I had a hankering for a new tea towel recently (yes, I know, I’m clearly getting old), but couldn’t find one that I liked. So I bought some plain cotton ones and had a go at embroidering my own.
One way of getting a design onto a piece of fabric is to trace it. Some people tape their fabric to a window and use the natural light to help the tracing, others use a light box. I have, in the past, fallen into the first category but this time hit upon the frankly genius idea of bringing up the image I wanted to trace on my computer monitor. Drape the cloth over the screen and voila, instant light box! If it’s not clear enough then simply adjust the contrast.
Anyway, I traced the design I liked onto the towel and off I went. It didn’t take too long, but after I’d finished I felt it lacked something.
It was a pretty big tea towel so I added some more random bits and pieces, and now I think it looks complete.
Cost of blank tea towel? £2.25. Time taken? Ok, a good few hours of embroidery, but it was hardly onerous as I was watching telly at the same time. Cute Totoro tea towel? Priceless.
Love it!