Modern Dish Towel

One of my philosophies in life is to elevate the everyday to the extraordinary whenever possible. Take dish towels, for example. I've been known to splurge and spend $15 or even $20 for the elegant ones sold at Anthropologie. But despite their beauty, I've found that those towels fall short... literally.


Many people (myself included) hang their dish towels from the oven door handle. It's a convenient spot but not always the most practical. The problem is that every time little hands tug on them or you're standing at the stove to make dinner, the towels fall to the floor. To solve this issue, I created my own dish towel that is both stylish and practical.


The towel is made from 100% cotton jersey that is super absorbent. I deconstructed two men's T-shirts and used stenciling, reverse applique, and embroidery to create this look. I was inspired by techniques in Natalie Chanin's Alabama Stitch book, but the design is entirely mine. A great thing about this project is that the sewing is so simple that even a beginner can do it -- you don't even need a sewing machine.


And thanks to two buttons at the top, the towel stays put, even if little hands pull on it. When it's time to dry dishes, all I have to do is unbutton it and it's ready to go.