You don’t have to be a master seamstress in order to sew a few items for your home! Check out a few of these simple sewing projects: How to Sew Cafe Curtains, DIY Bunting Garland, DIY How to Sew A Half Apron, How to Sew a Button, and more! Quick and easy sewing projects are my personal favorites!
This basic tea towel sewing tutorial will give you an inexpensive and simple option for sprucing up the kitchen for the new season!
Here you’ll find an easy-to-follow tutorial for a very basic tea towel (also known as a kitchen towel). The needed supplies, step-by-step instructions, helpful pictures, and additional notes are just below! Find even more simple sewing projects at the very end of this post. Now let’s spruce up the kitchen with fresh towels!
How to Sew a Tea Towel
Sewing Terminology
- Right Side: The side that you want showing on the bag (also called the front side).
- Wrong Side: The side of the fabric that you don’t want showing on the bag (also called the backside).
- Seam: A line of junction formed by sewing together two pieces of material along their margins.
- Topstitch: To make a line of stitching on the outside of (a garment) close to a seam
- Backstitch: To move the stitch in a backward motion at the end of a seam. Sewing machines will have a small button or lever for this function.

Needed Supplies:
- 2 panels of cotton fabric that is washed, ironed. These should measure at 18″x27″
- Pins
- Iron
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Coordinating thread
Instructions:
1. Begin by ironing your fabric. A few wrinkles can make for quite the difference in measuring!

2. Cut the fabric according to these measurements: One 18″x27″ rectangle.
3. Press the raw edges over 1/2″ beginning first on the long sides and then on the shorter sides. You can press these down either by hand or with an iron.
4. Fold all of the edges over again (1/2″) and press as you go. I recommend using an iron to press as it will keep the fabric in place well.

5. Pin the edges into place if needed.
6. Sew around all of the edges using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

7. Hang in the kitchen and enjoy!

Notes:
- This is the size I chose to make my tea towel, but you can always make it smaller or larger depending on your personal preference.
- This is the most basic form of a tea towel, but feel free to add additional trimmings and fabrics if you’re daring enough to do so!
- Tea towels also make great gifts!
If you make this project and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you used it!
More Simple Sewing Projects
- How to Sew a Button
- How to Sew a Pillow Case
- How to Sew a Pot Holder
- How to Sew a Market Bag
- Handmade Snack Bag