THE PERFECT MULTI-USE CLOTH TOWELS

Today, I’m going to show you how to easily sew multi-use cloth towels, or reusable paper towels that are made with terry cloth fabric or old towels. A very simple sewing project for beginners which will allow you to cut down or eliminate your everyday paper towel usage.

THE REASONING BEHIND REUSABLE CLOTH TOWELS

Number one has to be zero-waste and to stop producing so much garbage and plastic waste in our landfills.

It isn’t much but it’s a good start to cut back on paper towel usage, and to save a tree. Most people use a lot more paper towels on a daily basis than they would admit. In our house we don’t like to use the same kitchen towels over and over again everyday to dry our hands or do dishes because, so many germs are lurking about. Which in turn, means that we go through quite a few rolls of paper towels each month.

So, I decided I wanted to try making some reusable multi-use towels instead of using so many regular paper towels. The multi-use towels I made are from 100% cotton terry cloth and can replace some of the chores for things you use paper towels for, like:

• Drying your hands
• Wiping up all those spills
• Cleaning every imaginable surface

SO WHAT FABRIC DO YOU WANT TO USE TO MAKE MULTI-USE TOWELS

I made my towels with 100% terry cloth cotton. I bought two 1 yard pieces of 100% cotton terry cloth from Joanne’s Fabric. I got it in a solid and a print in a coordinating color. You can cut up old towels or sheets and use those if you prefer, whichever fits your budget.

HOW MANY MULTI-USE TOWELS DO I NEED?

For me, each yard of fabric made 20 towels, depending on your size, it might be less or more. but for me it was a good amount to start with.

SUPPLIES TO MAKE MULTI-USE TOWELS WITH SNAPS

• 1 YARD each of solid and print 100% cotton Terry cloth
• Fabric Scissors
• Sewing Machine
• Coordinating Thread
• Used cardboard paper towel tube
• Coordinating Plastic Snaps (These are completely optional)
• Straight Pins
• Ruler or a measuring tape

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DIY PAPER TOWELS

1. Be sure to wash and dry your fabric according to the care instructions
2. Then, iron to all the wrinkles out
3. Lay out the fabric on a flat surface and use either a cardboard cut out in your desired size or a paper towel as a template and trace it onto the fabric.
4. Cut out the individual towels you have fabric for.
5. Next up, sewing. Thread your machine with the coordinating cotton thread.
6. Putting right sides together, sew around the outside of the fabric using a single stitch. Be sure to stop sewing 1″ before the end to allow turning the fabric right side out.
7. Try to get as close to the edge of the fabric without going over.
8. After turning the fabric right side out, turn in the opening and then do a single stitch all the way around the towel.
9. Next, you are going to add three snaps to one side of each towel, so they snap together.
10. Then, place your used paper towel cardboard tube on side of one of the multi-towels and just snap and roll into a tube. I then placed mine on a regular paper towel holder, it works great.
11. Your DIY unpaper towels are ready to use!