Over the past 5 years I've designed numerous tea towels and it's become clear that not all of you are using them just to dry the dishes! I love finding new designs and I'm passionate about colour, bold patterns and imagery, however some tea towels are just too good to keep stored away and hidden in your kitchen draws. I've put together 9 fun alternative uses for your tea towels which you may or may not have considered. Options 1 - 5 can be found below, 6-9 can be found in 'Alternative Uses For Tea Towels - Part 2'.
1. A Framed Tea Towel
Brighten up your kitchen walls by framing that special tea towel that you love.
Materials:
Tea Towel (I have used the English Dinner tea towel), habitat frame and strong sticky tape.
How to:
1. Iron the tea towel and carefully wrap it around the piece of wood that comes inside the frame. Tape the edges down assuring the front is smooth from creases.
2. Place the tea towel into the frame, secure the back and hang or rest against a wall.
2. Tea Towel Bunting
Bunting is a simple and effect way to decorate a room or garden. Perfect for birthdays, garden parties, Easter egg hunts, weddings or even the Queen's 90th Birthday.
Materials:
A collection of different tea towels (I have used the London Tube Stops tea towel, Welsh Dinner tea towel and a checkered red tea towel), ribbon, paper, pins, scissors, glue or sewing machine.
How to:
1. Cut a piece of paper to the size you want your bunting (my triangles measure 10cm across the top and 10cm from the top to the bottom point). Pin the paper to the tea towel and cut round them to create your triangles.
2. Glue or sew the top of the triangle to the ribbon leaving an even space in-between each one.
3. Tea Towel Cushions
Making a cushion out of your favourite, or many favourite tea towels is a great way to add a touch of warmth and burst of colour to your home. You can change the size by sewing multiple tea towels together, have different patterns on the front and back and make it into whatever shape you desire.
Materials:
1 tea towel (I have used the orange Cockney Rhyming Slang tea towel), cushion inner or wadding, needle and thread or sewing machine.
How to:
1. Measure your cushion inner and cut 2 equal squares from the tea towels to this size. (My cushion measures 31 x 31cm) Put the squares pattern side together and sew along three sides.
2.Turn the fabric the correct way, insert the cushion inner and hand sew the final side. Voila!
4. Wrapping a Bottle in a Tea Towel
Wrapping a bottle of wine in a tea towel is a lovely way to make a bringing a bottle of wine to dinner into a thoughtful gift. Two gifts in one! You can also do this with an apron, click here to view the video to see how.
Materials;
Bottle of wine, ribbon and a tea towel (I’ve used the Great British Outline tea towel and purple ribbon from Tiger).
How to:
1. Lay the tea towel flat and landscape and place the wine bottle at one end approximately 12cm from the bottom. Fold the fabric over the bottom of the wine bottle to create a base.
2. Carefully roll the bottle of wine into the tea towel and fasten with a bow.
5. Tea Towel Napkins
5. Tea Towel NapkinsUse your favourite tea towels as an alternative for napkins. They are great for covering your clothes from any spills plus it's a smart way to decorate your table.
Materials:
Tea towel (I have used the Condiments tea towel), scissors, sewing machine or a needle and thread.
How to:
1. Cut the tea towel into a square and sew along the cut side.
2. Fold the napkin into your desired shape and fill with cutlery.
For further alternative and clever uses for tea towels please go to 'Alternative Uses For Tea Towels - Part 2' to see ideas 6 - 9.
Photographs by Yeshen Venema.