Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Quilted Tea Towel Table Topper



I found these cheap tea towels the other day. They were your most plain, most basic, most run of the mill tea towels, but I bought 4 of them because I thought, ya know, I could probably make something with them. I mean, it’s possible, right? I’ve been known to make stuff… At first I thought I’d make some placemats... And then I thought an apron might be cool... Some curtains maybe… Or maybe some napkins… Suffices to say that I had a lot of ideas about what to make with these here tea towels. Decisions, decisions. Eventually I settled on this: a quilted tea towel table topper.



Here’s what I did. I started by cutting the edges off every towel. I found it hard at first to cut into these brand new towels but I (obviously) got over it...



I cut the towels into variously-sized rectangles and squares using the pattern on each towel to guide me. Then I sewed the rectangles together in rows.



I came up with two different row designs which I alternated to give me my final basket weave pattern.



I pinned the rows together…



And sewed ‘em up!



I made some binding. The binding fabric is in my stash and I will NEVER use it all up because I still have like, 3 YARDS of it, and I’ve used it in countless projects, and it’s always there, and it never gets used up… It’s like a relative that comes to visit and then never leaves.



So, once I had the top together, I made a quilt sandwich (yum, my favourite) and basted it together with safety pins no less. Never done that before. And then I decided to MACHINE-quilt it together! What? NO!... YES! You heard me! MACHINE-quilting! It happened here folks! At my house! With ye old Betty the ancient one! I know, I am a little over-excited! But see here! I’ve had Betty for 25 years and I have never machine-quilted with her, she doesn’t have a walking foot and the only “feature” she possesses is the zigzag. The ZIGZAG!!! So. You can understand my astonishment when, after playing with Betty’s two buttons and bravely sliding in the sandwich, she just started quilting! All on her own! Okay, I helped a little. But she did it. Now, obviously, she is not practiced. I dare say the quilting… well… sucks the big one. But I don’t care! She quilted. My Betty quilted by gum! And that’s all that matters.


Here. Here it is... Betty’s first quilt, the tea towel table topper! (snif snif)






I'm joining a few link parties today: Make It Yours Day at My Backyard Eden, Hoo's Got Talent at Night Owl Crafting, and Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts!



9 comments:

  1. What a great idea! I love the towels you used -- they are so cute. You did such a great job, and it turned out beautifully!

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  2. Hi Michele, your quilted table topper turned out fantastic! Thank you so much for dropping by my blog and for your good wishes about my hand troubles. I think since I started blogging I have done so much crochet my hands are screaming back at me REST!!! hehe! I will rest them a little longer! Lovely to chat to you

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  3. Hi Michele:
    How clever of you! It looks great and you did a wonderful job. Thanks for sharing.
    xoxo
    Donna

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  4. It's very cute!!! Go old Betty!!!!

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  5. Hey there,

    What a fantastic idea, I may have to give that a go myself, I saw some great tea towels just the other day :-)

    xxh

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  6. Hi Michele,
    you're full of clever ideas aren't you ? Love the tea towel quilt, it looks so much nicer than it sounds! I think I might treat myself to one of those rolling cutter thingies.
    love Louise x

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  7. I love this quilt. What a good idea using tea towels for it. It gives a lovely textures - Hugs Nat

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  8. What a clever idea! I love how cute it turned out! Thanks for linking up to Hoo's got talent!

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  9. This would make such a great table cover for toddlers because it is So machine washable!! Great idea!
    Gmama Jane

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