Looking for a lovely last-minute gift to make, or a way to perk up your kitchen for the new year? This free printable folk-inspired 2018 tea towel calendar is the perfect project for you! You just need a few simple supplies to create a gorgeous Scandinavian folk art-inspired tea towel calendar, and you get to choose from THREE different colorways so you can get just the look you want for your kitchen. And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable card to give along with the calendar.

• This is a long post, so if desired, jump to the Calendar Download here.

Download the coordinating printable card!

About the Collaboration:

In 2010, I teamed up with talented designer Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well a sweet card, that you can download (click the image above), print, and make for a special handmade touch.

Now, on to the project!

Supplies for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

This project is simple, but you definitely need a few supplies that will make it WAY easier. Don’t skimp on these supplies, as it will save you some headaches.

Supplies Needed:

• Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar
• A flour sack towel
• 2 Iron-on transfer sheets (buy them in a pack)
• Freezer paper
• Parchment paper
• Inkjet printer
• Iron and Ironing board
• Large wooden cutting board
• Sewing machine & thread
• Scissors, pins

Notes about the Materials:

Dollar store materials: I got the flour sack towel and parchment paper at the dollar store. I have seen iron on transfers there before, but I have never used the ones they sell, and I don’t see them there consistently. If you are using the dark fabric iron-on transfers, DO NOT SKIP THE PARCHMENT PAPER!

Tea towels: I got flour sack towels from the dollar store, but I also wanted to try something less plain, so I picked up a pack of four colored and patterned flour sack towels from Target for about $5 total. (The grey polka-dot towel used in the photo above is from the pack from Target).

Iron-On transfer sheets: I just bought a pack at my local craft store that had both transparent sheets and the type you use for dark fabric, because I wanted to experiment with both kinds. Honestly, I would not recommend the kind I used (you can see the brand in the photo), as I had many craftfails while making this project! If you are using a patterned tea towel, use the dark fabric type of iron-ons, but if you are using a white tea towel, use the transparent kind.

Freezer paper: This paper is waxed on one side, and paper on the other side, which means you can iron it onto your fabric and then easily remove it later. The freezer paper is a DO NOT SKIP supply because it stabilizes the flour sack towels while you apply the iron-ons, which is essential because of the loose weave of the towels. You can find freezer paper in the food wrap section of your local grocery store, or online (affiliate link to Amazon for your convenience): buy freezer paper.

Freezer paper is cheaper if you buy it in a store, but one roll will last you forever, and you can use it for many cool craft techniques like making iron-ons for perfect fabric stencils, or for paper piecing in quilting.

Download the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar:

Phew, that was long. Let’s dive into the project!

Step 1: Download the Calendar Top & Bottom

Choose your favorite color combination, and download the files you will need for your calendar. Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the printable tea towel calendar files you want.

Note: If you are using transparent (light fabric) iron-ons, you will need the REVERSED bottom calendar image. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, you will need the normal, readable one!

Red & Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Red & Blue Calendar Top
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Red & Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Blue 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Blue Calendar Top
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Blue Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Green 2018 Tea Towel Calendar Downloads:

Click on the image to be taken to Google Drive to download the files you want.

• Download Green Calendar Top
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Regular)
• Download Green Calendar Bottom (Reversed)

Step 2: Print the Calendar Printables on Iron-on Transfer Paper

I don’t have a recommendation for a specific variety of iron on paper at this time (because I didn’t like the type I used). Do be aware: if you are using a dark or patterned tea towel, you will need to use the dark fabric type of iron-ons.

If you are using the transparent kind of iron-ons, you will need the REVERSE image file for the calendar.

How to Make the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar

Step 3: Cut & Sew the Tea Towel

1. Iron your tea towel before you start.
2. Flour sack towels are usually large and square, so cut it in half.
3. Fold the cut end over and iron it flat. This is where you will hem it to make it match the other side! Pin the hem (don’t skip this step, because this floppy fabric is hard to sew if you don’t pin it).
   

Sew the side hem.

Step 4: Freezer Paper — The Secret Weapon

Iron a piece of of freezer paper to the back of the tea towel. Place the waxed side DOWN onto the fabric, and iron over the paper side. It will stick to the tea towel and stabilize it, making it WAY easier to successfully apply the iron on transfer to the other side. When you’re all done with the process, you can easily remove the freezer paper by peeling it away. (Do that at the end of the project!)

Step 5: On to the Calendar!

