Enter the Flannel Paper Towels

I was receiving lots of marketing reels on making your own paper towels. Frankly some of them seemed like this was a couture sewing project. I finally stumbled across a sane sewer who just made them out of flannel.

I noticed we seemed to be using a tremendous amount of paper towels (despite always having a towel for drying hands etc hanging from the stove). I though well I can sew and I have flannel scraps.

I cut flannel 11×14 and simply serged the edges. If you don’t have a serger you could just zigzag the edges or if you feel real fancy a small hem.

I saved an empty tube from our last paper towel roll and began the rolling process. I then just placed them on the paper roll holder I already own.

You will of course notice these all seem to be Christmas prints. For the experiment I used what flannel scraps I had on hand. No one at my house seems to mind. I still have disposable paper towels but those are “hidden” under the sink.

After I use one of the flannels I just throw them in my laundry room and wash them with a load of towels which I seem to do on a regular basis. They are dried in the dryer and then rolled back on the tube.

We have been using them for over a month and I have to say I really like them. they are absorbent as disposable paper towels and of course there is less waste. I have made many of them (and sent some to my sister for use at her home) and now have quite the stack. If you are a friend do not be shocked if these are part of a Christmas gift for you - act surprised! Bonus is that I no longer have any flannel scraps left in my sewing room.