Kitschmas Gifts- DIY Vintage Soap Washmit

Hi guys! I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to the week! Starting today I am going to sharing a bunch of handmade holiday gifts with you all for just about everyone on your list. This Monday through Friday I will be sharing five vintage handmade gifts. Then, next Monday through Friday I will be sharing five new handmade gift tutorials with you. I hope you will enjoy them all! Today I am going to start things off with this fun bath set. This cute little washcloth mitt comes from a Vintage 1957 issue of Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Ideas Magazine. Check out the how to:

Here’s What You Need:

*Towel or Terry Cloth and some coordinating terry for pocket

*Sewing Machine and Thread

*1/8″ flat elastic

*Soap

Here is the original:

Here’s How I Made Mine:

The first thing you need to do is make a pattern. Lay your hand down fingers spread on a piece of paper. Draw a big “u” around your hand leaving a little wiggle room. Cut out your paper. Then cut out two of this “u” shaped pattern for each mitt, lay them out so that the top of your pattern is at the finished edge of your towel.. Cut out a piece for the pocket to be 5×6″

Now you need to stitch your pocket on the front piece. Fold the top edge of your pocket piece over by a tiny bit then over again and press, then stitch down. Now fold in the sides and bottom by about a half inch and iron. Lay your pocket on the right side of the top mitt piece. Center and pin in place. Stitch around the sides and bottom of the pocket using a sturdy zig zag stitch. Clip threads.

Place the front and back mitt together with wrong sides facing. Stitch an 1/8th to 1/4″ seam around leaving the top open. Then turn it inside out and iron. Stitch a little over a quarter to a half inch seam all the way around leaving the top open and encasing the raw edges. This is a french seam.

Now you are ready to add the elastic. Start with your mitt inside out. Measure the opening of the mitt. Take that measurement and divide it in half, so if your opening is 12″ then your elastic should be 6″. Pin one end of your elastic about an inch and a half down from the top edge near the side seam. Now stitch the elastic down stretching it as you go until you have reached the other side. I am not an elastic pro, so I just had to feel it out. Practice on a scrap piece first so you can see how much you need to pull the elastic while sewing.

Clip threads and insert a soap!

I really love these little sets! I made mine for a gal, but I think they would be great for men too! My husband may end up getting one of his own in a more masculine print. The soaps smell so wonderful and they look so sweet sticking out of the pocket on the front. I hope you all will give this one a try sometime! It’s super easy and fun to make! I’ll be back tomorrow with another fun gift. Until then…

Happy Crafting!