How to Decorate Hand Towels

Adding a decorative trim to plain hand towels can take your towels from blah to beautiful. Display your decorated hand towels in the bathroom to dress up the space, or give a set as a gift. Decorated guest towels are a special touch in a powder room. Adding the decoration yourself is much more cost-effective than purchasing decorated towels, and you can choose the perfect trimmings to enhance your decor.

Things You'll Need

• Hand towel
• Measuring tape
• 2-inch wide satin ribbon in a coordinating color
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Straight pins
• Thread to match the ribbon
• Optional: 3/8 inch satin ribbon, lace, applique or other trim

Instructions

1. Measure the width of your hand towel. Cut a piece of two-inch wide satin ribbon two inches longer than the width of your towel.

2. Measure four inches from the bottom hem of the hand towel and mark a line at this measurement all the way across the towel. Pin the top edge of the ribbon along the line. The ribbon should extend one inch past the towel on either side.

3. Fold the ends of the ribbon around the edge of the towel and pin.

4. Sew the top edge of the ribbon to the towel with thread that matches the ribbon. Sew as close to the edge of the ribbon as possible. Make sure the inch of ribbon that wraps around the towel on either side is also caught by the stitches.

5. Sew the bottom edge of the ribbon as you did the top.

6. Add any additional decoration, such as a second row of contrasting ribbon, lace or a applique image.

Tips & Warnings

• You could also embroider a decorative border across the towel. Or embroider a design on Aida cloth and sew the cloth to the hand towel as you would ribbon. Another option is to stencil designs on your hand towels.

• Shop for hand towel trim in the remnant bin. You don't need much for each towel.

References

• Home Decorating Ideas: Bathroom Interior Decorating Ideas
• Good Housekeeping: Bathroom Decor Ideas