Make a Santa Claus Tea Towel for Christmas
- Lightweight paper-backed fusible web
- Fabric scraps: green print, red print, multicolor stripe, assorted gold prints, cream print, solid black, and solid pink
- Green cotton fabric to make a tea towel or a purchased towel
- Embroidery floss: black and red
- 3-3/4-inch strip of red print, cut the width of the towel plus 2 inches (binding)
- 3/8-inch-diameter peppermint-swirl button
- Prepare the Towel. Wash and dry the fabric (or a purchased towel); do not use fabric softener. Cut and sew the towel to the desired size, hemming both long edges and only one short edge. Press under 1/2 inch at each end of the binding strip. Fold the strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides facing; press. On the wrong side of the towel, align the raw edges of the binding even with one short edge of the towel. Sew through all layers using a 3/8-inch seam allowance. Turn the binding to the front of the towel and hem or machine-blanket stitch in place.
- Prepare the Appliques. Trace the patterns onto the paper side of the fusible web, leaving 1/2 inch between shapes. Cut the shapes apart, leaving some excess web around each shape. Following the manufacturer?s instructions, fuse the shapes to the wrong side of the fabrics; cut out on the traced lines. Remove the paper backing.
- Applique the Design. Lay the towel right side up on a flat ironing surface. Position the applique pieces on the towel; fuse in place. Use black thread to machine-blanket-stitch around each applique (or use black floss and blanket-stitch by hand).
- Finish the Design. Add French knot eyes with two strands of black floss. Backstitch spirals on cheeks with one strand of red. Sew button to Santa's hat.
