• Home
  • New? Start Here
  • About Diane
  • Contact
    • Advertise/Sponsors
    • Disclosure
  • FAQ’s
  • SHOP
  • Subscribe
    • Member Library
  • SEARCH
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

In My Own Style

Top Budget DIY Home Decorating Blog + Creative Lifestyle Ideas + Tutorials.

  • Decorating
    • DIY Decorating Projects
    • No-Sew Decorating Projects
    • Window Treatments
    • Decorating Tips and Tricks
    • Home Improvement
    • Outdoor & Exterior
    • My Current Lake House
    • My Previous House
    • Spring & Easter Decorating
    • Summer & Patriotic Decorating
    • Fall Decorating Ideas
    • Christmas Decorating Projects & Ideas
  • Organizing
  • Room Makeovers
    • Kitchens
    • Living Rooms
    • Dining Rooms
    • Bedrooms
    • Bathrooms
    • Closets
  • DIY & Crafts
    • Gift Wrapping
    • Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose
    • Insta-Style
    • Free Fonts
    • Free Printables
    • DIY Projects With a Free Printable
  • Paint Anything
    • How to Paint Anything
    • How to Spray Paint FAQ’s
    • How to Paint FAQ’s Answered
    • Invaluable Painting Tips For the Home Decorator
    • Paint Recommendations for the DIY Decorator
  • Furniture Makeovers
    • DIY Faux Finishes
    • New to DIY Chalk Paint?
    • DIY Chalk Paint Recipes For Painting Furniture
    • DIY Chalk Painted Furniture Tutorials
    • Furniture Painting Tips
  • Lifestyle
    • Style Scouting
    • Travels
    • Entertaining
    • Table Settings
    • Recipes
    • Daily Life

Appliqued Decorative Dish Towel

October 15, 2012 · By Diane Henkler · 7 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet

Last week my blogging friend, Carrie, at Making Lemonade, tweeted me to tell me that our favorite $1 a yard fabric place, JoMar, was closing.  This is sad news.  If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know I have found a lot of great fabric there.   Online fabric shopping has become the popular fabric buying option, but since I am a visual girl, I like to be able to see and touch fabric before I actually buy it. I also like to browse the bolts to get inspired.  Luckily, I still have JoAnns Fabrics where I can see, touch, and feel the fabric.  That is where I found the almost perfect dishtowel last week for my kitchen.

Owl-Dishtowel-2

I say almost perfect, since it is hard sometimes to find decorative items that are truly a perfect fit.

I have been lucky enough to have been able to write and get a DIY decorating book published – my next lifetime dream would be to design a line of home merchandise all perfectly aligned with my aesthetic. Until that day comes, I will enjoy tweaking what others have designed – my term for it – semi-designing – sort of like semi-homemade where you take something already made and mass merchandised and tweak it to your liking.  That is why I love DIY’ing so much. I don’t want to live with someone else’s style, when with a little effort I can change something to be in my own style.   Doing this makes me happy.

So that is what I did to the dishtowel – I semi-designed it.  I loved the orange pom-pom trim and fabric, but not the embroidered pumpkins on the dishtowel.  I wanted to see something bolder.  Sold right next to this dishtowel was the other design – one with owls – very colorful, but it had grey/blue in the design – not in my color scheme.  The thought went through my mind – Why didn’t they put one of the owls on this towel since they are so hip and trendy right now? Both towels were made by the same company.   “I will just have to do it myself.”  So with my 40% off coupon, I bought both towels and took them home to make myself a semi-designed Autumn dishtowel.

Easy-no Sew applique tutorial

The side of my kitchen island can be seen from my family room and I always like to place some color there.    The dishtowel is purely for decoration and will never meet up with a wet dish. I change what I hang here seasonally.

Step-by-Step-Instructions-2

 

 

I made this a truly simple project. If you sew, then you could truly applique the owl onto the towel by sewing it on. I went the no-sew route since this is just for decoration.

supplies needed:

  • Dishtowel
  • Cut-out fabric design/image. Fabrics with a tight weave will work better since they don’t fray when cut.
  • Scissors
  • Heat N’ Bond Adhesive
  • Iron
  • Optional:  White glue and a fine-tipped paint brush or puffy paint in the same color as your fabric if your fabric will fray

1.   Cut out image you want from fabric.  I was going to cut the owl out with 1/4” of extra fabric all around to turn under, but there was too much detail around the ears that made it hard, so I just cut the owl image out.

2.  I cut out a piece of Heat N’ Bond adhesive and placed it sticky side up. I then laid the cut-out owl on top of it.   Heat N’Bond comes with paper backing. You can use leftover scraps of it or a white cloth as a pressing cloth.  Place it over your cut-out to protect it while you press with a hot iron.

