When I first started crocheting, I had some mates of mine ask if I could make them some crocheted topped tea towels. They absolutely love them but didn’t love the style that most people make them in. They were after something a bit more modern and funkier so I made them a brightly coloured set out of Missoni tea towels and they were a big hit, so I thought it was about time to do a modern crochet tea towel pattern.
Most patterns for crochet topped tea towels advise cutting the tea towel in half so you can get two out of the same tea towel. I’m not against doing this but there are two reasons why I didn’t do that for this design.
- It requires getting the sewing machine out to hem the raw edge which can be a big deterrent for some crocheters.
- I tend to use tea towels as oven mitts (which I’m sure many people do!) and that extra layer is often the difference between safely getting something out of the oven and burning your entire hand.
These make great gifts for housewarming parties, kitchen teas and even Christmas and birthdays. Everyone loves a practical gift, and these are also super affordable. They use a very small amount of yarn (perfect for using up any half balls of cotton yarn you have lying around!) so you can generally make them for the cost of the tea towel alone. Bargain, right?
Finished Size
Tea towel – 50cm x 70cm (19.6 inches x 27.5 inches)
Top – 27cm (10.6 inches) from first row to final row
Gauge
Gauge is not crucial to this project
Terminology: US terminology
What You Need
1 – 50cm by 70cm (19.6 x 27.5 inch) tea towel (I bought mine from Woolies, but you can get them at Spotlight, Target, Ikea… heaps of places!)
Sullivan’s Crochet Cotton Satin 2ply (1.76 oz/50g; 420 yds/384m; 100% double mercerized cotton)1 ball in Lipstick
US 4 (2mm) steel hook
US E/4 (3.5mm) hook
US 16 (0.60mm) steel hook – optional
Embroidery needle
Button
This is a great project for last minute (and very useful!) gifts and if you really go hard you can probably knock over at least one in an evening.
Not too keen on making crochet topped tea towels? Here some other projects you might like to make.
Quick and Easy Crochet Blanket Pattern
Crochet Scarf Pattern: The Tapered Pom Pom Scarf
Art Teacher Crochet Cardigan Pattern
Crochet Toys: Scrappy Rabbit Baby Rattle Pattern
