DIY Flour Sack Towels

April 8, 2016

DIY Tea Towels_Twine And Braids

My dishtowel drawer was overflowing, so naturally I needed to make more.  Our current kitchen is a good size for an apartment, but it mainly consists of cabinets and appliances – not much room to decorate.  That’s when I turn to my dishtowel drawer.  Kitchen linens are an easy way to add a pop of color without much commitment.  You can rotate your towels seasonally or match them to the decor of your home.  Flour sack and tea towels tend to be my go to choice.  They get the job done when it comes to actually drying hands and dishes -go figure- but they also look great on your table or hanging in your kitchen.  In this DIY I take plain white, inexpensive flour sack towels and add unique details.

Not in the mood to make your own?  Pick up a pre-made set from my Twine & Braids Etsy shop!  Fern Tea Towel or Dandelion Tea Towel

DIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And Braids

Supplies
  • Flour Sack Towels (Walmart)
  • Rubber Stamps and/or Stencils (Michael’s)
  • Fabric Paint or Craft Paint plus Fabric Medium (Michael’s)
  • Sponge or sponge brush
  • Flat covered surface
  • Painters tape (optional)
  • Iron

For my first pattern I used a faux wood grain stencil, which I had left over from a past project.  This is painted in acorn, a light tan (exact color here).  Using painters tape I created a boarder to use as a guide for the stencil and dabbed on the paint with a sponge brush.

DIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And Braids

For the remaining towels I used a rubber stamp to create the desired pattern.  Exact paint colors here and here.  Since I used craft paint mixed with a fabric medium, I allowed the paint to dry for 24 hours and heat sealed with an iron.DIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsThese DIY flour sack towels would also make a great hostess or Mother’s Day gift!

DIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And BraidsDIY Flour Sack Towels_Twine And Braids

 

Enjoy!

Meghan

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13 Comments

    1. Fanny
      June 26, 2016

      Hi. I am new to Pinterest, new to crafts, new to hobby lobby, new to everything. Your towels are beautiful. Can you feel the paint on the surface of the towel? Is it better to use a stamp instead? I don’t know the difference, overlap in anything. Any advice would be great. Thank you.

      1. Meghan
        June 27, 2016

        Hi Fanny! Welcome to the wonderful world of crafts! I would definitely recommend starting with a stamp, it makes the process quick and easy!

    1. Katina Horton
      August 20, 2016

      I love this project! How do you heat seal these towels with the iron?

      Thanks!

      1. Meghan
        August 22, 2016

        Awesome! Heat set instructions may vary based on what fabric paint or fabric medium you use (their specific instructions should be on the package). For this project I used a Martha Stewart medium and once the paint was fully dry I ironed over the stamped area. This helps to resist fading.

    1. Beatriz Cruz
      December 4, 2016

      What do you mean by fabric medium? I bought the MS all purpose paints to use; same ones you used. Do I need to mix this with something to prevent from washing out? Also any tips on getting a clear stamp? My stamps are coming out smudgy. Looks ok but not as clear as yours. Thanks.

      1. Meghan
        December 6, 2016

        Hi Beatriz! Yes, I would suggest mixing your paint with a fabric medium. This way you can wash your towels without washing away your pattern! I used the Martha Stewart fabric medium – it’s linked under “Supplies” in the post. To get a clear stamp I would recommend taking your time when applying paint to your stamp, even wiping any excess around the edges before stamping on your towel. This makes the process a bit longer but definitely worth it!

    1. Kate
      December 12, 2016

      Hi there,
      These are beautiful! Can they be washed? Does the heat seal prevent it from bleeding?
      Thanks!

      1. Meghan
        December 12, 2016

        Hi Kate! Yes, these can be washed. Using the fabric medium and heat sealing with an iron helps to prevent bleeding and fading in the wash.

    1. GranMere
      May 13, 2017

      We’ve been looking for flour sack towels – where did you find these? I love what you did with them.

    1. Suzanne
      March 18, 2018

      What is the ratio of paint to fabric medium. I love the towels & want to get started on Christmas gifts!

      1. Meghan
        March 19, 2018

        With the Martha Stewart Fabric Medium I used here – it was a two part paint, one part medium ratio. You can also find fabric paint that won’t need to be mixed with a medium. These make great gifts, good for you getting an early start!

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