How to Create Signature Bath Linens

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Jennifer Stern, contributor

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Pump up plain-Jane towels and a shower curtain with machine embroidery.

Sloan Howard

Mark the placement.

Scott Phillips

Hoop the towel.

Scott Phillips

Pump up plain-Jane towels and a shower curtain with machine embroidery.

Photo: Sloan Howard

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I love nothing more than stepping into my bathroom and being greeted with a fresh set of personalized bath linens. All you need is your embroidery machine to transform an ordinary bath set into extraordinary bathroom accessories. With such a fast, easy embellishment, you can whip up a set for every family member or house guest. And for that final touch, try embroidering a subtle border on the shower curtain for style that spans the room.

What You'll Need:
Purchased towels and shower curtain
Embroidery design of your choice/monogram software of your choice
Printed templates for placement
Coordinating embroidery thread
Soft tear-away stabilizer and wash-away stabilizer for machine embroidery
Temporary adhesive spray
Embroidery machine
Scissors

Embroider Your Towels

Step 1: Choose your thread
If you are using a bright color embroidery thread on a light-colored towel, choose polyester embroidery thread. It is the most colorfast and least likely to bleed.

Step 2: Mark the placement
Plan the placement using printed templates. Center the monogram lightly above the towel band, and mark the location with a wash-away marker. The monogram shown here is 3 inches tall at the center.

Use printed templates to plan out your design, and mark the location with a wash-away marker.

Step 3: Hoop the towel
Hoop soft tear-away stabilizer; then spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive spray. Position the towel in the center of the hoop, using the placement lines drawn in step 2 as your guide. Place a piece of wash-away stabilizer in the hoop over the embroidery area.

Sandwich the towel between soft tear-away stabilizer and wash-away stabilizer.

Step 4: Embroider
Embroider the monogram. Next, add a border on either side of the monogram if you want. To remove the stabilizer, gently tear it away from the top of the embroidery, as shown, and tear it away from behind.

Embroider and then gently tear away the stabilizers.

Tip: If you want the embroidery to last longer, use bridal tulle in place of the wash-away stabilizer. Gently tear away the extra tulle.

Embroider Your Shower Curtain

Step 1: Plan your design
To save time, embroider only a few motifs onto the curtain, not the entire border, and make them larger for impact. Each diamond shown on our curtain is 2-1⁄2 inches tall.


Step 2: Mark the placement
Plan the placement using motif templates printed from your computer. Center the border about a third of the way up the curtain, and mark the location with wash-away marker.

Plan the design and placement with printouts, and mark the fabric.

Step 3: Hoop the curtain
Hoop soft tear-away stabilizer; then spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive spray. Position the curtain in the center of the hoop, using the placement lines drawn in step 2 as your guide.

Hoop and position the curtain and stabilizer.

Step 4: Embroider your design
If your shower curtain has a nap, place a piece of wash-away stabilizer in the hoop, covering the embroidery area on the surface of the curtain. If the shower curtain is smooth, you don’t need it. Because the shower curtain is bigger and bulkier than a towel, baste in the hoop around your design first, if your machine has this feature. Embroider the motif. Then repeat across the curtain until you have embroidered the entire border; space the motifs 2-1⁄2 inches apart. Remove the stabilizer.

Hoop and position the curtain and stabilizer.

Tips:

• Choose a monogram from your embroidery machine's built-in lettering.
• Test your design on a fabric scrap until you’re pleased with the arrangement.
• For a modern look, try simple letters and one thread color.
• On smaller pieces like hand towels, accent with a simple border.

Photos by: Scott Phillips (except where noted)

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Comments (1)

Isabellas_Quilts writes: I love this Idea. I have used contrasting thread and used the decorative stitching my machine offers and spruced up otherwise dull and drab towels. I don't have an embriodery machine so I have to Improvise with trims amd decorative stitching. I make sure that the trims I use are practical and able to withstand washing & drying. You can also use bands of color to give them some extra pizazz.
Posted: 11:44 pm on May 6th

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