Upcycled Tea Towel Becomes a Sweet Valentine Wreath
I'm so glad you're back since I have the cutest Valentine's Day craft to share with you! How are things in your neck of the woods? It's been bitterly cold here this week so I've been staying inside and crafting my days away.
Welcome to the 'Do It Over' Designers blog hop. We are a group of bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY. I'm happy to host this hop and I hope you'll visit everyone to see what they have to share with you. The links will be listed at the end of this post.
Do you have some old tea towels stashed in the bottom of a kitchen drawer? You know the ones...they're at the point where they make good rags but you can still use them in a pinch? Kind of like this:
I've always used this towel when making jam. The jars sat on it while they cooled, but, let's face it, it's seen better days. Look at those edges!
Let me show you what I did with this sad little towel.
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This is what you'll need:
- tea towel
- embroidery hoop - one of several found at a yard sale
- rotary cutter (or scissors)
- Cricut Maker (or just a heart pattern)
- sewing machine (or needle & thread)
- fiberfill
- hot glue gun
- silicone finger covers I use these whenever I use hot glue!
- string
First, I trimmed off those frayed hems with my rotary trimmer.
Then, after choosing and sizing a heart on Design Space, I cut my hearts on my Maker.
So easy!
How many hearts, you ask? After 'eyeballing' the size of the embroidery hoop, I cut six sets (of 2) hearts.
Each pair was sewn together...
and stuffed with fiberfill.
I fringed the edges with a needle and then threaded a piece of string to the back of each one.
Ready to go on the embroidery hoop!
Or not! When I spaced and tied them around the hoop, I discovered I really needed one more!
So, I went through all of the above steps for one more heart. Clearly, I didn't 'eyeball' that very well!
Since the embroidery hoop was a bit humble. I wrapped and hot glued some tea towel strips around it.
Much better!
After tying the hearts on once again, a dab of hot glue was used on the back to keep them in place.
The strings were trimmed and a dab of hot glue was applied to each knot.
I found a little red heart gem in my stash and glued a piece of string to it.
The other end was glued to the back of one of the hearts.
The Valentine wreath was complete!
Ready for display on my china cabinet door.
It's the perfect place for it since I can't find the other heart I made...it has to be around here somewhere, right?
I'll keep looking!
Before you run off, don't forget this is a blog hop and the rest of the team has some amazing upcycle/recycle/did-it-over projects to share with you. The links are all listed below:
I have several of that kind of tea towel at the bottom of the kitchen drawer! Too good to just be a rag but not nice enough to put out as a tea towel. This lovely wreath has such a pretty country vibe to it, I love seeing how you've put it together.
ReplyDeleteWhew! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm so glad you like it, Julie!
DeleteAnn, this is just darling...and red, my favorite. I just love it! I do have a bunch of those "seen better days" towels in my stash and today they're all going to get a second look. The strings through the back of the hearts to anchor them is a genius idea and the frayed edges are perfect. Thanks for another super fun hop! Stay warm!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kim and I DID think of you when I pulled it out of the drawer. I guess I'm not the only one who hangs on to old towels. Maybe we need an 'old towels' theme for this hop!
DeleteThis is darling and a great recycling idea! Perfect for Valentine's Day! Great tutorial!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Patti. This was a lot of fun to make!
DeleteFabulous Ann! I love how you transformed frayed edges into even more frayed edges—it’s such a beautiful transformation. It’s so much prettier as a display piece than as a tea towel.
ReplyDeleteI guess it did go from a bit of an ugly duckling to a swan. That's the best part of projects like this one!
DeleteIf this isn't the cutest Valentine wreath, Ann! What a fabulous idea using an old tea towel! You rock!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gail. It really did sit in the drawer for far too long!
DeleteAww, that's so cute!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tania!
DeleteWhat a perfect way to add a cosy touch of Valentine’s decor. The stuffing makes it extra cosy feeling.
ReplyDeleteRachel - Tea and Forget-me-nots
Thank you, Rachel. We all need a little 'cozy' with the temperatures we've been having!
DeleteThis is adorable Ann! I had to chuckle when you mentioned the rotary wheel, several years ago my Grandma wanted to teach me to quilt, mind you I was in my 30's and she would not let me use it since she said it was a treacherous tool! I am laughing even now, just thought I would share that little tid bit. Looks like I really need to get with the program and learn to sew. I keep shoving it off so I can work on other projects, but I'd really like to learn. So many more possibilities for crafting if I do. I love this little wreath, and what a great use of a well loved towel.
ReplyDeleteYour Grandma was right! It can be treacherous if you slant that wheel and cut off more than intended. When it comes to sewing, I can do the simple things, just don't hand me a pattern to make a dress or jacket! Every time I look at this little wreath, I will think of making jam!
DeleteThis fabric always look classy and your heart are just adorable. Great project.
ReplyDeleteThis is an adorable wreath for Valentine's Day - love, love, love!
ReplyDeleteGreat Valentine’s wreath. I have a bunch of fabric Valentine’s to recycle. Thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteSo sweet, thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday!
ReplyDelete