Your iron-on transfer paper will come with instructions for printing and application, so follow them. I will give some general guidelines for success here:

1. Use a hard, heat-proof surface to iron on, if you can. I pulled the built-in wooden cutting board from my kitchen counters.
2. If you are using opaque (dark fabric) iron-ons, use a piece of parchment paper to iron over the top of your iron-on. My iron-ons included a piece of parchment paper that was the same size as the iron-on sheet, and since it was impossible to keep the same-size parchment paper covering the transfer while I moved the iron, it ruined my transfer.
3. Iron the top and the bottom pieces very close together. Once you’ve ironed the first one, protect it with a piece of parchment paper while you iron the second one.

Remove the freezer paper from the back by simply peeling it off!

Pin this Project!

If you enjoyed this project, I would appreciate any shares you can spare! Thank you for reading, and please let me know if you have any feedback on this project, or tips you discovered while making it!

Don’t forget to download the matching free printable card!

The post Free Printable: 2018 Tea Towel Calendar appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Are you looking for the perfect printable card to top off that perfect gift? I have a fabulous FREE PRINTABLE card for you. Just in time for holiday gift wrapping, I have collaborated with Cathe Holden of Inspired Barn to give YOU a gift! Please print out these adorable folk art-inspired printable cards and use them for all your holiday occasions (and beyond). And don’t forget to download the coordinating printable for the 2018 Printable Tea Towel Calendar!

About this collaboration:

In 2010, talented graphic designer Cathe Holden and I teamed up to create a printable tea towel calendar. She designed the printables, and I made the calendar and wrote the instructions, and then we provided the free printables to you! This year, we have a new design available — our all-new 2018 printable tea towel calendar, as well as this sweet card, that you can download, print, and make yourself for a special handmade touch.

Download the Printable Card Templates:

Download the files below to print out your own cards. Each printable will make two cards (just cut the printed sheet in half, then fold the cards to make them complete). They will fit in an A2 envelope.

To download, just click on the image to be taken to the file on Google Drive, where you can download it.

Red and Blue Printable Card Template

Blue Printable Card Template

Green & Blue Printable Card Template

Card-Making Tips:

You really can just print this, cut it, fold it and go, but if you are looking to make your printed cards look nicer, I recommend a few products to get a top-of-the-line look. I used these products to make the cards you see in the photos in this post, and they are some of my favorite products that I can’t do without (disclosure: these are Amazon affiliate links):

1. HP Inkjet Brochure Paper

If you are using an inkjet printer, I hands-down recommend this HP brochure paper for gorgeous printing. It is smooth, heavy paper that can be printed on both sides, and it makes the ink shine. It’s great for paper projects like this one, or for printing anything that you want to make look extra pretty.

I should also disclose that I work with HP, and have received this product for free, but they did not ask me to promote it here. I just really love it and I highly recommend it.

2. Trimming and Scoring Board

If you make cards or paper crafts often, you should treat yourself to a Trimming and Scoring Board – it is a paper trimmer with a built-in board that has grooves in it so you can gently add a crease wherever you want to fold the paper. It also comes with a bone folder (which you use to make the score in the paper) that you can also use to make a clean, crisp fold.  The paper trimmer is so handy for creating perfectly measured and cut lines — no more wiggly scissor lines!

Thank you for joining me at Dollar Store Crafts! I truly value everyone who is part of my community, and I would love to hear your feedback about this project or the site.

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My favorite thing about embroidery is choosing my floss colors. These designs are lovely just as the artists displayed them, but you can get a totally different feel with the same embroidery pattern just by mixing up your colors. Swapping hot for cool or adding a pop of contrast to give any of these free embroidery patterns a bit of your own personality.

1. Don’t be Distracted – Inspired by a Sufjan Stevens song, this design from Wild Olive looks lovely in vibrant colors.

2. Make a Wish – How sweet are these pretty dandelions from While Wearing Heels?

3. Life is Beautiful – This cheery spring sampler from Baker Court is perfect for beating the winter blues.

4. The Sky is the Limit – I’d love this pretty hot air balloon by Spool & Spoon embroidered onto a tote bag.

5. Feather Alphabet – Use this free printable to create your own typographical art by Feeling Stitchy!

6. Give Thanks – Thanksgiving is long gone, and I love this reminder from Creative Kismet that we should be thankful every single day.

7. Do Small Things with Great Love – Amy at Nana Company says that this pattern was inspired by Mother Theresa.

8. Carl Sagan – Cherry and Cinnamon may have won my heart with this Carl Sagan quote embroidery pattern.

9. French Poem Napkins – Cloth napkins are tres chic, and I’m loving this pattern that Teresa Down Under shared on Craftsy.

