These reusable cloths are the simplest reusable project and great for scrap busting. It isn’t until you start looking at the things around you that you realise how much of the things, we use daily, are made of plastic. It was actually the packaging of the sponges that made me question an alternative. I hadn’t even considered that the sponges themselves were made of plastic. I would wash them, but they would always fall apart after only one or two washes. It inspired me to look into alternatives and part of that was creating these cloths.
In my aim to help spread the reusable love, I made a set to go in Christmas gift bags this year along with some bees wax wraps. I think they went down well, I have already had a request for a few more in different fabrics so they can be used for other cleaning jobs.
Some of the other swaps I have made in the kitchen are thanks to a page I found on Instagram called Peace with the Wild. The bamboo brushes are perfect for tougher to clean pans and to clean our milk bottles with. We take them to a local farm vending machine to be refilled.
YOU WILL NEED
An old towel
6” squares of cotton
Sewing machine
Iron and ironing board
Scissors
Rotary cutter and 6” square ruler (optional)
METHOD
1. Cut you towel and cotton into 6” squares. I have been using the same old towel that had a hole in for most of my reusable makes. The cotton I used for this one was kitchen and baking themed from The Craft Cotton Company but you could use any scraps you had.
I use a rotary cutter and 6” square ruler to cut out mine which makes life a lot easier, but you could use your cutting mat to measure or create a template and use scissors.
2. With right sides together, pin and sew your towel to your cotton around all four edges but leaving a 2-3” gap to turn it out.
3. Trim your edges and clip corners. Be really careful not to cut through your stitching.
4. Turn it out and give it a press.
5. Top stitch using a straight stitch all the way around the edges, ensuring you capture the opening you used to turn it out. I have also sewn a cross through the centre. I found that if I didn’t, the two materials would move and make washing a lot harder. I made a big batch of these but forgot to take the final picture in the same fabric I had used all along!
It is as simple as that. I found that 3-4 was enough that I didn’t run out and just add them to my usual washing after a few uses. I would love to hear if this has inspired you to do some sewing by tagging me in social media. Don’t forget to subscribe to the mailing list for my free tutorials, new fabric arrivals and special offers.