I don’t do a ton of decorating for Valentine’s Day – but I do like to have a few things here and there for a little fun.
My kitchen has been looking a little lonely now that the Christmas decorations are gone so I decided to make a fun little dish towel to brighten the room up!
Here it is!
It has some sweet ruffled circles on the bottom and shabby stitched hearts for decoration.
Cute huh? It’s pretty quick and easy too!
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own:
1 Dish towel (bought this one at Target)
(This towel is 16″ x 27″. If yours is a different size, you’ll need to adjust amounts and measurements)
4 different fabrics (you’ll need 10 – 3″ circles from each plus fabric for hearts)
Rick Rack (of course. Cause we don’t make dish towels around here without rick rack)
Ribbon
Start by cutting your circles for your ruffles. I used my Accuquilt – it was super fast with their Circle Die –
But you could definitely cut them by hand too. You’ll need 10 – 3″ circles of 2 of the colors, 9 – 3″ circles of the other two colors.
Decide what is going to be the first row. Fold your circles for this row into quarters. Pin ten circles evenly across the bottom of the dish towel.
This is kind of the same method the awesome Simple Simon & Co. girls use for their crazy cute Bustle Skirt.
Sew the little circles down close to the top. Since I was using white thread that blended with the towel, I sewed a straight line across the top of all the circle points, about 1/4″ below the point.
Start the next row of circles (this row will have 9), laying these between the circles below. Overlap them just a bit.
Continue layering your circles until you have four rows sewn on.
Cut a length of small rick rack approx. 20″ long.
Tie a small bow on each end, so that a small 2 1/2″ tail of rick rack is on each side. Burn the ends slightly so they won’t fray.
Center the rick rack on the dish towel, so the bows are about 9″ up from the bottom edge and 4″ in from each side. This should make a little curve in the rick rack between the bows.
Sew the rick rack onto the dish towel.
Cut out 4 hearts – 3 of one fabric and one of a contrasting fabric. Lay the hearts so the tops just overlap the rick rack curve.
Sew down the hearts – you can use a single stitch, a satin stitch – or for a sketchy-er look – sew around them three times with the stitching lines not in exactly the same place.
I used a dark gray thread so the stitching would outline the hearts a bit.
To finish off the dish towel add a row (or two) of ribbon along the top row of the ruffles. Sew down the ribbon so it overlaps the circles and covers the top row of stitching.
Burn the ends of the ribbon to prevent fraying and wrap the ribbon around the edges of the dish towel.
Add a contrasting ribbon on top for a little more color.
And that’s it!!
A fun, cute way to dress up a store-bought dish towel!
It would make a cute Teacher or Neighbor Valentine’s gift, along with some treats!
I’d love to hear what you think!
I’m linking to Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday, Funky Junk Interiors, Quilt Story and the other fabulous parties on the sidebar – make sure you check them out!
Kristin says
Love this! Man, I wish I had some sewing skills to justify buying a sewing machine.
[email protected] says
Really really adorable! I LOVE how you used the circles to make the ruffle – very Anthro ;)
Raw says
Great!!! I like this.
Jessica at Me Sew Crazy says
this is so cute Bev! I love how you did the bustle on the bottom of the dishtowel!
Michele @ The Scrap Shopp says
This is too adorable, Bev!! I love the way you did the ruffles. I love gray and red together! You seriously have a knack for dressing up plain dishtowels, my friend!
Lisa Yates says
These are adorable! Love them!
Erika, Artful Rising says
The hearts are precious! I have been wondering what to do with my supply of ribbons and lace and towels are a wonderful idea.
Erika
Artful Rising
jenclair says
Wow! What a great dishtowel! Love the way you used the circles at the bottom. And the colors–the black, white, red, and grey have such impact!
Michele of By Your Side says
PURE CUTENESS!!
Pinned!!
Kara says
I love this Bev! Those little circle ruffles at the bottom are to die for cute! Thanks so much for sharing!
Emily says
I’m not a super big fan of decorating for Valentine’s day either, but these are super cute! They would make really cute gifts for the girls around my neighborhood!
Katy says
Bev – you are so creative, this is so cute! Now, can you come to my house and spruce it up??
Barb N says
Pretty darn cute!
Rebekah says
Oh my goodness, that is too adorable! Pinning this to make myself; I’m in desperate need of some cute kitchen stuff.
Veronica says
SO CUTE! I have never used the circles to make ruffles like that, but I LOVE the way it looks. Pinned!
Allyson says
That is so cute! I love decorating for the “smaller” holidays in a kind of simple way! Thanks for sharing.
