Bias Tape Trimmed Kitchen Towels

By Sarah 

We have loads of beautiful bias tape at the shop right now and so I got inspired to make some kitchen towels using huck toweling. For those of you who don't know, huck toweling is a narrow fabric that has a distinct texture or weave that is necessary for a decorative stitching technique called 'Swedish weaving' and, hence the name, is used for making towels. I have never and probably will never attempt this 'weaving' as it looks painstakingly laborious; it is gorgeous though!  

Huck toweling is fairly inexpensive and sometimes comes with nice finished selvages so that all you need to do is hem both raw ends. The type we currently have in the shop has pinked selvages instead of finished, so it's perfect for these bias tape trimmed towels. A half yard of huck toweling will make one square sized towel and of the bias tape, you will need about 2 5/8 yards. 

You could make them square or you could round the corners using something round like a jar as your templet. I did this and also cut a slight curve into all four sides to give them a more interesting shape. 

The floral bias tape on the left is how it is sold off the roll and the gold cherry tape on the right shows it being folded and pressed, which will make it much easier to sew around the toweling. 

Cut enough bias tape to cover one corner and with a zigzag stitch, sew it on. 

Then, with some length hanging off past the corner, about 10" or so, overlap the bias tape and start stitching all the way around. Once you zigzag stitch all the way around then you will fold the ends of the ties in and with a straight stitch finish the ties. The ties will enable them to be hung from a hook or tied onto the handle of an oven or refrigerator.  

Notice the nice texture of the huck toweling. 

These towels would make a fine house warming gift, don't you think?! Come check out our oodles of delightful printed bias tape next time your in the neighborhood.