It’s Day 7 of our Christmas freebies and we’ve got linen tea towels for you! You will not believe how simple today’s is. As a sewist and fabric “collector”, I’m always drawn to table linens.  Here’s a quick and easy tutorial to make your own linen tea towel, in three different sizes. These are great host gifts, and pair well with our Pot Holders, Fabric Bowl Covers, and Kitchen Sponge + Cleaning Cloths.

SUPPLIES:

• Linen fabric. These work great for upcycling and scrap pieces!
• Size large 20 x 30
• Size medium 17 x 26
• Size small 14 x 22
• You can really cut the grainline going either direction. I bought 1 yard of linen and got 1 size large, 1 size medium, and 2 size smalls from that cut.

LET’S GET STARTED!

Step 1: PREPPING

Go grab the pattern here! The pattern is 100% free, but you do need to add it to your cart and checkout. Then, it will always be available to download from your account. The pattern is a no-trim pattern; if you need help putting the pattern together, pop over to the faqs and troubleshooting page or ask in our Facebook group.

Print and assemble the pattern. Alternatively, you can use the measurements below or the projector file if you’re using a projector. Pattern layout below:

• Size large 20 x 30
• Size medium 17 x 26
• Size small 14 x 22

Step 2: CONSTRUCTION

Cut your tea towel/s in your desired size. Give them a nice press before starting. I love using the selvage edge of the linen, as I find it usually really pretty, and then I have less waste, yay! You can cut the pieces going either with or against the grain, it doesn’t make much difference. I cut it in whichever way I can get the most use from my fabric.

We’ll be hemming the edges of the tea towel with a pretty mitered corner. Alternatively, you can stitch a straight 1/2″ from the edge and let the linen fray, which is a very pretty look.

We will be creating a memory press around the entire tea towel. Press one side 1/4″ towards the wrong side. Iron that same edge 1/4″ towards the wrong side again. Unfold memory press and repeat on other 3 sides.

Optional- trace the memory press lines on the wrong side to help you see them better. Draw a line diagonally across the corner at the most inside intersection of your memory press lines. See the yellow dashed line as a guide.

Cut the very tip of the corner off to reduce bulk. Repeat on the other 3 corners.

Your diagonal line across the corner is where you will fold. Press the rest of the corner towards the wrong side of the fabric, along this fold line. Repeat on the other 3 corners.

Fold the rest of the edges back in, following your original memory press. Place a pin to hold the corner. Repeat on the other 3 corners.

Edge stitch around the entire tea towel. When you get to a corner, leave the needle in the down position, lift the presser foot, rotate the fabric, and continue edge stitching.