10. COFFEE! – Need I say more? Thank you, Wild Olive, for sharing this one!

The post 10 Free Typographical Embroidery Patterns appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We have declared this week to be Back to School Week here at DSC, and we’re devoting a whole week to school supplies, teacher gifts, and more!  We’re kicking it off with these great free printables from Mr. Printables – a set of pencil and eraser shaped favor boxes to fill with your favorite treats or other small goodies!  Use them for classroom gifts, teacher gifts, or for any party where school/office supplies are an appropriate theme.  Or just print them out because they are cute – that’s a good enough reason for us!  [download the free printable pencil and eraser favor boxes]

The post Free Printable Pencil and Eraser Favor Boxes appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Confession: I own a plastic magic wand very similar to these ones. I bought it at Dollar Tree with the excuse that it might come in handy as a prop for making a video on YouTube or Instagram or Vine. But truthfully? The little girl in me just wanted a magic wand. Totally normal, right? Anyway, Kari at U-Create Crafts has come up with a cute and clever printable that turns the wands into quick and easy Valentine gifts! Head over to her site to download it for free. [how to turn a wand into a Valentine]

Project estimate:

• Magic wands, $1 and up
• Printable, free

Total: $1 and up

The post Turn a Wand into a Valentine appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I inherited my father’s sense of humor, which means I often speak in puns or tell other really terrible jokes. It’s silly and probably sometimes even kind of painful, but there is one time of year it comes in handy: Valentine’s Day! When I spied some cute measuring cups I was hit with sudden inspiration to crack just such a joke. So I bought them, went home, and wrote that silly sentiment out on a tag for everyone to enjoy (or groan at, as the case may be). These make the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for anyone who enjoys spending time in the kitchen!

Project estimate:

• Measuring cups or spoons, $1
• Printable, free
• Ribbon, on hand

Total: $1

I found these adorable heart-shaped measuring cups in the seasonal section at Dollar General. If you can’t find these, the Betty Crocker measuring spoons and Betty Crocker measuring cups that Dollar Tree sells will also work well for this project.

Just print the tags, cut them out, punch a hole, and tie everything together with ribbon. Easy peasy! Download the printable below:

The post Friday Freebie: Valentine’s Day Measuring Cup Gift Tags Printable appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I’m always getting codes for free photo stuff from places like Walgreens and Shutterfly, but I usually don’t have any photos that I need to have printed out.  Not wanting to let those codes go to waste, I decided to find creative ways to use them.  When I got a code for a free 4×6, 20-page photo brag book (all I had to pay was shipping), I had a brilliant idea.  I have a friend who writes a lot of poetry, and I was inspired to turn it into a 20-page custom journal for her to write in!

Project estimate:

• Photo book, $2 and up
• Printable scrapbook journaling tags, free
• Glue, on hand
• Washi tape, stickers, or other embellishments (optional), on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $2 and up

The photo book I ordered is usually about $7 plus about $2 shipping; since I had a code to get it for free, I only paid about $2 for mine!  I also frequently get codes for 8×8 photo books for just the cost of shipping, so eventually I plan to make a larger version of this project!  Since I wanted my photo book to be full of scrapbook-paper-like backgrounds, I spent a sunny day taking pictures of the sky that I had printed in my book.  You can also choose from a variety of different backgrounds for the photo book pages and not have any pictures printed in the book at all!

To add text areas to the pages of the photo book and turn it into a journal, I used free printables.  There are tons of different free scrapbook journaling tags available around the web that you can use to give your journal a totally custom look!  I’ve compiled a few links at the end of this post to get you started.

Once you’ve cut out all of your printable journaling tags, start arranging them and gluing them into the pages of the book.  I experimented with a few different glues and found that spray adhesive gave me the best results.  (Make sure you use permanent spray adhesive, not repositionable adhesive, or the journaling tags may peel off!)  If you want to dress up the pages even more, use washi tape, stickers, or other embellishments to fill out the space.  Make sure you use flat items and avoid any dimensional elements so that the pages remain easy to write on.

Don’t forget to put a journaling tag on the cover as well!

I am so excited to give the journal to my friend!  It is so perfect for her poetry, and it’s as one-of-a-kind as she is!

I can just imagine what it will look like filled with her poems, thoughts, and doodles!

Need some journaling tags to get started on making your own journal?  Here are a few links:

• Yarn-Trimmed Scrabook Journaling Tags by Dollar Store Crafts
• Doodle Scrapbook Journaling Tags by Simply Scrabooking Now
• Basic Journaling Blocks by Creating Keepsakes
• Free Printable Journaling Blocks Assortment by Sweetly Scrapped
• Lovely Labels in Warm Colors by Mrs. Greene
• Scallops and Dots Journaling Tags by Mrs. Greene

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