How to Sew 100% Linen Towels (and Why You Want To)

There are so many amazing benefits to using 100% linen bath towels. In short, they are more absorbent, faster drying, and more sanitary than their terrycloth counterparts.

For more details about why you may want to try using linen bath towels read the full article. If you would like to know where to buy linen to make your towels, the full article has links to the most affordable, highest quality linen store I have found.

Step 1: Material

A bath towel usually ranges in size from between 27" x 54" up to about 40" x 65".

depending on the width of your fabric, you will need between a yard and a yard and a half of fabric

Step 2: Hem the Fabric

Once your fabric is cut to the desired size, you will need to protect the edges from fraying. The simplest way to accomplish this is to fold each side over half of an inch and then again half of an inch, so that the raw edge on each side is rolled up and protected by the hem. Hemming the selvedge edges is optional as selvedges do not unravel. If you remove the selvage edges from your fabric before hemming, you may want to save them. The selvedges can be used to make a (optional) hanging loop.

Step 3: Add a Hanging Loop

I chose to add a short strip of fabric on one side of my towel to make a loop so that my bath sheet would be easy to hang on a hook in my bathroom. I used a piece of twill tape. Grosgrain ribbon or the selvedge removed from your fabric are other good options. The ideal loop will be made from a fabric that won't unravel.

I cut a 4-inch piece of ribbon and tucked the ends under the folded fabric that was to become my hem. When I sewed my hem, I removed the binder clips and sewed over both the ribbon and the hem at the same time.

Step 4: Alternative Finish : Fringe

If you want a more decorative finish, try making fringe on two sides of the towel.

The first step is to use your sewing machine to sew a line parallel to the edge of your fabric that is to be fringed. This line will be the barrier that prevents your fringe from continuing any further up the cloth. The distance between your edge and your sewn line will end up being the length of your fringe. For reference, the photo at right has about a one-inch fringe and I found it to be a perfect length.

Zig zag stitch is ideal or you can sew two parallel lines instaed.

Once your line has been sewn, you will want to pick out all of the threads, parallel to your edge, all the way up to the line. Leaving behind only the perpendicular fringe threads.This you will want to do one thread at a time, with the help of a pair of tweezers. This process is easy, but may take some time, a perfect activity to occupy your hands while watching tv.

Step 5: Caring for Your Towel

Linen towels are very simple to care for. There are only a couple of things you need to know to make sure your towels last a lifetime.-Machine washing and drying is fine if you take your towel out of the dryer before it is completely damp.-If removed from the dryer while damp, shaken out, and hung up, you will experience minimal wrinkling.-You may iron your towels, if you feel it is necessary. Linen loves steam, but don't let your iron get too hot as linen can singe and you will end up with shiny spots on the fabric.

I hope you love your towels as much as I do mine. I have plans to replace every towel in my house