pleated projects week: pleated dish towel

One of the best things about creating is turning humble, everyday items into something gift-worthy.

Take this dish towel, for instance. It started as a very inexpensive and readily available flour sack towel and just by adding a row of pleats to the bottom, it becomes this understated feminine dish towel.

Here’s what you need to make one for yourself {or your mom, or a friend}:

:: two flour sack kitchen towels {I bought a 4-pack at target for about $5}
:: scissors
:: pins
:: sewing machine {not shown}

You will need two towels – one as your base and the second to create your pleats with.

Begin by cutting of the selvedge of the towel you’ll use for the pleats.  Then cut three strips {approximately 4 inches x the width of the towel}.

Sew the three pieces into one long strip by stitching the ends right sides together. Fold the long strip in half width-wise and iron to hold crease.

Finish one edge of the strip by turning the fold inside out to sew right sides together.  Turn right side out to begin creating the pleats.

Beginning at one end {with the finished edge} begin hand pleating and pin into place along the bottom edge of the towel {leaving about a quarter inch overlap}.

To finish the end of the pleats, mark where you need to end, turn the fold inside out, sew right sides together and trim the end {as above}.

Sew pleats to towel along the top, back stitching at the beginning and end.

When you are finished, the result is this dainty pleated towel.

One more great thing about this project: you can do this to much more than a dishtowel. Try adding the pleated trim to the bottom of a skirt, to the edge of tablecloth or along the perimeter of a baby blanket. Just follow the steps as shown above and let your creativity inspire many new pleated projects.

Don’t forget … tomorrow is the link party to showcase your favorite pleated project.