This summer, my husband and I gave into our children’s pleas to get a dog. Not only that, but we thought two puppies would be a good idea. Now they are 6 months old and will not leave my dish towels alone! It drives me crazy. I have always had them hanging on the bar of the dishwasher next to the sink, and now I have to go searching for them every single time. Usually, I find the puppies chewing on my towels in their crate. I decided I needed to figure out a way to keep my towels where I put them and make it so my dogs (and kids) couldn’t pull them down. I’m so excited that these worked! Follow along and I’ll show you how I used a dishcloth to make them!
Materials Needed:
- 12″ X 12″ dishcloths
- Woven fabric: Main and accent colors
- Snaps (or buttons if you prefer)
- Sewing machine
Prepping the Dishcloth
For this project, I purchased a pack of premade dishcloths online. You can make your own if you’d like, but I went with the quick and easy option. I bought the 12″ X 12″ size.
- Lay out a dishcloth and find and mark the center of one side
- Fold each side in to meet at the marked point and mark at their fold points
- Fold each marked side point in towards the back meeting up at the center mark to create a box pleat
- Pin along the pleat and press
- Sew along the top edge of the pleat
Measure across the pleated side to find the length of the top edge. If you are using a 12” X 12” cloth like I did, it should be 8”. If you use a different size, you will need to measure that and adjust the length of your main fabric piece.
Getting Your Fabric Ready
These measurements are based on a 12” dishcloth that is folded making it 8” across. If you use a different size dishcloth, you will need to adjust the length of your pattern pieces. To do this, multiply the top edge measurement by 2 and add ½” for seam allowance.
- Cut your main fabric piece out measuring 16 ½” X 9”
- Cut your accent fabric: you will cut one piece that is 16 ½” X 2”, and another that is 16 ½” X 1 ½”
- Lay your main fabric piece out right side up
- On each of the long sides, lay the accent piece along it with right sides together
- Sew with a ¼” seam allowance
- Open you piece and press the seam allowance towards the main center piece and topstitch
- Find the side that has the 2” accent piece, fold the edge in ½” with wrong sides together and press
- Fold your fabric in half hot dog way and pin around the long edge and the short side that was not pressed in
- Sew with ¼” seam allowance
- Clip the corners of the sewn end to make it look nice when turned
- Turn the fabric right side out and press all around
- Fold it in half hamburger way and press
- Open the side with the turned in edge and insert the pleated dishcloth into it
- Pin in place along the folded edge of the accent fabric
- Sew along where you pinned to secure the dishcloth to the fabric
- Mark where you will put your snaps, then follow the manufacturer’s instructions for assembly
- If you choose to use buttons instead, you will sew the button on the inside part that is sewn to the towel, and your buttonholes on the outside part that folds over
Hang it over your dishwasher, oven, or fridge bar and snap it in place!
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I love these. I can’t wait to try to make some. Thank you for all the innovative ideas!!!!
These look to be a simple yet lovely way to keep track of hand towels. I want to make some for friends and family!
wow ! These are going to be great ,for my husband thinks the towels are for his fingers when he is making a sandwich or cooking if they get dirty .So when i dry something i just washed i am wondering what is on it dish after i just washed it …i have told him and showed him ,here use these when you need something to wipe your hand or fingers on when cooking, even hung them on the handle of the oven and even hung them right beside the stove but he stills use the ones i have hung or by the cupboards ….so hope these will help …hahahhaha…
Thank you for this easy pattern I used to make some Christmas dishcloths for a Christmas gift exchange.