Seersucker DIY Tea Towels

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Dry your dishes and wipe your hands in style with our Seersucker DIY Tea Towels tutorial. Learn how to add a touch of charm and functionality to your home!

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From bread-making to cleaning up spills, tea towels at our house are put through the ringer. So I, Erin, find myself needing to replace them often. 

While store-bought tea towels are readily available, making your own tea towels allows you to customize them to match your style and add a personal touch to your home decor. And although sewing projects may seem daunting, you can whip these up in no time!

These Seersucker DIY Tea Towels are constructed from absorbent cotton seersucker. And their premade bias binding transforms them to a colorful set of tea towels for your kitchen.

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Jump to Instructions Print Recipe

What are Tea Towels?

A tea towel is a type of cloth used primarily in the kitchen for drying dishes, wiping surfaces, and handling hot cookware. It is typically made of absorbent fabric like cotton or linen and comes in various sizes and designs. They usually measure roughly 18″x28″.

Nowadays, tea towels have versatile functions. They are also to dry dishes after they have been washed, wipe down surfaces including worktops and tables, soak up spills of liquids on the floor and dry hands.

They are also used for covering food, wrapping baked goods, or even as decorative accents in the kitchen. Tea towels are an essential tool for any home cook and add both functionality and charm to the kitchen space.

What’s the Difference Between a Tea Towel And a Dish Towel?

For the most part, tea towels are used in much the same way as dish towels. However, tea towels tend to be more absorbent than dish towels and won’t leave bits of lint or thread on your dishes when you use them. Tea towels are also made of coarser material than dish towels.

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Materials and Towels Needed

Freshen up the kitchen with these colorful DIY seersucker tea towels - sugar and cloth - houston blogger - home decor

How to Make Easy DIY Tea Towels

1 — Cut the seersucker fabric into desired tea towel sizes. We cut 2 pieces that were 22″x24″ in size. You can adjust according to your preference.

2 — Hem the edges: Fold and press the edges of each tea towel by 1/4-1/2 inch to create a neat hem. You can iron the folds to help them stay in place. Repeat this step for all four edges of the fabric.

3 — Pin the hems: Once the edges are folded and pressed, pin them in place with bias tape along the edges to secure the hems before sewing. Sandwich the raw edges within the fold of the bias tape. Ensure the bias tape fully covers the raw edges. Make sure the corners are neatly folded and pinned to create crisp edges.

Freshen up the kitchen with these colorful DIY seersucker tea towels - sugar and cloth - houston blogger - home decor
Freshen up the kitchen with these colorful DIY seersucker tea towels - sugar and cloth - houston blogger - home decor

4 — Thread your sewing machine with coordinating thread.

5 — Sew the hems: Starting from one corner, stitch along the folded edge of of the hem/bias tape using a straight stitch (2.8″ stitch length). Sew as close to the edge as possible to secure the hems in place. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to prevent unraveling.

6 — When you reach the corner, pivot the fabric and bias tape, ensuring neat mitered corners. You can fold and tuck the bias tape to create a clean corner.

7 — Trim any excess threads: Once all edges are sewn, trim any loose threads with scissors to give your tea towels a clean finish.

Freshen up the kitchen with these colorful DIY seersucker tea towels - sugar and cloth - houston blogger - home decor

Tutorial Notes and Tips

  • Fabric selection: Choose a fabric that is absorbent and durable, such as cotton or linen. Pre-washing the fabric before cutting and sewing can help prevent shrinkage and ensure your tea towels maintain their shape after washing.
  • Pressing: Pressing the fabric before and after sewing is key to achieving crisp hems and professional-looking tea towels. Use a hot iron and steam to set the folds and remove any wrinkles.
  • Seam allowance: Be consistent with your seam allowance when hemming the edges of the tea towels. This will help ensure uniformity and professional-looking finished edges.
  • Optional: Add decorative touches: If desired, you can personalize your tea towels by adding decorative elements like embroidery, fabric paint, or applique. Get creative and make each tea towel unique!
  • Washing and care: Wash your DIY tea towels before using them to remove any sizing or residue from the fabric. Afterward, follow the care instructions for the fabric you’ve chosen to ensure longevity.

More Easy Home Decor Projects

Wasn’t that easy? Make a set for yourself, as well as a friend who just moved. They make a fantastic housewarming gifts! Trust us, everyone will love them! For more home decor projects, check out some of our favorite below — 

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Seersucker DIY Tea Towels Tutorial

DIY Tea Towels

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5 from 1 vote
Dry your dishes and wipe your hands in style with our Seersucker DIY Tea Towels tutorial. 
Active Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour
Course How-To
Category Kitchen

Equipment

  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Sewing pins

Materials

  • 1 yd fabric 24" wide
  • 6 yd bias tape extra wide & double fold
  • Thread to match bias tape

Instructions

  • Cut the seersucker fabric into desired tea towel sizes. We cut 2 pieces that were 22″x24″ in size. You can adjust according to your preference.
  • Hem the edges: Fold and press the edges of each tea towel by 1/4-1/2 inch to create a neat hem. You can iron the folds to help them stay in place. Repeat this step for all four edges of the fabric.
  • Pin the hems: Once the edges are folded and pressed, pin them in place with bias tape along the edges to secure the hems before sewing. Sandwich the raw edges within the fold of the bias tape. Ensure the bias tape fully covers the raw edges. Make sure the corners are neatly folded and pinned to create crisp edges.
  • Thread your sewing machine with coordinating thread.
  • Sew the hems: Starting from one corner, stitch along the folded edge of of the hem/bias tape using a straight stitch (2.8″ stitch length). Sew as close to the edge as possible to secure the hems in place. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam to prevent unraveling.
  • When you reach the corner, pivot the fabric and bias tape, ensuring neat mitered corners. You can fold and tuck the bias tape to create a clean corner.
  • Trim any excess threads: Once all edges are sewn, trim any loose threads with scissors to give your tea towels a clean finish.
Cost: $16
KEYWORD: diy tea towels

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20 thoughts on “Seersucker DIY Tea Towels”

  5. I Love these! I am always wanting something that is cool, but isn’t crazy on color. This fits the bill!

    Reply

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