We all know Anthropologie carries swoon-worthy home products. Unfortunately, they no longer carry the adorable butterfly tea towel. My favorite part of this design is the watercolor-look of the butterflies. I set out to make watercolor butterflies and I love the result! Here’s how you can create the look of this decorative tea towel.
No Sew DIY Tea Towel
Supplies needed:
- Iron-on fabric transfer material
- Printed fabric
- White tea towel
- Trim
- Fabric marker
- Scissors
- Glue gun
- Iron
Tip: 1. The key to this whole project is to find the perfect watercolor-ish fabric, preferably something silky.
Tip 2: Instead of a white tea towel, I used some heavy linen material I had and cut out the appropriate tea towel shape. It worked perfectly.
Step 1: Follow the instructions for your heat transfer material. You will need to iron the material onto your fabric.
Step 2: You can peel the paper backing off of your fabric to prepare it cutting.
Step 3: Cut out several butterflies. There are many ways to do this. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out this butterfly image. Or you could use this butterfly as a template for cutting the butterflies. Or you could freehand the cutting (but I am so terrible at that!). I found it best to cut out three different sizes of butterflies. I tried just two sizes and I couldn’t get the right look.
Step 4: Lay out the trim along the bottom of the tea towel. Once I started playing with the pom pom trim, I just had to add the orange velvet ribbon.
Step 5: Hot glue the trim and/or ribbon along the edge.
Step 6: Now you can add your butterflies. Play with the layout a bit – this is where I figured out I needed at least three different sized butterflies.
Step 7: Iron the butterflies down to create your design.
Step 8: Finish off the design by tracing around the butterflies with a fabric marker. This gives the look of embroidery without the necessary time or skill set. And you are done!
*Note: This towel is for decorative purposes only. If you want to be able to wash it, you will need to sew the trim down. And it would be best to sew the butterflies down too.
I’m definitely in love with this towel! Usually, I’m not a butterfly type of girl but this fabric totally makes it for me. These would make luxe gifts to have on hand for the holiday season!
So pretty!! I love a good tea towel, you can never have enough!
Gorgeous and you’re so right—these would make awesome gifts!
Please please make me one…it’s so lovely!
I’ll let Santa know that’s on your list 🙂 Do you splurge on nice kitchen towels since you cook so much?
I love Anthro tea towels but they are soooo expensive! I think I must have missed this one too, but yay, now I can make it!
My kitchen towels are in sad need of replacing – we go through them like hot cakes with all the spills and food throwing going on around here.
I’m not a butterfly girl either but I love it!
What? How can you not be a butterfly girl? 🙂 I bet you have lots of cute kitchen towels!
This is really cute!!
Thank you Beth! This is a perfect project for all of us Anthro lovers – don’t they have the best towels?
So cute! Love the design and it’s so easy!!
Every time I’m in Anthropologie I want to buy out the housewares section – they have the best stuff!
These are very lovely, I’ll add these to my Christmas list for sure 🙂
Love this so much! The trim is adorable. I love the fabric you selected for the butterflies.
It’s amazing how much fun pom poms are, right? The make everything cuter!
Yes, simple projects are the best! I know I would love to get one of these for Christmas!
I love the towel you made more than the anthro one. very Pretty
Ok.. I sooo want to make something similar.. but I am not finding the right kind of transfer paper.. Can anyone help?!
This is soooo super cute!!!
Two different products: one is called Heat and Bond the other is Steam a Seam. Found in most fabric stores.
Great creativity…loved the butterflies. Tea towels with such designs really look nice.