DIY Reusable Paper Towels for Holiday Baking (with Video Tutorial)
Making a mess in the kitchen is much more enjoyable when you have pretty towels to help you clean up!
These washable reusable paper towels will be your best friend when making Christmas cookies and other holiday baking.
Sew a few of these to keep in the kitchen to clean up messes. Then just toss them into your laundry.
Important Tip: It is important to pre-wash the fabric before sewing so that it preshrinks.
How to Sew Reusable Paper Towels
My video tutorial making these unpaper towels is found at the end of this tutorial.
Supplies
- 7 X 7 inch (18 X 18 cm) Fabric (Quilter’s Cotton or Flannel is best)
- 7 X 7 inch (18 X 18 cm) Terry Cloth Fabric or Towel
- Thread
- Pen, marker or tailor’s chalk
- Ruler
- Sewing clips or pins
- Turning tool
Directions
Step 1
Make a square pattern that is 7 inches X 7 inches (18 cm X 18 cm). Measure and cut out the pattern from a piece of paper or cardboard.
Trace the pattern piece on both the fabric and the towel material using a pen, marker or tailor’s chalk.
For each towel, cut one square each from the fabric and the Terry cloth/towel.
Tip: If you are using an old towel, do not place the pattern piece over seams on the towel to cut out. This would increase the thickness and be very hard to sew.
Step 2
Place the right sides together of the fabric and the towel. There probably won’t be a right side to the towel.
Clip or pin the fabric together.
Step 3
Sew around the outer edges of the square, leaving a 3 inch gap on one side. Use a 1/2 inch seam allowance.
Tip: Keep the fabric side facing up underneath the sewing machine presser foot. If you kept the towel side up, it is very hard to see the stitches as you sew.
Be sure to backstitch and the beginning and end of your stitching.
Step 4
Clip the corners by cutting diagonally across the seam allowance, being sure not to cut the stitches.
This reduces bulk and makes it easier to push out the corners and make crisp edges.
Step 5
Turn the towel inside out through the open seam allowance.
Use a turning tool to push out the square corners.
If you desire, iron the fabric to remove wrinkles and press the seams flat.
Step 6
Fold under the fabric on the open seam allowance to match the existing seam allowance. Pin or clip to secure.
Topstitch around all four edges using a 1/4 inch or 1/8 inch seam allowance (whichever you prefer) close to the edge.
Helpful Tips
- The size can be adjusted any way you like. You could make larger or smaller squares, or make a rectangle shape.
- If you are going to make many of these unpaper towels, I suggest cutting out a pattern piece from cardboard because it will be more durable and easier to trace.
- I used a Dollar Tree hand towel for some of my reusable paper towels. I would NOT suggest these towels. They are too thin and they lose shape very easily.
- Shop thrift stores and garage sales for old towels to use in this sewing project. You can cut patterns around holes or stains in towels.
- Terry cloth fabric is usually found in the baby fabric section of a fabric store.
- Instead of a turning tool, you could use the eraser-end of a pencil or the end of a wood spoon handle.
Be sure to Pin This sewing project to save for later!
These easy unpaper towels are just one of our free sewing patterns for holiday baking and a Christmas kitchen. See these sewing projects next:
