Are We Walking to Alaska

Are We Walking to Alaska
Are We Walking to Alaska - A True Story

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Hand Embroidered Tea Towels

Do you like hand embroidered Day-of-the-Week dish towels? Or do you call them tea towels?  Either way, I love to make them.

I showed you some back in September - HERE.  And now I have more to show.
 Kitties going about their daily chores
 Puppies having fun
 Raggedy Ann - helping around the house
And pretty dishes with flowers

These have all gone to Alaska - to a hospital gift shop that a high school friend runs.  Each set has sold almost as soon as she puts them in the display case, two sets sold before she could even put them on display.

I just finished a set of Mousie Day-of-the-Week towels and am working on a set with silly dishes - dancing and singing, and have another set stamped that is called Sassy Suzy - a cute little girl doing housework.

I get the tea towels from Colonialpatterns.com - used to be Aunt Martha - and use Aunt Martha iron-on transfers.  The towels are extra heavy and very large - so I cut them in half to make two from each tea towel - a better size for doing dishes.

It is nice to have a project sitting nearby to pick up to work on in spare moments.  I also stamped two pair of pillowcases - one with hearts and ribbons and another set with hearts, ribbons and two hummingbirds.


24 comments:

Pamela Gordon said...

JoAnn, these towels are so sweet with the vintage embroidery on them. We call them both here but mostly 'dish' towel. :) I can see why they sell quickly! Have a great week.

eileeninmd said...

Hello JoAnn, the towels are so cute. I love the the puppies, raggedy ann and the days of the week. I am glad they are selling so well. Great idea.. Have a happy Monday!

Julie Fukuda said...

Those are just darling. I'll bet they were fun to work on and I can see why they went quickly.

EG CameraGirl said...

Nicely embroidered! My husband's family calls the tea towels but I have always called them dish towels.

J said...

Your hand sewing is meticulous! Those towel just shriek "the 50s!!!" I remember them. Another similar theme for hand quilting was the Sunbonnet Kids. It's too bad so many of us are "too sophisticated" for designs like that these days! I'm not surprised your work was snapped up like that by fellow appreciators of these classics!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

My family has always called these tea towels JoAnn, not sure why because dish towel certainly pertains more to their use. I love the tea themed ones, do you sell them by any chance?
You've displayed your cute towels in delightful collages to feature the handiwork.
Thank you for linking to Mosaic Monday.

Cranberry Morning said...

I absolutely love these and haven't seen this kind of thing since I was a kid - or since I opened my towel drawer to see a few that were my mom's. It was so common then to embroider flour sacks. My aunt made several of them and my mom was the happy recipient of her gifts of creativity. These are beautiful!

The Tea Lady's Journal said...

I love all your beautifully stitched towels. I love to stitch them myself as well as collect them when I see in a yard sale or thrift shop. You do beautiful work and I can see why they would be sold so quickly. Thank you so much for sharing these.

Sandra @ Prairie Tea & Linens

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Oh my! They are all so very cute! The puppies are so playful and sweet. I would love to embroidery again...it's been years but I probably still remember how! lol Enjoy your day! Hugs!

Maureen @ Josephina Ballerina said...

Oh, when I was three I told my mom I was going to have a set of these! Maybe I should learn to embroider. My mother was exceedingly good at it. Me, not so much, despite much practice as a young woman.
:) m & jb

Kay said...

Now isn't that flattering to have your work snapped up like that? And no wonder! It's really cute and so nicely done!

Mary said...

They are adorable JoAnn - your stitchery is awesome! I call them tea towels - English - but most people here say dish towels. Can understand why yours sell so quickly!

Love those heron pics in your beautiful header.
Hugs - Mary

Lorrie said...

Tea towels are what they are called here. No matter their name, your handiwork elevates them to art. I love the Raggedy Ann set and the Tea set with the roses. You are a prolific worker! That hospital in Alaska must be thrilled to get your parcels.

Donna said...

Oh these are so charming and nostalgic....I have some my grandmother made and just cherish them.

Judy at GoldCountryCottage said...

JoAnn, I have always loved these types of tea towels but have never made any or bought any either. Don't know why!! The Raggedy Ann's are so cute and what a great thing to sell them at the hospital. I like to have hand work to do and ordered a pretty Christmas counted cross stitch before Christmas, but I didn't pay attention to the hole sizes and they are so small that I can't hardly see them. So will get a better one..Happy Wednesday..Judy

Amy Burzese said...

I really, really like those! Your work is fantastic. It must be rewarding for you!

Wildflowerhouse said...

You do very fine work my lady. They are all wonderful and I love them all. Love your blue heron header too. You certainly have a gift when it comes to the camera. Thanks for your sweet note and I am mending well. Have the battle scars to prove it. LOL

Powell River Books said...

I think I've mentioned before, my grandmother made some wonderful embroidery items for me, including tea towels. I have then stored away and never use them. When I was in sixth grade, our teacher was a very good looking young man. He had a baby on the way and all the girls got together and embroidered baby items for him (mostly him, but his wife of course). I think those days are long gone. - Margy

Candy S said...

Oh JoAnn they are all so cute! The flowered dishes are my favorites. I guess I am a dish person! I have been buying vintage crochet and embroidered linens for a long time. I don't really use any of my embroidered linens, I don't want them to get stained or for the threads to get loosened and broken. I keep the linens I made for myself forty or so years ago in a box in the closet. Maybe I should use them.

Unknown said...

What beautiful tea towels! Do you have an Etsy shop? I would like to buy some!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Belinda - if you contact me personally I can give you more details. Your name comes up as no reply so I have no way to contact you. Thanks for inquiring.

KathyB. said...

Judith sent me on over and I love your embroidery ! ( and your blog )

Unknown said...

Your green and red embroidery tea towels are exquisite, JoAnn
From another Joann in Oregon

Blue Jeans And Teacups said...

Hello JoAnne,
I was wondering what you charge for 2 towels (to southern CA). I am interested in the Teapot towel and the Cup & Saucer towel - with no days of the week, perhaps another word like "blessings"... let me know your thoughts.
Heather
BlueJeansAndTeacups@gmail.com
Thank you!
ps: I found you through Judith Rogers on the FB page Afternoon Tea Across America :)