my MIL was complaining about her hanging towels this summer. You know the ones - hand towels cut in half, then a knitted or crocheted topper is added so you can hang it off your stove handle and wipe your hands.
I love them too, but I hate the toppers - sorry to those who make them, but they are too long, and just not my cup of tea. I want the towel closer to the top of the stove, so I can reach it quicker. I usually end up just having another tea towel there, but never remember which one is for pots and pans and which os for hands, so they both get dirty quickly.
Then I saw this tutorial on line and filed it away:
http://blog.angelayosten.com/2011/09/tutorial-retro-pot-holder-towel-set.html
I liked it a lot, and decided to make up a few as gifts (and for myself). Of course, me being me, went completely overboard, and made 16 of them.
Some are for my MIL, some are for my mom, some will be for the cottage, and some for my best friend's cottage.
Hers are the red ones with the cocktail potholder. I'm keeping the blue ones (the towels are nice and thick), the florals are for my Mom, the watermelons will be for the cottage, and the beige ones with blue dragonflies are for my MIL's birthday this month.
Her kitchen is beige and blue, so they'll be perfect. I changed up the tute a bit - instead of gathering the towel, I pleated it for a more tailored look (I'm not that big a fan of gathers). Plus, I used rectangular pot holders (because that's what I found), so it's a more squared off look. I found some of the large buttons I needed in my button stash, but some I went to Fabricland for. (and came back with 4 cuts of fabric - I am so weak...)
They button over they stove handle nicely, and the towel is now only a few inches below the handle, rather than almost a foot.
I'm quite happy with them - super easy to make and wash, and easy to colour co-ordinate to any kitchen.
8 comments:
They are most nifty! I really like them. And you know everyone will use them.
Those are clever!
These are neat! At first, I thought, how do you hang it, but the button is perfect. Do you think it can still be used as a pot holder, or would the button be an issue? I have no where to put pot holders, so this would solve that issue!
I hate when people take my tea towel off the stove and then bunch it up and wedge it back on the handle, or worse, leave it on top! I've used a safety pin to trick them, LOL. I also make those hanging ones, but I knit the whole thing--a rectangular towel part, and then a narrower portion to wrap over the handle all with the same cotton, so the whole thing is a towel. Okay, actually, my 6 year old knit it on the LK150, but I reformed stitches at the top LOL.
What a neat idea! I like those much better than the crochet ones too. I've never been a fan of the crochet ones. The idea was good but they usually look a little tacky. These look better and work better. They look easy and fun to make too.
I'm with Acorn. I never liked the look of the crocheted top. But I love the pot holder top. Those are great!
Nancy
I agree with all of you. either all knit or 0 knit or crochet. Much too much like busy work for my tastes. I love these though. They look so tailored and crisp. My kitchen could use a little crisp but not burned versus the usual burned to a crisp!
You really are the ultimate assembly line seamstress! Talk about productivity!
Now isn't that the most clever kitchen item for all we craftsters. Thanks for the link.
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