How to Make Cotton Flour Sack Towels

Flour sack towels are simplicity itself. In days gone by, it was necessary to waste nothing, and the sacks that flour came in were used to make everything from children's clothes to towels. They are absorbent and have a nice texture, making them popular even today. Though it is rare to find an actual flour sack to make your towels from, blank flour sack towels are available in most home and discount stores ready for you to personalize. Even if you don't sew, you can add a decorative touch to your own flour sack towels.

Things You'll Need

  • Blank flour sack towels
  • Fabric paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Stencils
  • Masking tape
  • Iron
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose fabric paints that go on flat. The towels are highly absorbent so the paint will have a nice vintage look once applied. Avoid puffy or sparkle paints.

    • 2

      Lay a decorative stencil, such as one used to paint designs on furniture and walls, onto the towel where you want the design to appear. Tape it in place to the towel using masking tape. Carefully fill in the stencil with the paint colors of your choice. Use at least two colors so the design does not appear preprinted.

    • 3

      Place a strip of masking tape parallel to the bottom edge of the towel and covering approximately the first 1/2-inch of towel. Place a second strip of tape parallel to the first leaving a 1/4-inch space between them of bare towel.

    • 4

      Paint the space between the two strips of paper a color that complements the stenciled design. You can repeat this technique if you would like to add more stripes to the border.

    • 5

      Repeat the design on the rest of the towels that came in the pack or use a complementary on the others, such as stenciling different wildflowers on each.

    • 6

      Cover the design with a different towel and iron-on medium heat to set the paint on the fabric. Wash and use the towel as usual.

Tips & Warnings

  • You can use the fabric paint on stamps and stamp the towels for a nice design.

  • Follow the directions on the paint you use to set it to make sure it does not fade over time.

Related Searches:

References

Comments

You May Also Like

  • How to Embroider Flour Sack Towels

    The name "flour sack towels" arose from the type of tightly woven fabric that flour used to come in, years ago. After...

  • Uses for Flour Sack Towels

    Uses for Flour Sack Towels. The traditional flour sack, used to hold and transport large quantities of flour, was made of cotton...

  • How to Find Flour Sold in Cloth Flour Sacks

    Remember when flour came in cloth flour sacks? Women made clothing for themselves and their families from this printed cotton fabric. These...

  • Uses for a Flour Sack

    The U.S. provided food relief to Belgium during World War I. American mills packed flour in cotton bags and sent it overseas....

  • Flour Sack Child Crafts

    Flour sacks used to come filled with flour. After emptying the flour sack, a frugal mom always found a use for the...

  • How to Make a Flour Sack Quilt

    In the middle to late 1800's, cotton feed and flour sacks replaced barrels as a means to hold products for the farm...

  • How to Decorate Flour Sack Towels

    Decorating flour sack towels can transform them from handy items to a piece of household decor. The durable, absorbent towels are useful...

  • Sewing Projects With Flour Sack Towels

    Flour sack towels were originally made with sacks that held flour and grains. Women ripped open the sacks and turned the fabric...

  • How to Stencil on Flour Sacks

    The sturdy and durable fabric of old-style flour sacks make them difficult to just toss out, as they are still useful for...

  • How to Pick Cotton from the Fields

    Picking cotton is not your everyday type of work, nor is it the type of work that you would choose to do....

  • Feed Sack Project Ideas

    The idea of making use of empty feed sacks has been around since the early 1800s and is still a viable source...

  • How to Make a Flour Sack Baby

    The flour sack baby and the egg baby have been staples of high school health courses for many years. The flour sack...

  • How to Collect Flour Sack Quilts

    Comments. You May Also Like. Flour Sack Child Crafts. Flour sacks used to come filled with flour. After emptying the flour sack,...

  • How to Make a Doll Using Dish Towels

    Making a homemade rag doll is an eco-friendly project that benefits kids beyond the end result. This project helps develop fine motor...

  • How to Make Your Own Towels

    Making your own towels is a practical way to save money when decorating a bathroom or kitchen. Instead of hunting down towels...

  • The Best Kitchen Towels

    If you have ever grabbed a kitchen towel to wipe up a spill or hand-dry your dishes, you might have noticed that...

  • How to Make Flour Finger Paint

    On a rainy day, whip up a batch of this flour finger paint. Kids love finger painting because it's so much fun...

  • Homemade Dish Towels

    Add country flair or vintage pizazz to your kitchen with homemade dishtowels. Not only are these dishtowels enjoyable to create, but they...

  • How to Make an Apron Out of a Flour Sack

    Antique stores and flea markets have an abundance of antique textiles. These natural fabrics from the past can add to a collection...

Related Ads

Featured