How to Make Decorative DIY Tea Towels

These DIY decorative tea towels are a fabulous way to use up all fabric scraps and add a great pop of color to your decor!

This fancy tea towel is more casual than its noble ancestors, but are still a wonderful addition to any kitchen and a perfect gift for a wedding shower or house warming.

Way back then, besides drying, the towels were also often used as a cozy – wrapped around a tea pot, or as a basket warmer – wrapped around or laid on top of a serving bowl to keep scones, cakes, and biscuits warm. The functionality of today’s tea towels remain, but the construction is much faster and easier… especially if you’re a little light on the kitchen staff.

Their bright, retro fun designs have a lovely vintage feel. You can vary your own fabric selections to create the same nostalgic mood or change it up with modern neutrals, pretty pastels or traditional florals. Whatever strikes your fancy!

If you’re making more than one towel, consider using a matching accent fabric to pull them together into a coordinated set. I made this for a housewarming gift ~ a tea towel, although for a second there it almost ended up an apron.  My goal was to personalize it with some appliques and embroidery for my beautiful niece who got married over the weekend, but I ended up loving these colors and the ruffles together. It’s so bright and cheery. And, of course, I had to make one for myself too!

Watch how the Fat Quarter Shop makes this darling tea towel in their step by step tutorial.

How to Make Decorative DIY Tea Towels – Sewing Tutorial