Fun with Silhouette Interfacing, pt.1: Dish Towels

I like cute things.  This simple dish towel, for instance.

It's cute, and I like it.

I have an old roommate who's bridal shower is coming up in a few weeks and I thought making a fun little kitchen package for her gift would be fitting, seeing as how we used to like to cook together and share our "kitchen creations."  We were both learning the art of cooking from our third roommate, Olga--a natural in the kitchen.  I still have some frozen pumpkin in our freezer left over from when she lived here... . Maybe I'll actually get around to making that homemade pumpkin pie sometime.  Or maybe I'll just call Olga.  (If interested in deliciousness, you can check out her personal cooking blog here: http://secretsfromolgaskitchen.blogspot.com/.  Mmmmmm.)



To make the decorative portion of the dish towel, I simply used some scrap fabric, some Silhouette Sewable Fabric Interfacing, and a needle and thread.  I also used Flour Sack Towels, in case you are wondering on the type of towel.  (You can use these for culinary uses like straining, and cheese and pastry making as well. I picked mine up at Wal Mart.)

First, cut a piece of interfacing about an inch or so larger than the image you want to cut.  Place the rough side of the interfacing onto the back of your fabric, then press down on it with a hot iron (set to the appropriate temperature for the type of fabric you are using) for about 2-3 seconds.  That's all it needs.  Cut away your excess fabric.

Next, peel away the paper backing of the interfacing and place your fabric, clear interfacing side down, onto the appropriate place on your Silhouette Mat.  Be sure not to place your fabric where it will be rolled on by the white rollers.  This may bunch your fabric.

Switch your blade to your Fabric Blade to ensure a clean cut.  If you try and use your regular blade, it won't cut as nicely--like trying to use paper scissors on fabric. The blade is dulled by it's use on paper, and for fabric you need it sharp.  It is the same sort of blade, but just kept special and set aside for fabric use only, just like those who work with fabric know it is better to have set aside, fabric-only scissors.  Silhouette makes this easy to keep them "separate" by casing their fabric blades in blue, and their regular blades in black, so that you can easily remember which is which, and use the correct one accordingly.

Next, set your Silhouette (through Silhouette studio) to fabric, and then send your image on through!

It peels away, clean as day, and cuts perfectly!  Then you can lightly iron your image onto your fabric surface of choice--in this case, a flour sack towel. It will then temporarily adhere so that you can sew or stitch it on permanently.  But note, this is more for items that are going to be washed.  If you are not planning on washing the item that you are adding this applique to--such as for items of decorative use only--you can use Silhouette Clean Cut Fabric Interfacing, which is a bit thicker and does not need to be sewn on if you are not planning on washing it.  (It can be hand stitched on, however, and really is not that thick.  This is what I used for my Flower Lamp Shade Decoration.)

Now you have a cute dish towel.  :) These are great to go with gifts, such as with a plate of cookies to welcome a new neighbor into town, or to make for your own home.  Make a set of extra girly ones to give to a daughter or friend in her new college apartment.  They'll love them, and you'll love how cheap and quick they are to make. :)

Check back in a few weeks (well, every week for our fun projects!) to see some more simple and cute projects and gift ideas that you can make with this versatile fabric interfacing and your Silhouette!