In my efforts to simplify and down-size while Tim and I were still in limbo, I went through my possessions (most of which were already boxed and waiting to find a home wherever Team Gardner settled down). I was still finding things I could let go of after the third round of sorting and decision making.
One box in particular, however, gave me some trouble. In lieu of the typical tchotchkes, I like to buy tea towels from places where I travel. A year abroad combined with a love of linens left me with quite the collection – 35 tea towels to be exact. (I have a problem…) Most are unused, treasured for the memories they conjure not their practical purpose.
In order to legitimize keeping this bountiful collection, I needed to start utilizing these towels. Since every room in our new apartment does not need five or so hand towels stacked, folded, or hanging about, I looked to my favorite source of inspiration – Pinterest! – for some crafty ideas.
Here’s some easy projects I ran across that might help me put my collection to good use:
- Cute tea towel pillow covers that require only basic sewing skills.
- Give Fido something soft to chew on with this easy to make dog toy. Great project for recycling old or stained tea towels.
- Shoe bag. Beach bag. Makeup bag. This is truly a multipurpose carry-all.
- I go through a journal in a matter of weeks, so buying fancy ones get a bit pricey. Creating fabric journal covers out of tea towels helps beautify cheaper models.
- Wrapping gifts is half the fun of giving them. Use a tea towel to wrap up a gift and the recipient gets two gifts in one!
- I adore the simplicity and ease of using tea towels to create cafe curtains or a valance. Plus, you can quickly change them out for a different season or color scheme.
If you’ve repurposed tea towels, please share your project!
Emily C Gardner 
A special art form!!