How about Dish Towel? Whatever you call it...
Mrs P's now has toweling! It's from Moda and is finished at 16 inches wide. How hard could it be to make a cup towel?
First, has anyone every measured one? Not me for sure! I laid a cup-towel I liked from home on top of the toweling and measured an inch extra on either end. My towel was 25 inches, so I cut 27 inches.
Using the original cup towel as a 'pattern', a simple rolled hem was used. I marked 1/2 an inch in from the ends on the back side. This is where the turn under will be for the hem.
Pressing on the line and then another 1/2 inch is turned under and pressed. That's where that extra inch on each end goes- into the hem.
Alas, my machine did not want to sew though all those layers, so the side seams were picked apart just far enough to be able to iron the hem. In doing this, there is a tab of fabric that sticks out, so that's the part I cut off to allow the roll over hem lay a bit flatter and in turn, fit under the sewing machine. The mark 'disappeared' because I used a Frixxon marker that disappears in heat. Good thing the press line stayed.
Ready to sew, but now left wondering if to use red or white thread...the sides are red but the biggest area is white. Hmmmm....
How about a variegated thread? Yes! Then I won't have to worry about matching. I picked a Silco by Wonderfil thread that Mrs P's sells. Silco is a 35 weight {normal machine weight thread is 50} cotton thread. It's thicker than the average machine thread but not as thick as some.
Putting a different weight thread in your machine can seem to be daunting task. I put it in and started to sew....the thread shredded, broke and in general - it was not a pretty picture. So, knowing this thread is thicker than the average, I loosened the tension on my pressure foot area and also loosened the thread tension. I moved both off by one mark- just to see what would happen. Zoom went the machine- I hit the magic combo right off!
I definitely need to start keeping a small notebook near the machine to write some of the hits and misses in it. Experimentation is is fun, but there is no need to replicate the boo, boos. :) I learned in playing with 12 weight thread, that I needed to adjust ( loosen ) the tensions but I wasn't sure how much for the 35 weight. If your sewing machine is sewing fine right now, make a note or put a mark where ' normal ' is on your machine- then you can get back to there, if you are experimenting with new kinds of thread or different layers of fabrics. Remember too- if your machine is sewing nicely and then starts acting up- it might need a new needle.
By now, you've also figured out, I made a cowboy cup-towel ! I think it's awesome. Mrs P's also has a green and red striped bolt of toweling.
Have a great weekend!
