How to Embroider Flour Sack Towels

The name "flour sack towels" arose from the type of tightly woven fabric that flour used to come in, years ago. After the flour was used, the sacks were taken apart. The fabric was used for kitchen towels that were often decorated with embroidery. Today, the same tightly woven towels (or fabric) can be purchased, plain or with an embroidery stamp. The appeal of embroidering your own flour sack towels is the vintage appearance it gives your kitchen decor.

Iron a design onto your towel. Embroidery patterns can be purchased online, in fiber and yarn shops and fabric stores. The pattern inked on one side, which is released from the heat of an iron on the opposite side of the pattern. Consider choosing a vintage-style pattern for an authentic look to your finished embroidered flour sack towel. Flour sack towels can be purchased with a preprinted embroider design, also.

Gather or purchase embroidery floss in the colors you prefer for your flour sack towels. The floss is six-stranded. You may pull it apart using as many strands as you like. The more strands you use the thicker and wider your stitches will be. Using fewer strands gives a more refined look to your embroidery. You will also need an embroidery needle, hoop and scissors.

Attach the embroidery hoop to the area you will be working. Use just a couple of basic embroidery stitches if you are a beginner. The running stitch is just what it sounds like, it is an in-and-out (of the fabric) stitch that is used for outlining the image stamped on your flour sack tea towel. You can complete your entire towel with this one stitch.

Fill in the interior areas of the stamped design, if you desire. Use a satin stitch for this purpose. It is a flat stitch that is worked in long stitches from one side of the image to the other until it is filled in with the floss. The stitches should be worked closely together.

Embroider the second flour sack towel with the same process. Press both towels with your iron.