How to make a tea towel

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one towel, standard size)

• Fabric (linen or waffle weave) — about 45 × 65 cm
• Sewing thread

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Accessories” → “Tea towel” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the width, the height, the hem fold and the hanging loop. Presets cover small, standard and large.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Pre-wash
   Linen shrinks noticeably. Wash, dry and press before cutting.
2. Trace the pattern
   One rectangle. You can rule it straight onto the fabric.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut one, plus a loop if you want one.

4. Sewing

4-1. Fold the hems

1. Turn each side under by 1 cm, then 1 cm again.
2. At the corners, fold the diagonal first and then the two sides to keep the bulk down.
3. Press the folds firmly and the stitching runs straight.

4-2. Add the loop

1. Fold the loop in four and topstitch.
2. Fold it in half and tuck it into the hem at one corner.

4-3. Stitch all round

1. Stitch close to the fold on all four sides.
2. Backstitch two or three times at the corner holding the loop.
3. At each corner, leave the needle down, lift the foot and pivot.

✏️ Pre-wash the linen before cutting. It shrinks 5–8%. Shrink it after sewing and the hems ripple. Wash, dry and press, then cut — that one step changes the result.

5. Tips & variations

• Better with age: linen repels water at first and absorbs properly after a few washes.
• Make a batch: twenty minutes each, three from a meter of fabric.
• As a gift: a few tied with a ribbon make a thoughtful present.