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
Mary @ Ms Redo says
I think I love it! Now I want to make one so badly, it is just adorable. Thanks for the detailed tutorial. Hugs ~ Mary
Andi S says
This makes me want an Accuquilt even more! I hate cutting circles like that and flowers and things by hand because I can never get them to look exactly like I want them. Yours is just beautiful! I want one for my own kitchen!
holly ll says
So stinkin’ cute! I want a skirt with sweet ruffles like that.Love the colors, love the hearts…love it all!
Caryn says
Love! Where did you get the great fabric…love the red ikat (sp?!?)!!!
karen Weight says
I love it! the ruffles are so adorable:) Thanks for sharing the tutorial!
Laurel@Ducks in a Row says
So stinking cute – I love the circle ruffles so much!
Char says
Love love love the idea to fold up the circles for ruffles!
Q @ JAQS says
That is to be the PRETTIEST and most intricate dish towel I have ever seen. You did such a FABULOUS job!
Love for you to share this at JAQS Studio Linky Party:
http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2012/01/made-by-me-16-linky-party-and-features.html
VickiT says
Ooh I LOVE this a lot. Just one more reason I NEED that circle die. Well, that die and red fabrics. LOL Red fabrics are the one thing my stash does not have unless it’s for Christmas.
Alison says
Dang, Bev. You make everything look so easy! Your jewelry, your sewing! I want to be you!! :) Another amazing dishtowel project!!
Quilt Story says
Oh my goodness Bev!!! That is so stinking ridiculously cute! You are crazy talented. Thanks so much for sharing!! I for sure am going to do this!
Jaan says
YAH! Love this idea, we will be moving to a new home in June. We plan to ditch all our old stuff, and decorate with all new, modern look. I hope to do my kitchen in RED!, yes, love reds, and have tons of scraps to do this design. So different from embroidering tea towels. THANKS!
perleneige says
joli
bravo
Kim says
I absolutely love this! The ruffles, the banner-everything! Thanks for the tutorial! I don’t decorate much for V-day either, but I may have to make me one of these. I featured this on Sugar Bee Crafts today (reader features)!
JaneEllen Jones says
Oooooh so darned cute. You could make the towels for any holiday. How cute.
What a great idea for gifts also. Pretty inexpensive and easy/quick to make. That’s the kind of projects I love. Thanks for sharing. You’re a keeper and so is your project.
Amy says
I am not much of a holiday specific decorator, but this tea towel is super cute.
If I ever master basic sewing skills maybe I will make a few generic towels or
maybe day of the week towels.
Jen B says
This is adorable! Thanks for such a great tip on the ruffling technique, so do-able. Pinning now :-)
(visiting form WhipperBerry)
Jill @ KitchenFunWithMy3Sons.com says
We are hosting our first Kitchen Fun and Crafty link party next Friday and would love for you to share this! Feel free to stop by and grab a party button! http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/
katie says
oh my goodness, I never thought of this. So cute! I think I need to make these…and pin them…yes pinning them now!
You should join me for Handmade 52! http://raisingoranges.blogspot.com/ -Katie
Diane says
AWWWW, I want one! This is adorable!
The Answer Is Chocolate says
Oh Bev, I think this is one of my favorite dish towel designs of yours. So so cute!
April says
This is SO CUTE!! I love it!
Jennifer says
Bev this is the cutest towel ever!!
Danielle says
thank you ,for a good Idea, and sharing with us…
have a good day to you.
Katie says
Ahhh this dish towel is too darn cute!!!
The Answer Is Chocolate says
I just had to include this in my link party wrap up features!
susan jensen says
Everything is so sweet, nice &easy. Valentines, Easter, Mother Day. Lots to show off for. Thank for sharing. Susan J
Jenn/Rook No. 17 says
Gorgeous Bev! You have such a great eye for color and design! Spotlighted your post on my Facebook page today.
Sherrilee says
ADORABLE! So going to make these!!
Jaci says
I just stumbled on this, ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!! Will the circles fray when you wash them?
Beverly says
They do fray a little, but not too crazy. Just enough to give it a little bit of a shabby chic look. :)
Thanks – I’m so glad you like it!
Janet says
Great idea! Love the circles as ruffles. I’m going to make a matching valance for the kitchen window with that ruffled bottom. Might use a pinked circle to prevent fraying unless the fabric dictates that frayed look. So many ideas hatched from yours!
Natasha Bi says
This is really, really cute and fantastic! Love your blog…really
Christine says
Very cute towel!
Marti says
This is SOooo cute!!! I’ve been making a lot of ruffled dishtowels lately, and love this new idea!! :)
Cee says
ADORABLE!!! Can’t wait to put some together! Thank you!