Thursday, January 21, 2010

My 2nd Tea Towel Challenge project....

Today Blossom woke with a nasty head cold so she has been camped on the couch stitching away with some redwork and watching her favourite old movies until she dozed off for a late afternoon rest.
I settled near her to stitch my own project and keep her company, but a threatening migraine is growing more persistent so I think I'll be joining her for a nap in about 10 minutes.
Before that I wanted to show you my second tea towel project for the January Challenge. This is what I've been working on today....

I started with a red and white spotted tea towel, one from the post-Christmas sales at Target. Bought in a set of 3, this tea towel cost me just $1.50 and it is so thick (almost canvas-like) that I knew it would be perfect for what I had in mind!
The only other fabric I needed was a small scrap of white and red spot to make these...

...which I stitched to the front of the tea towel.
I then cut 3 inches from both sides...
...and used one of the strips to make handle supports for the front and back. I bought these bamboo handles at a garage sale for 50c a year ago.

I stitched up the sides, and boxed the bottom corners...

..before turning out and slipping the handles in their supports.
Now I have a sturdy and bright bag for my casual cafe mornings with Blossom!


How are you going with your January Tea Towel Challenge ideas? Jennifer from Csorba Interactions has been making her old Christmas tea towels into new oven mitts! She has a tutorial on her blog if you'd like to make your own.
There's only 10 days left in January so come on, let's see what you can do! :-)

Hugs
Jenny
xxx

35 comments:

Andrea K. said...

What a really great idea. I like it.
Hugs Andrea

barb's creations said...

Mmmm I have my tea towels sitting here near the machine.Will put my thinking cap on and design something to do with at least one or two of them over this weekend :) barb.

Janice said...

Love your bag. I got the tea towel out this morning. That's a good start.

Allie said...

Oh no poor Blossom! I'll say some prayers for both of you.
I love the bag, Jenny, it's just so sweet!

Magia da Inês said...

Oi, amiga!
Estou revendo seu cantinho... sempre criativo e maravilhoso!
Um ótimo dia!
Beijinhos.
Itabira - Brasil

Annie Bee said...

That is so cool and such a wonderful idea.

Fee said...

You never cease to amaze me !! Love it !!

simplestitches said...

That's brilliant!
I hope you both are feeling better now...
take care
Julz

Pam said...

Wow, what a super idea. Love the spotty material!

Ondrea said...

Fantastic idea Jenny! Bags like that would be great for carrying my stitcheries and hand piecing projects in when I am on the go. I hope your migraine didn't take hold. Angel Hugs.

Abby and Stephanie said...

Darling--I have some terrific tea towels I've been wanting to turn into bags.

KaHolly said...

Love the bag! Your head must be swimming with all your creations yet unmade! ~karen

retdairyqueen said...

Oh you are so clever
Got my Country Threads Mag today and I love your bird nest wall hanging

Maggey and Jim said...

Well, nothing as nice as that little bag..And you just whipped it up in no time..Sorry bout the migrane!! D#1 has them and they are no picnic.. hers is mostly from stress. I have made one tea towel but almost ashamed to view it? Nothing special.. You make me really step up to the plate here but will send you picture..
Maggey

Unknown said...

Adorable idea....so smart!

Eva said...

Love your ide , making a bag from a teatowel!! Hugs from Eva in Sweden

Myra said...

A darling little project Jenny!!! 8-)

Still no package from me hey? Perhaps I should check with the mail service now...

Happy stitchings!

Carrie P. said...

Genius! You two get better soon.

Micki said...

I love the bag and the flowers that you put on it..a lovely idea!
Micki

alice said...

How very clever! I think I need to go to find some tea towels. Hope Blossom is better soon and she has company with my son who has a very red nose and a pile of used tissues. L, A-

Joy said...

SO cute Jen ..... now how come I never see gorgeous spotty teatowels when I go into to Target???? LOL
Love n hugs,
Joy :o)

Jess @ Scrappy n Happy said...

Boy you are so clever!
What a great idea!
I hope you both feel better soon!

Donnelly said...

Sorry to hear that you and Blossom are under the weather. I love your bad tutorial. That is so sweet. Thanks for sharing with us!

Lovise said...

Hello:)
Yesterday I was visiting your blog , and I loved your style at once. I found a template I had to try, and the result is shown on my blog now:)
Welcome to take a look.

Love from Lovise

Dawn said...

How gorgeous is that bag... well done... your a clever darling...Hugs for yourself and dear Blossom.......
Dawn x x x

Anonymous said...

Hi, is very very pretty....
Deni

Unknown said...

Hello!
I've admired your beautiful works, that's really artistic. I've tried to find your Mug Hug that Lovise in norway made, but couldn't find it. Can you pleas direct me in the right direction, og do you sell this pattern?

Have å nice weekend.
Hug from Solfrid

manda said...

Genius! I'm still trying to find a teatowel I can bare to cut up!

Poor Blossom! You need to go to the healthfood shop in town and get something called "Kyolic". It costs a bit, but lasts for ages, and it works like a treat! It's aged garlic, and we take it when we feel a cold coming on, and it usually gets rid of it. I say usually becasue sometimes it's not a cold but the flue, and then it only lessons it, not gets rid of it. Also try her with lemsip, although make sure the air con is on as it's a hot drink and you wouldn't want it in the heat you guys are getting!
Poor you with your migrane. It was probably cutting up that tea towel that did it. Hope it goes away quicker than usual for you!
And I mean it, you gotta try the kyolic!

Lovise said...

Now you can translate my blog.
Welcome:)

Robin in New Jersey said...

Sorry about the cold and the migrane. :(

I haven't been doing any stitching. :(

Heading out now to visit a couple grandchildren. :)

Hope the migrane disappears and you have a good weekend.

Terri said...

Sure hope Blossom is feeling better by now.
Love your new project....

barb's creations said...

Hi Jenny,
Just letting you know I finished my tea towel challange project if you want to pop over to my blog to check it out.Thanks for putting up this challange I've been wanting to make one of these..... for quite a while and your challange spurred me on to do something about it :) Barb.

Cattinka said...

What a nice tea towel project, very well done!
KATRIN W.

Kim D. said...

Love the tea towel bag, adorable. I hope you both feel better soon.

Cath Ü said...

Those T Towels are gorgeous too... Love your bag....
I will hopefully finish mine tomorrow..it is not a bag....
Cath Ü