Get a free hand towel pattern! Hand towels that you can hang on your oven or kitchen door handles are convenient as they are always there when you need them. This hand towel pattern has a tab at the top and can be used in both the kitchen or bathroom.

Hand Towel Pattern - Supplies

HAND TOWELS - You can use dishcloths made from cotton or linen or hand towels made from terry toweling. This hand towel pattern works on any small towel. I used a small hand towel from Kmart, which was only $2. This is a really cheap sewing project! Thin hand towels work better than really thick ones. Thick hand towels can be hard to gather and insert into the fabric top.
FABRIC - Go through your scrap basket and find some cotton fabric that coordinates with your kitchen or bathroom. Smaller prints work best, but you can choose anything that makes you happy. Perhaps if you choose your kid's favorite fabric print, you'll get more help in the kitchen - we can all hope! If you use a different fabric for the towel's back and front, you will see a pop of color when you fold the top tab over. Fat quarters work well for this small sewing project.
FUSIBLE INTERFACING - Thin to medium weight interfacing. This will give the towel top some stiffness and body and is necessary for you to sew a buttonhole.
BUTTON OR SNAPS - You can secure the hand towel pattern with a button and buttonhole or snaps. Velcro could also be used and is really easy for beginners.
GENERAL SEWING SUPPLIES - Sewing machine, pins, matching thread.

Hand Towel Pattern - PDF Printout

You can download and print my PDF pattern >>download pattern. It will open in a new window. Make sure you print at 100% scale and check the test square. If you are new to printing PDF patterns, then read my full article on how to print a PDF pattern.

What is the Measurements Needed To Make a Hand Towel Pattern?

Alternatively, if you can't print, here are the measurements. The measurements below include the ⅜ inch seam allowance. If your curves have a slightly different shape it really won't matter and you will still get a nice result.

Hand Towel Pattern - How to Make a Hand Towel Step by Step

Here are the sewing instructions for your hand towel pattern. It will probably take you less than 10 minutes so this is a really quick project.

Step 1 - Cut the Fabric

From the hand towel pattern, cut 2 pieces of fabric and 1 piece of interfacing. You can save fabric by rotating the pattern around.

Step 2 - Fuse Interfacing

On the wrong side of one of the fabric pieces, fuse the interfacing. If your fabric is thin, put a double layer of interfacing just in the area where the buttonhole will be.

Step 3 - Stitch The Top

Put the fabric right sides together and stitch around the outside leaving the bottom open. The seam allowance is included in the pattern and is ⅜ inch (1cm).

Beginners can cut the paper pattern back to the seam allowance and trace around it to have an accurate stitching line. This is particularly useful for sewing the curves.

Step 4 - Press

Trim and clip the curves and turn the towel top to the right side. Pinking shears are great for clipping curves. Give your hand towel pattern a good press.

Fold a seam allowance of ½ inch (12mm) at the bottom to the inside and press.

Step 5 - Insert the Towel

Gather or fold into pleats, the top of the towel so it measures 6 inches (15cm). I find it easier to pleat since the top of the towel can be quite thick. Try and get the pleats as even as you can but don't obsess about perfection. Towelling is very forgiving.

Baste across the gathering to hold it in place.

Insert the towel into the bottom of the fabric. It should be inserted at least ½ inch (12mm).

Stitch across the bottom of the fabric. You can use a straight stitch or a zig-zag as long as it is secure. I used a zig-zag stitch going over the edge of the fabric.

Before you start stitching, just make sure that the back and front edges are quite even. I use pins poked through to get the back and front even.

Optional - Topstitch around the fabric top. I liked how it looked without topstitching so just left it plain. If you decide to topstitch, use a different color bobbin so both top and bottom threads match the fabric.

Step 6 - Closure

Fold the top over at the dotted line on the pattern and add a closure. You can use a button and buttonhole, snaps, or Velcro.

Hand Towel Pattern - In Conclusion

Now you know how to make a hand towel pattern you can make lots for your house in contrasting colors. These hand towels make nice gifts as you can't find ones with nice fabrics in the shops.