Ruffled Scrap Fabric Towel

Find an old, tattered towel or purchase one at the dollar store and create quick, easy scrap fabric crafts that will last a lifetime. This Ruffled Scrap Fabric Towel can easily complement anyone's kitchen decor and is so easy to make.


 

Materials:

• Kitchen towel
• Fabric scrap
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Crochet thread
• 1-inch wide bias tape
• Rickrack

Instructions:

1. Measure the width of your kitchen towel. Cut a strip of fabric 5 inches wide by a length one and a half times the width of the towel.
   
   
    
2. Fold the strip in half with the right sides together and the long edges matching. Pin the short ends. Sew the short ends using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Do not stitch the long edge. Turn the strip right side out and press.
   
   
    
3. Place the long open edge of the strip under your presser foot at the end of the strip. Knot the end of crochet thread. Place the crochet thread under the presser foot with the knot behind the foot. Set your machine to a wide, long zigzag stitch. Sew the length of the edge, zigzagging over the thread. The zigzag stitch will create a casing over the crochet thread. Cut the thread at the end of the strip and tie into a knot.
   
   
    
4. Pull the crochet thread to gather the strip until its measurement is the same as the width of the towel. Determine which side of the ruffle will be the back and lay it on your work surface with the back facing up. Cut 1-inch wide bias tape 2 inches longer than the width of the towel. Place the tape on the gathered edge of the ruffle with the wrong side facing up. Center the tape on the edge with an equal amount extending from each end of the ruffle. Pin the tape to the gathered edge of the ruffle. Sew the pinned edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
    
5. Fold the tape to the front of the ruffle and press. Fold the excess on the ends to the back and press. Pin the tape to the ruffle. Top stitch the pinned edge.
    
6. Lay the towel on your work surface. Place the ruffle on the towel with the tape edge approximately 1-1/2 inches above the bottom edge of the towel. Pin the tape edge to the towel. Top stitch the pinned edge as close to the top edge as possible.
   
   
   
   
    
7. Cut rickrack 1 inch longer than the width of the towel. Position the rickrack over the top edge of the bias tape. Center the rickrack with an even amount extending from each end of the ruffle. Fold the ends to the back of the towel and pin. Top stitch down the center of the rickrack to attach.