DIY Cloth Paper Towels: From Worn-Out to Wonderful

In my previous blog post, Buy Wisely, Make It Last: Simple Ways to Stretch the Household Budget, I mentioned wanting to make some reusable cloth paper towels.

Well, I finally did it! And I'm pretty pleased with how they turned out.

I used an old bath towel that had a hole in it and some pretty plaid cotton flannel I already had on hand. A little cutting, a little sewing, and a few crooked stitches later, I had nine reusable cloth towels without spending a dime!

Now, before we get started, I should mention that I'm not a professional seamstress. This was my first time making these, and perfection was definitely not on the agenda. 😂

But if you've got some old towels, leftover fabric, and a sewing machine, this is a great project to try!

🧺 What You'll Need

• An old, clean bath towel or other absorbent terry cloth
• Cotton fabric for the backing (I used plaid cotton flannel, but other cotton fabrics can work, too)
• Scissors
• Measuring tape or ruler
• Straight pins or sewing clips
• Sewing machine and thread

That's it! I used things I already had around the house, so this project cost me absolutely nothing.

📏 Step 1: Decide on Your Sizes

I didn't start out with a plan for three different sizes. I was just trying to get as many cloths as possible out of the towel I had, working around that pesky hole!

Here's what I ended up with:

• 5 cloths: approximately 12 × 12 inches
• 2 cloths: approximately 10 × 10 inches
• 2 cloths: approximately 8 × 8 inches

That's nine reusable cloth towels altogether!

Those are my approximate finished sizes, not the original cutting measurements.

If you're using a ¼-inch seam allowance, add about ½ inch to both the length and width of your desired finished size.

The different sizes weren't intentional, but they've turned out to be really handy. Sometimes a small cloth is all you need, and sometimes you want something a little bigger.

A happy accident! 😊

✂️ Step 2: Wash and Cut Your Fabric

Ideally, you should wash and dry new fabric before sewing with it, especially cotton, since it can shrink.

Did I do that?

Well... no. 😂

But I probably should have! So learn from my shortcut and prewash your fabric before cutting.

Next, cut one piece of terry cloth and one matching piece of cotton fabric for each towel you want to make.

I worked around the hole in my old bath towel and tried to make the most of every usable section.

🧷 Step 3: Pin Your Fabric Together

Place the right sides of your terry cloth and cotton fabric together, with the pretty side of the cotton fabric facing inward.

Pin or clip the layers together to keep them from shifting while you sew.

Now, I'll admit that I got a little lazy about pinning as I went.

And that old terry cloth? It had a mind of its own! It stretched and pulled in every direction like it was auditioning to be a contortionist. 😂

So take it from me: those pins or clips really do help!

🪡 Step 4: Sew Around the Edges

Using a regular straight stitch, sew around the edges of your fabric, leaving an opening of about 3–4 inches along one side.

You'll need that opening to turn your towel right-side out.

I used a pretty narrow seam allowance, roughly ⅛ inch, keeping my fabric close to the edge of the presser foot.

If you're a beginner, I'd recommend using a ¼-inch seam allowance to give yourself a little more room to work.

And don't forget to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching so those seams don't come undone!

No fancy stitches needed. I used a regular straight stitch for the entire project.

✂️ Step 5: Trim and Turn

Before turning your towel, carefully trim the excess fabric at the corners without cutting through your stitches. This helps reduce bulk.

Then reach through the opening and turn your towel right-side out.

Use your finger or a corner-turning tool to gently push out the corners.

I used my finger because, well, it's what was on hand! 😂

🧵 Step 6: Topstitch and Add an X

Once your towel is right-side out, tuck the raw edges of that 3–4-inch opening inside and fold them neatly into place.

Then use a regular straight stitch to topstitch all the way around the towel, making sure to close the opening as you go.

There's one more important step!

Stitch diagonally from one corner of the towel to the opposite corner. Then repeat with the other two corners, creating a big X across the middle.

This helps hold the terry cloth and cotton fabric together so the two layers don't shift, bunch up, or feel loose when you're wiping up spills or washing them.

It also gives the towel a nice, finished look.

Now, I did have to laugh a little when I saw how wonky my first one looked.

But honestly, it didn't bother me one bit!

I wasn't trying to make something perfect. I wanted something cute, functional, and made from things I already had.

Sometimes making something new out of something old is the best part. 🩷

🎥 Watch the Towels Come Together!

Here's a peek at my sewing experiment, from that worn-out bath towel to a basket of reusable cloths!

🧺 Ready to Use!

Once I finished, I folded my new cloth towels and placed them in a basket right beside the regular paper towel roll.

I showed my family what I'd made and let them know they were there.

And wouldn't you know it? Everybody started reaching for them on their own!

No reminders, no convincing, and no standing guard over the paper towel roll. 😂

We still use regular paper towels for certain extra-dirty messes, but these reusable ones are working great for everyday spills and quick cleanups.

The goal isn't to eliminate every paper towel in the house. It's simply to make each roll last a little longer and stretch the household budget.

💕 But Couldn't You Just Use Dish Towels?

My sweet daughter-in-law asked me that very question.

And the answer is absolutely!

You can use regular dish towels, hand towels, or washcloths for many of the same jobs.

But my kitchen towels are getting pretty worn themselves, and I could stand to replace a few.

Instead of spending money buying new ones, I decided to use what I already had.

Nine useful cloth towels, zero dollars spent, and one less old bath towel headed for the trash.

I'll take that deal any day!

🫧 Washing and Caring for Your Cloth Towels

I wash my kitchen towels, washcloths, and reusable paper towels in their own load, separate from the rest of our laundry.

I keep a five-gallon bucket beside my washing machine where I collect the used kitchen cloths.

When it's time to wash them, I empty the bucket into the washer and use the appropriate sanitizing cycle.

Just be sure not to leave damp cloths sitting wet in a closed bucket. Let them dry before collecting them so they don't develop odors.

It's a simple routine that works for my household.

♻️ A Little Less Waste, a Little More Savings

This project wasn't about sewing perfectly straight lines or making everything match.

It was about taking something worn out and giving it another useful purpose.

And if you've got an old towel that's seen better days, some leftover fabric, and a little time, you might be surprised at what you can make.

Your first few might be a little wonky, too. Mine certainly were!

But they'll still wipe up a spill just fine. 😂

Sometimes saving money doesn't mean buying something cheaper. Sometimes it means not buying anything at all.