dish towels |

I love painter’s drop cloth.

You can do so many wonderful things with it!

It can be used to cover furniture, for curtains, etc.

It is so soft and durable….and has the look of

wonderful European grain sack fabric.

I used it just lately to make napkins and

a few dish towels…….

all out of one drop cloth.

The drop cloth cost around $15 and I made

12 large 22″ napkins and 3 dish towels.

I had thought about adding these fun items to

the shop….but all of my life sewing has had

this awful effect on me.

It makes me curse.

I can sew….quite well, actually.

When my children were babies I made them

French hand sewn cloths that I also smocked.

When I was a teen I taught French hand sewing classes.

When I was little I made all of my Barbie’s clothes.

All of the curtains, etc. in our home….yep, I made ’em.

If the end of the world is near and my family needed

clothes….I could make them.

The problem:

I DON’T LIKE TO SEW!

Just because you can do something…

and are even good at it, doesn’t mean it’s your calling.

HA!

Strangest thing…..I’m not sure why sewing has this

cursing effect on me. I always waited until

my little ones were in bed before I would

sew things….just in case. hahaha

And, I bite my tongue a lot.

So, I sew for our home and when I have fun ideas….

but the thought of sewing, like, hundreds of these…..

Ugh. Would. push. me. over. the. edge.

So, I’m going to tell you guys how you can do your own!

It’s super easy…no cursing necessary. 🙂

After making the napkins and towels I used

transfer paper to print numbers on them.

You could print anything that you’d like to.

For our flour sack dish towels in the shop

I use a special art technique…not transfer paper,

but for this project; I used the transfer paper.

Here’s what you need:

1 large drop cloth {can be purchased from any home improvement store}

laser transfer paper {I like to use laser transfer paper on my inkjet printer…it gives it the vintage/worn look; and it doesn’t leave that ugly filmy look behind} I purchase mine from Amazon.

computer/printer

sewing machine

matching thread

Here’s how ya do it:

1. Create your numbers or choose your design on your computer

2. Print it out on the laser transfer paper…make sure to print out a mirror image {the laser transfer paper will tell you to not use it on inkjet printers…..just ignore it. I’ve never been really good at following directions, anyway.}

3. Cut the drop cloth in 12-22″ squares…but instead of cutting the fabric…tear it. Make a small cut and then tear from there. Drop cloth fabric does much better with ripping than cutting. You will get a straighter edge.

4. Use the few odd-sized pieces for dish towels.

5. Hem all four sides of each 22″ square and the odd-sized pieces. Be sure to fold over the edge twice….double-hem. This will make a nicer, more finished edge; and will guard against fraying…for at least 20-30 years. 😉

6. Cut out your design that you have printed on your laser transfer paper.

7. NOW, you can follow the directions….I know there are some of you out there that really need to follow directions. Here’s your chance! Embrace it! Follow the directions on the transfer paper for heat setting your designs with an iron onto your newly made napkins and towels. Voila! You’ve done it! Aren’t they wonderful?

For any of you that would like to use the numbers that I created and used on these napkins and towels…..

Here is the free printable…already in mirror format for you.

DropClothNapkinNumbers