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humanaevitae
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| Posted: Aug 23 2007 at 10:19pm | IP Logged
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Does anyone have a site that explains (with pics too!) how to embroider the white flour towels?
We buy ours at craft fairs but I think I would like to learn how to do this with my daughter.
Thanks
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Nicole-Zane 10, Elizabeth 7, Xavier 4, and John Patrick 2
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MaryatHome
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| Posted: Aug 23 2007 at 10:43pm | IP Logged
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I've never seen a site specifically for what you are looking for, but we do this. I'll share with you what we do.....maybe that will be of some help.
I use transfers from this company:
http://www.colonialpatterns.com
These are the "Aunt Martha's" brand that you can find at craft and discount stores. There are HUNDREDS of choices for pattern. We tend to the more "traditional," and for towels use fruit and vegetable motifs. When we do pillowcases and hankies, we tend to the florals (along with monograms).
I buy my "flour sack" towels in the domestics department at discount stores like Wallyworld.
Cotton embroidery floss is available just about everywhere, too. Since we like the more "realistic" patterns, I just stick with appropriate colors, though more pastel with the florals.
I split my floss from six strands to two for most applications, though I sometimes use three for kitchen towels. (To split the floss, cut into a 2-3 foot length, then separate the strands in the unit you want; by this I mean don't pull out the individual strands one by one and try to gather them back together.)
Use standard hand-sewing needles, though if you are buying a new pack specifically for this purpose, the shorter embroidery needles are nice.
Wash and dry the item to be embroidered, then press. The instructions in the envelope are easy to follow. Make sure your iron is HOT, and get the fabric HOT before you place the transfer. Place the transfer on the fabric and set the iron over it, avoiding the normal "ironing" motion.
Once the fabric is cool, you can start the embroidery. In the beginning, choose simple outline designs, and stay away from the more elaborate edgings. If there is a design that appeals to you in a transfer pack that has the fancy edging, just don't transfer that when you iron, and the design will be just fine.
For the simple outlines, use a standard back stitch or a stem stitch for a thicker line. Occasionally, you will need a french knot.
Try this site for video tutorials on embroidery stitches.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/video-library-of-hand-e broidery.html
It really is a fun activity, and one that is useful. I have given so many sets of kitchen towels for wedding gifts when I was a starving student!
Hope this has helped.
Mary
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MaryatHome
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 8:04am | IP Logged
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I've come back to this this morning, and now the link won't work. I don't know why my post keeps inserting the space between the "e" and "m" of "embroidery" in the link. I've tried to fix it, and it keeps coming back.
So when you copy and paste the address to your browser, take out the space to make it work.
Also, as I was thinking about this overnight, I thought I might add the idea to start small, like with a hankie with a motif in one corner. The transfer instructions are the same, but a smaller project might be more successful the first time out. Even your 7-yo could manage it, if you were so inclined. For best results, buy 100% cotton hankies in the men's department.
Sorry about the link problems. I'm really pretty useless at that kind of fix.
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Matilda
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 8:19am | IP Logged
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I did the hankie thing with my just turned 8 yr. old daughter last month. She gave it to my husband for his birthday!
I just drew out a little flower shape on the corner of the hankie and helped her thread and knot the needles. I told her it was like coloring with thread. The back side of the hankie isn't very pretty but the front side is gorgeous! So dainty and delicate.
She can't wait to do more and now my 6 year old wants to try too.
Thanks for the link correction!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11 , 10 , 9 & 5 ) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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amarytbc
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 10:54am | IP Logged
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Are flour sack towels absorbent? I've always bought terry cloth because my mother did, but I prefer the look of the thick cotton ones. Which flour sack type do you buy?
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MaryatHome
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 11:24am | IP Logged
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Well, flour sack towels are for drying glasses, dishes and the like. We use terrycloth for drying hands and cleaning. The flour sack ones are good for those items where you don't want lint left behind, and are best for "light" drying.
I really like the ones that come from the Aunt Martha's site above, but I have worked with the ones from the domestics department at the local discount emporium. Honestly, whenever I begin a new craft like this, I don't always buy the best quality supplies during the learning curve. I hate that feeling of "wasting" the good stuff on mistakes, though it's also important to get something good enough that the work reflects the craft. The discount ones are "good enough" for my purposes there. As an example, last year when I taught my Girl Scout troop embroidery, I used the small cotton WalMart hankies, but when I make them for gifts, I get the nicer ones from the good department store men's department.
Mary
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humanaevitae
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| Posted: Aug 24 2007 at 12:27pm | IP Logged
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Thank you so much Mary!
A set of these embroidered towels are quite expensive at craft fairs and I just love them for drying dishes. All our extended families like them also so they would make great Christmas presents!
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Nicole-Zane 10, Elizabeth 7, Xavier 4, and John Patrick 2
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Embroidering flour towels?
