girls can join in the fun. They want to be warm and stylish too, right!?!

This easy PDF sewing pattern just went to my pattern testers and should be ready and in the pattern shop by Saturday. If you haven't sewn a hood before, don't worry! I hadn't either until a few days ago and now I am looking at all my little girl's clothes and wondering what I can add a hood to next. It's THAT easy!!

 

These capes can be made in flannel, fleece or even corduroy and can be lined in those fabrics, too, or you can use something as simple as a cotton.

 

Get those scissors and pins ready for this one, ladies! It's a CUTE ONE!