Unique Holiday Decor; Learn How To Make An Easy DIY Holiday Tea Towel Valance

I love to decorate for the holidays changing out pillows, bedding, and even window treatments. The kitchen is my favorite room to deck out with festive touches and décor. An inexpensive way to create instant Christmas spirit is with tea towels. DIY Holiday Tea Towel Décor is a very fun and an easy way to add special holiday flair! Add some pretty trims for the finishing touches.

You can find fabulous tea towels and table runners by shopping the home goods aisle. Look for patterns that are not all over but are vertical and simple. I found a cute tea towel with “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” at one end. It was perfect! Last spring, I had made a kitchen window valance from a quilted table runner. However, for the holidays something more festive was needed. I decided to make the valance reversible.

What Is A Tea Towel?

Let’s address the first question you may have, what is a tea towel? Well according to a blog, What Is a Tea Towel, Anyway? Different Ways to Use This Not-so-Basic Kitchen Cloth published by Good Housekeeping, “Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines a tea towel as "a cloth for drying dishes." Often made of linen, cloth, or a combination of the two, tea towels date back to England in the 18th century, when they were used to insulate teapots at tea ceremonies (hence the name), dry fine china, and cover baked goods. During this time, people also used tea towels to practice embroidery, often gifting friends and family tea towels stitched with flowers, initials, or other designs. As the times changed, so have tea towels: By the 19th and 20th centuries, most tea towels were reportedly made with striped or checked cloth for a more decorative touch.” So now that you know what a tea towel is now let’s learn how to take a tea towel and turn it into a valance embellished with beautiful and fun trim!

All you need to create this look is a tea towel or two and your favorite color coordinating trims. I like Alice braid to hide seams and finish edges. And what is more festive than pom pom trim especially this Tianna beaded multi colored ball trim. You will also need a ruler, scissors, and fabric adhesive to complete the project.

How to make a reversible valance:

1.Measure your window.

2.Use a table runner for one side, the everyday side. Cut to length needed plus 1/2” inch.

3.Cut tea towel in sections to fit table runner. This will be the holiday side.

4.Glue tea towel sections to back of table runner piece.

5.Glue trim along seams.

6.Glue pom pom trim along bottom of holiday side. It will show on both sides.

7.Use hook and loop along top of window. Use a few dots of hook and loop on top of valance to hold in place. Just peel dots off when it is time to reverse valance. Apply new ones to reverse.

Pick up extra tea towels and trim them up to co-ordinate with the valance.

There are wonderful trims to choose from to create special custom hostess gifts. 

Christmas and Holiday themed tea towels make a great gifts. Especially, for that unexpected guest Aunt Shelly brings over for the family Christmas eve celebration.

Plain tea towels can be dressed up with holiday themed color combinations of trims and appliques.

Winter Holiday Theme Color Suggestions: 

Hanukkah: Blue, white, and silver

Christmas: Red, green, white, gold, and silver

Kwanzaa: Red, black, and green

Epiphany: White and gold

Even use them to gift wrap a kitchen hostess gift or baking.

This would also be a fun project for a child’s room or bathroom. Creating a quick and easy valance to cover the top of a blind.

Trims can be easily applied to a large number of projects simply by using a fabric adhesive, no sewing required. The possibilities are endless!

Happy Trimming!

Debra

Here are other Christmas craft projects and inspiration for you:

Easy Elegant Christmas Décor Craft; Vintage Lace and Pearl Trees

Wrap Your Gifts Like A Pro; 6 Easy Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas