I'm sometimes asked how to add a fabric hem to a dishtowel and this is how I do it. First of all, my go-to fabric border is usually a pre-cut jelly-roll strip. These are great for so many things and if you're a quilter you may have scraps of these handy, as I often do, but if you don't the size is 2.5-inches wide, cut across the grain. You'll need a strip the width of your towel, plus 2" for folding the ends over.
Lay your strip right-side down on the wrong side of the towel matching up the bottom edge. Fold in the ends so they are even with the sides of the towel. Pin and stitch using a 1/2" seam allowance.
Open and press seam allowance toward strip. Fold the raw edge of the strip over about 1/4" and press. Fold strip over again onto the right side of the towel with the stitched seam along the bottom edge.
Press flat, pin, and top stitch along the folded edge. The raw edges will be hidden inside and the back will be neat and tidy.
If you want, you can add a bit of decorative embroidery along the seam, such as a blanket or feather stitch or a row of rickrack for a retro look.
Little Lambkins
Someone inquired recently about this adorable little lamb pattern that used to be available from a link on my original blog. So, with spring on the wing, it seems like a good time to revisit this again so here it is along with a snippet from my blog archives.
Posted April 2006: Last week we were driving through the countryside passing farms and rolling green fields; lambing season ended a few weeks ago and the ewes and lambs have been sent out to pasture, some of them only a few days old, but already romping in the grass and kicking up their heels the way young animals do in springtime. SO adorable to see.
Speaking of little lambs, I was going though some old patterns recently and found these hand-traced pattern pieces--for a lamb, tucked inside this old Simplicity envelope. I have no idea how old this is or who traced it, but these pattern pieces were well worn and full of pin-holes as if used many times. A clue to it's cuteness perhaps? I decided to find out. I omitted the seams and cut the pieces out of an old wool blanket I'd found in a thrift shop and stitched them together. It turned out quite adorable! Eventually, I made another one from fabric and was so pleased with these that I had to share them because I knew you would want to make them too.
You can find the Little Lambkin pattern in the FREE STUFF section. It was also featured in my first indie book BLANKET STATEMENT: One Thrifted Wool Blanket Repurposed into 40+ Projects, c.2008. (This book is currently out-of-print; used copies are sometimes available on Amazon).
Small Details
I get so excited when I find these little gems in unexpected places, like this little bunny. It had been hiding in a box for many years along with other old snippets and sheets of transfer patterns that had become separated from their envelopes.
Fortunately, it had enough identifiable information so that I was able to track down its origin: McCall's 1657 dating back to the 1950's for "Baby Clothes to fit the Tiny Tears doll". Looking closer, I see there are two motifs to embroider on dolly's outfits. How cute is this? Just looking at this makes me happy. Hope it does the same for you. Enjoy!