How to make a no-sew applique

3. Once it is cool, cut the excess Heat N’ Bond away.

How to make a no sew applique

4. Peel off the paper backing.

Heat N'Bond Adhesive

Since the owl image by itself did not cover the embroidered design on the pom-pom trimmed towel, I cut two owl tails from another owl image on the towel and placed them on the sides of the cut-out owl. I added Heat N’ Bond to the back of each one.

No Sew Decorating IDeas

5. Position the cut-out where you want it. Cover with a pressing cloth or the paper and press.  The time it will take to adhere will depend on the thickness of your fabric.  This only took a few seconds. Let it cool.

No Sew applique idea

If your cut-out image edges look like they might fray,  dab a little bit of white glue over the edges with a fine-tipped paint brush.  You only need a little bit and it dries clear. You can also cover the edges with a line of of puffy paint in the same color as the image.   It will resemble a line of raised applique stitches. 

Now I have a semi-designed and perfect-for-me decorative dishtowel hanging in my kitchen.

No Sew Applique tutorial

 

 

 

 

 

SaveSave

  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: DIY & Crafts, DIY Decorating Projects, No-Sew Decorating Projects, Tutorials

Subscribe
Inspiration In Your Inbox

Inspiration In Your Inbox!

Get my latest posts, insider tips and more by email.

And don't worry, no spam and you can unsubscribe anytime.


« One Yard Décor: Fabric Covered Boxes
My Day at The Home Depot Celebration of Service – Fisher House »

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comments

  1. Barbara @ DIY Home Staging Tips says

    10/22/2012 at 9:54 am

    Great idea. I’m the same way — always tweaking whatever I bring home because I want things around me that are unique and personal. It’s the same with clothes; they never fit just right, so if I didn’t sew I would look really schlumpy all the time.

    I don’t blame you for grieving over the disappearance of a $1 a yard source!

    Reply
  2. Theresa @DearCreatives says

    10/21/2012 at 3:57 pm

    I feel the same way I rather see fabrics in person, but since we only have boutique quilt /fabric stores (which are expensive) & no Joann’s…online is my only option. I love this little idea & when they are easy it’s even better!

    Reply
  3. Chariene Pinto says

    10/16/2012 at 8:11 am

    Really charming dishtowels…would like to share
    http://www.realreviews.in/home-products/home-decor/entry/eco-corner-a-totally-filmi-collection-of-coasters-bags-cushion-covers-and-more

    Reply
  4. Sheryll & Critters. says

    10/16/2012 at 7:15 am

    Oh I so want the same towel. I am going to try Wal-Mart today and see what they have so I can attempt to copy it. You know I love all your ideas and I have to say that Banquette you built is still one of my favorites……. list is getting longer.

    Reply
  5. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    10/15/2012 at 10:35 am

    Great quickie project, Diane! I love how the owl looks on that towel, too. Love the pompom fringe, too.

    Reply
  6. Lovee' @iheartclerance.com says

    10/15/2012 at 10:06 am

    I’m like you, I like going through the fabric. The little picture on-line makes it hard for me to commit. Great eye in seeing the Owl looked better on the pumpkin fabric. I’m sure you will be doing more with these cuties.

    Reply
  7. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    10/15/2012 at 10:02 am

    Diane, Your tea towels are just darling! Thanks for the easy and well written and photographed tutorial. I love the little appliques and the fun ball fringe!!!
    I hope you will share this at TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS. Link goes live Wednesday evening at 8:00.
    I think these would be a lovely hostess gift… as long as I make one for myself too!

    Reply
Diane Henkler Blogger In My Own Style
I love all things creative, colorful, and DIY. It is just the way my brain is wired. I can't add 2+2 to save my life, but I can help you decorate your home in a style that you will love...YOURS! LEARN MORE
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

search

my shop page

Reader Favorites

  • How to decorate so you feel at home.
    How to Decorate So You Feel at Home
  • Before-and-After-small-Budget-House-Exterior-Makeover
    Before & After Exterior House Painting Reveal
  • adding an island to a small kitchen
    Adding a Kitchen Island to My Small Kitchen
  • Bedroom decorated using blue and white color palette
    Why I Like To Decorate Using the SLOW Method
  • Diane-and-Ed-In-My-Own-Style-blog standing by bikes on a bike tour along the Lehigh River Gorge
    How I Met My Husband Ed

Search

Categories

Archives

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Disclosure

Some of the links on this blog are affiliate links. InMyOwnStyle.com receives a small commission when certain items are purchased, but the price is the same for you. InMyOwnStyle.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 In My Own Style, Diane Henkler

Privacy Policy
DO NOT REPURPOSE, REPOST, MAKE SELLABLE ITEMS OR REDISTRIBUTE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
FEATURED ON: