Plain towels are just so... plain. Here's how to take a towel set purchased at a discount store and with some simple sewing give it a spendy designer look. Now your towels can be part of a new look for your bathroom. Once you've made a set for your bathroom, make a set as a distinctive gift for someone else.

Sewing Tools You Need:

• Sewing Machine
• Scissors
• Iron

Fabric and Other Supplies:

• Bath towel, hand towel, washcloth (washed)
• Fabric pieces, enough to go across towels, preshrunk
• Ribbon pieces, enough to go across towels twice, four
• Bobbin thread

Getting Started

1. Cut the two fabric pieces to the height of the towel band (embellishment across lower portion of towel) plus 1" and the width of the towel plus 2½".
2. Cut the pieces of ribbon to the width of the towel plus 2½".
3. Iron the fabric flat. Then using the iron, turn under ¼" along each long edge.
4. Turn long edge under another ¼" and iron. (This will enclose the raw edge.)

At Your Sewing Machine

1. With matching thread in your machine, set your machine up for a straight stitch (length 3.5). Sew hems on both long edges.
2. Turn each short side under 5/8" and iron.
3. Lay fabric on front of towel band, wrap the ironed ends around the edges and pin in place.
4. Starting from the edge of the towel, sew the fabric to the towel, following the stitched hem of the fabric. Repeat for the remaining edge.
5. Iron the ribbon ends under 5/8" and wrap around the towel edge.
6. With the ribbon overlapping both the fabric and the towel, sew close to the edge of the ribbon on each long edge of the fabric. Repeat on the opposite edge of the ribbon.
7. Slip stitch the ends of the fabric on the backside of the towel.
8. Repeat process for other towels and washcloth.