My Nanna is a crafty old lady in all senses of the word. I must have got some of my attitude from her; I think she would have been exactly like me if she’d grown up in the same era.
As it is though, she’s firmly in the talcum powdered, bowls playing, and orthotic wearing group. Her generation thinks the epitome of craft is quilting, knitting and appliqué.
She has picked up a few modern things along the way, though. Like me, she doesn’t see the point in doing things the hard way. She is also very thrifty (I can’t imagine what I’ll be like on the pension!).
She has arthritis, but she hasn’t let that stop her from making. She just has to go about it in other ways, like knitting in summer when her hands aren’t too sore and buying patterns with extra-large type.
Nanna came to see me for lunch the other day. She’s managed to get my shopping centre put on the list of places the community bus visits purely so she can come up and have lunch with me.
She gave me this cute little Christmas tea towel that she’d made, and I thought I’d share it with you because it crosses the line between naff and kitsch perfectly.
$5
45 minutes without arthritis
1 x hand towel, 500mm Christmas fabric, Velcro, pins, a piece of cardboard, scissors and thread (makes two).
Cut your hand towel in half. Fold 5 pleats into the cut edge and pin into place. Measure the width of the pleated edge. This will form the measurement for the base of your fabric pattern.
Make a pattern with the cardboard for the fabric. A triangle would work here, but if you want to get fancy, draw a line down the middle of the cardboard, then free hand the shape you want on one half. Cut the half, then fold down the middle line and trace the edge. Unfold and you’ve got a symmetrical pattern.
With right sides together cut your fabric. Sew the outside edges stopping at the bottom. Turn right side out. Press down a hem on the bottom of the fabric. Sew your Velcro onto the top and middle of the fabric. This will be the back.
Insert the pleated edge of the towel into the fabric, adjusting the fit as necessary with the pleats. Sew both together.
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