Learn how to sew paper towels that are fabric instead of paper! This earth-friendly sewing project is so easy, my 7 year old daughter helped me with it. You’ll need an inexpensive bath towel and a 1/2 yard of flannel fabric to get started.
We had a lazy Saturday morning last week and Chloe convinced me to let her sew. She’s helping me demonstrate this sewing tutorial!
Cutting:
Use a rotary cutter or scissors to cut 12-14’’ squares from the terrycloth bath towel.
Tip: Calculate the best size squares to cut the most squares out of your towel. If an older child is helping you, you can mark the squares on the towel with a marker and let them cut with scissors instead of a rotary cutter.
Then cut squares of flannel fabric that are the same size.
Sewing:
Place a terrycloth towel square and a flannel square right sides together.
Pin around all of the edges.
Tips:
We marked a 4’’ spot on the side of each square for her not to pin – that’s where we would leave an opening.
Sew around all of the towels with a 1/2’’ seam allowance. Pivot at the corners with your needle down and leave an opening of about 4’’ for turning the towel right side out.
Clip the corners.
Turn the towel right side out through the opening and press. Turn the edges of the opening to the inside and topstitch 1/4’’ away from the edges all the way around each towel. This will close the opening at the same time.
If you wish, you can quilt straight lines or a different design to help keep the layers together.
Sew an organizer covered with pockets that you can hang in your closet! This easy sewing project is great for organizing sewing and craft supplies, fashion accessories, bathroom necessities, gift wrappings, and more. There are pockets on both sides plus a big interior pocket so every bit of space is used. I’ll show you easy step by step instructions for sewing this organizer and putting it to use in your home. Get sew organized today.
Are you sewing a Closet Organizer with me? I hope so! This is Part 2 of our free sewing tutorial for an amazing organizer with a coat hanger inside so you can hang it anywhere.
If you are getting started, make sure you start at Part 1 of the free pattern.
Be a basketmaker! Sure, you can sew, but did you know that you can make amazing baskets too using your sewing machine, some fabric and the same materials that you use for your other projects?
Have you fallen in love with Quilt as You Go yet? It’s a fun technique for quilts, of course, but I’m having lots of fun using it for pouches and tote bags too.
I’m so excited to share with you the pattern for our first mini quilt of 2018… Flora! This beautiful little quilt was designed by the very talented Lauren of Molly & Mama…
At my daughter Chloe’s high school (can you believe my baby started high school???), the lunch lines are so long that she has been skipping lunch! She’s always starving by the time she gets home because she doesn’t want to carry a big lunch bag as well as her heavy backpack – poor girl!
Looking for free table runner patterns? I gathered up all my favorites in one place – here are free quilt patterns for table runners for fall, winter, spring and summer!
I am so in love with the beautiful look of simple patchwork quilts with lots of squares. This is the perfect way to use up fabric scraps like I did, or you can make a beautifully coordinated quilt with pre-cut 2 1/2’’ square fabric pieces that come in mini-charm packs.
I’m also in love with the process. If you feel like quilt making is your escape from the world and sitting down to sew for a few hours makes your troubles fade away… this is the quilt for you!
Sew an easy beautiful apron with this free sewing pattern that only uses one yard of fabric! Whether you are sewing for yourself or for a friend, an apron always comes in handy and makes a great gift. This blog post includes a link to a free template that I digitized for you.
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂
Who says you can’t sew a new tote bag or purse in an afternoon? I’ve done it lots of times! And here are lots of free tote bag patterns I have actually sewn in an afternoon. 🙂
I slipped a dowel through the quilt sleeve and in just a few minutes, it was up! I took these photos immediately after, so the wrinkles hadn’t come out yet. But they are gone now, a few days later.
It might not be sunny, but this beach themed tote bag from my free ‘Rope Handled Tote‘ pattern sure is! Sewing a bag like this is twice as fast because you don’t have to make the handles.
Free motion quilt a sunburst in a square with this fun and easy quilting design that can be quilted with and without rulers. True, I really enjoy the really straight lines that ruler quilting can give me, but this design is just as easy to quilt without rulers too.
I am soooo glad you let her go with this! When I was little, my grandma and mom sewed everything. I wanted a pink barbie sewing machine so badly but my mom said no – that I would learn to sew on her machine and learn I did! I started sewing at 7 and never stopped! My kids all sew – my son in the Navy makes a little money sewing patches on other guys uniforms! So, yea for you!
What a sweet gift! She did a great job!
Real cute project for kids to do for their moms.
This is great!!
I am soooo glad you let her go with this! When I was little, my grandma and mom sewed everything. I wanted a pink barbie sewing machine so badly but my mom said no – that I would learn to sew on her machine and learn I did! I started sewing at 7 and never stopped! My kids all sew – my son in the Navy makes a little money sewing patches on other guys uniforms! So, yea for you!
What a great and simple idea!
I might have to make some of these for camping, less waste. I can have my daughter do them.
I think I would use a dark towel and fabric to help hide any stains from their being used. Great idea! Thank you