Waffle and Linen Hand Towels

The beauty of these Waffle and Linen Hand Towels belies how super quick they are to make. It turns out that in the time it would take you to go to the store and pick something from a wedding registry you can handcraft a truly lovely gift… but nobody has to know that!  Bespoke objects are always more special than a blender, no matter the time (or lack thereof!) that they take to create!

Simple patterns like this call for spectacular fabric, and our Waffle and Linen Hand Towels deliver. We paired Robert Kaufman’s soft and absorbent Baby Waffle Pique with Globalweave’s elegant Duo Woven Linen to create a unique juxtaposition of cuddly and cultivated. One bumpy and one smooth, these two fabrics are made for each other!

I can’t think of simpler way to give such a unique and thoughtful gift. If you’ve got a wedding (or housewarming) coming up, these Waffle and Linen Hand Towels might be just the thing! -Molly

Materials

For a set of two Waffle and Linen Hand Towels you will need…

• 1 yard of Robert Kaufman’s Baby Waffle Pique
• 1 yard of Globalweave’s Duo Woven Linen from India in White, Yellow, Cream or Pink.
• Gutermann’s Cotton Thread in color 1040

Size

Finished Dimensions: 25 X 33 inches

Notes

We always recommend prewashing and drying your fabric, but in this case it’s especially important because the two fabrics are so different.

Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam.

Pattern

Cut

Fold the Linen in half so that the selvages meet. Press flat.

Cut the piece along the fold to create two rectangles. Trim each of these two new pieces to 26 x 34 inches.

Repeat for the Baby Waffle, finishing with two 26 X 34-inch rectangles.

Sew

With right sides together, pin one Waffle rectangle to one Linen rectangle around all four sides.

Starting in the middle of one of the long sides, sew the two pieces together with a ½-inch seam allowance. When you get to a corner, leave the needle down, pick up the foot, and pivot the fabric 90 degrees so that you can keep sewing down the next side. Stop sewing 4 inches before the starting point, leaving an unsewn gap on that side.

Snip off the four corners 1/8 inch from the seam, and turn the towel right sides out through the gap. Press flat, folding the seam allowances of the gap section neatly inside of the towel. Pin the two sides of the towel together around all four sides.

Using a ¼-inch seam allowance, top stitch around all fours sides (closing the unsewn gap as you do so). Again, when you reach a corner, leave the needle down, pick up the foot, and pivot the towel to continue sewing down the next side.

Repeat for the second pair of cut rectangles and you’re all done!