It’s this kind of detail that takes a handcrafted item up a notch. A hanging tab made from a handwoven band is more than an accent for a handwoven hand towel. The small hanging tab, mostly unnoticed, adds a statement: This towel has a purpose. It is meant to be placed where it will be used.
How to Make Hanging Tabs for Towels from a Handwoven Band:
- Mark cutting lines on the woven band. My lines are 4 1/4″ apart.
- Zigzag forward and back on both sides of the marked lines, leaving room for cutting apart.
- Cut the band apart at the marked lines, between the zigzag rows.
- Decide where and how to place the hanging tab.
- Position the tab, and push the zigzagged ends to the fold inside the pressed and folded towel hem. Pin or clip in place.
- Stitch the towel hem, securely catching the ends of the hanging tab.
- Use the towel. Enjoy!
Your prayers matter. Pray a blessing on your children and grandchildren. Your prayers add a detail to their lives that sets them apart. The blessing we ask is that they know the Lord. That they will call on the Lord. That they will say they belong to the Lord. Ultimately, our prayer is for the Lord to place them where they live out the purpose for which he has designed them.
May your prayers reach the heart of God.
With purpose,
Karen
What are those very nifty clips you are using to hold your tabs/hem in place for sewing?
Hi Cate, They are fabric clips. I found these nifty clips in the quilting section at Hobby Lobby. They work better than pins in so many situations.
Karen
Beautiful photographic study of geometric forms. Lines, angles, shading, colors…
Hi Gabriela, What a nice compliment! Thank you! That gives this another level of interest – an artist’s view.
All the best,
Karen
You have such an amazing sense for design and color! And your weaving is out of this world! Funny expression! Plus, I recognize the towel rack in the bathroom! Lovely!
Shari
Hi Shari, I like the idea of being out of this world! haha Ah yes, that towel rack is one of my best finds from IKEA.
Your friend,
Karen
I love your hanging tabs and have been inspired to put them on some of my towels in the future.
Hi Cindie, That’s wonderful! To tell the truth, I didn’t start out putting hanging tabs on towels. After I figured out how useful they are in our home, I raided my inkle and band weaving stash and added tabs to all my handwoven towels that didn’t already have one. 🙂
Karen
Thank you again for teaching us a new weaving tip & and leading us in wisdom.
Psalm 90:12-17 “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom…..Let us, your servants, see you work again;
let our children see your glory……” (NLT)
That’s a beautiful reflection. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
Hi Karen,
Well I guess now I need to get an inkle loom! Maybe my Bob can make me one! Something new!!
Liberty
Hi Liberty, I don’t think you would be sorry. I have enjoyed many years of weaving pleasure with my inkle loom. All those times when people asked what I was making… haha …nothing in particular.
Have a great weekend,
Karen
Very Nice, Will make these on my next teatowels. In love with the striped one in the pictures. Is it possible to buy the pattern?
Hi Jo, I consider it a great compliment that you are interested in buying a pattern. Unfortunately, I don’t have any patterns to sell.
Thank you,
Karen
Thank you for this tutorial! Can you share how many warp threads you typically use for a tab warp when using 8/2 cotton or 20/2 cotolin? How about picks per inch in the woven tab?
Hi Mimi, Honestly, I don’t have a typical width for my hanging tabs. I have made some that are only about 3/16″ and others that are almost 1/2″. If I want my tabs to be a specific size I wrap the thread on a ruler for that measurement, and then count the number of wraps. That gives me a pretty good idea how many threads I need in the warp. I always try to have an odd number so I can have a symmetrical pattern if I want, and so both of the outside threads are on the same shaft, making the weaving balanced.
I have not counted the picks per inch. This is a weft-faced weave and I beat mine very, very tight. This will vary widely by weaver, and by how dense you want the finished band to be. If you weave the same thing on an inkle loom, the weave will be significantly looser, at least mine are – and sometimes that’s exactly what I want.
Have fun,
Karen
nice pics! Yay for kitchen towels and matching tabs! I would be interested if you did a followup or edit to add some discussion on pros/cons on each placement of the tabs.
Yes, hanging tabs on kitchen towels are great to have! Some of the things I take into consideration for placement of the tabs are: how the tab fits into the design of the towel, how the towel drapes at different angles, and what length the towel will be when it is hanging – I might prefer a hanging tab on the corner of a towel, but that could make a towel hang too low for the place I need to use it. It’s a fun part of the design process to add a hanging tab for the finishing touch.
Happy weaving,
Karen