I have a super easy summery project for you…my Mason jar tea towels! Mason jars always remind me of my grandmother, who spent a part of each summer canning fresh vegetables from the garden…especially her green beans…my favorites! I grew up in the mountains and green beans there are better than anywhere else on earth…but I digress!
I love the look of vintage Mason jars…just the perfect shade of blue and the wonderful patina of the old zinc lids! So I was really excited when I stumbled across this…
…a fabulous graphic from…who else?…Karen at The Graphics Fairy! She is always so kind to share her finds with us! I took the liberty of making it a mirror image, since that is what you will need for this project. I simply printed it on iron-on transfer paper at 4x6 size (you can get two on a page) using Photoscape, a free photo editing download, and them cut it out, leaving a small bit around the edges. Next, I followed the directions on the package of transfer paper (I used Avery brand for light fabrics) to add the image to a flour sack kitchen towel (mine came from Target). And that’s it!
And here’s another look…a perfect copy of the vintage Mason jar…right down to the zinc lid!
And just in case you are a lover of Mason jars like me, here is my series of seasonal Mason jar candles, beginning with my summer Mason jar candles.
And here are my Pottery Barn inspired Mason jar candles…perfect for fall!
And to continue my seasonal candle ideas, here are Christmas Mason jar candles…
…and my Peeps Mason jar candles…my favorite of the bunch!
Miss Kitty says…Hold on! It’s waaaaay too soon to even discuss those last two! She is in full summer mode, enjoying the playground...and I have to agree! But I figure that you might want to get a head start on some seasonal Mason jar ideas. After all, we early planners have to stick together! :-)
Remember to pin it!
Under the Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party , Thrifty Decor Chick for Before and After Monday , Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday , The Stories of A2Z for Tutorials and Tips Tuesday , Coastal Charm for the Show and Share Party , A Stroll thru Life for Inspire Me Tuesday , My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia for Inspire Me Monday, Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesdays , French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday , Common Ground for Be Inspired on Fridays , The Charm of Home for Home Sweet Home Friday , Craftberry Bush for the Inspiration Gallery on Friday
See you next time! À la prochaine!
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LOVE THESE! My dear friend would love these in her kitchen. She is a lover of mason jars as well. I will be sure and show her your clever idea!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday sweet Deb,
Kathysue
I LOVE these. So adorable! I am totally going to give these a try. They would make great gifts. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHeather
I have 70 Ikea dish towels that we used as napkins left over from our son's rehearsal dinner/picnic on the 4th of July. My husband asked me what I was going to do with them, and I said I didn't know. Well, thanks to you and this project, I know what I'm going to do with a few of them. I'm headed to the Graphic Fairy now.
ReplyDeleteI too have so many memories of the old Mason and Ball jars--from the ones in our attic and basement storage room while I was growing up to the clear ones available today. Wonderful idea, and I hope to find the perfect towels on which to use them (or the perfect fabric from which to make the towels.
ReplyDeleteI loved your peeps in the jar picture--laughed out loud--in no small part because I am allergic to the Peeps and am glad to see them get what they deserve!
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteI love this and all of your ideas! I look at your pics for inspiration daily! Did you wire the jars or did you buy them like that? If so, where can I find the wired ones? I want some and want to use these precious ideas!!! Thanks so much!!
Allison
So glad that you like them! I wired them, but they are copy cat versions of some that can be found at Potter Barn. Here's the tutorial: http://confessionsofaplateaddict.blogspot.com/2012/11/pottery-barn-inspired-mason-jar-candles.html
DeleteDebbie, What a great little tea towel! LOVE LOVE LOVE the mason jars!!! Gotta make a few for my kitchen and a few gifts! Thanks for reversing the transfer!
ReplyDeleteI love these mason jar towels they are so clear it looks like you hand painted them where do you get transfer paper and is it hard to use? you are always so gifted in your creations and I have used many of your ideas. thank you for the constant inspiration you give us.Susie
ReplyDeleteSo glad you like it! The transfer paper came from Staples...Avery brand for light fabrics. I just follow the directions on the package. The key is to time your ironing according to their chart. Hope that helps!
DeleteThe mason jar towels are great...perfect for summer. Thank you for all your amazing great ideas, for making a reverse transfer, and for easy to follow instructions.
ReplyDeleteJudith
I can't wait to try this. I did some stenciling on tea towels but it was way to much work for a less than great finished product. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteTraci
This is a wonderful way to add personality to kitchen towels. Wonderful idea! Thank you for the inspiration and for sharing the print with us.
ReplyDelete~ Ashley
I bet our grandmothers never knew how popular mason jars would become and how many things they could be used for.
ReplyDeleteI love your towels and thanks for sharing all the great info! This is something I want to try soon~
ReplyDeleteJenna
Love your blog AND your 3 adorable kitties!
ReplyDeleteCan't you just see these wrapped around some homemade preserves (or green beans :>) ) for a gift? Love them. Miss Kitty must be very athletic -our Azalee mostly runs up and down the stairs, then naps for hours.
ReplyDeleteDebbie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing these darling towels at my party today. I have used this mason jar graphic on a little today and I have some towels so maybe I will make some.
Blessings,
Linda
I love your mason jar tea towels Linda - so pretty! What would us bloggers do without the Graphics Fairy eh. LOL
ReplyDeleteMarie@The Interior Frugalista
Bless your heart for reversing the mason jar. Can hardly wait to get some ink cartridges and more transfer paper. Good to see you use Avery's transfer sheets also. I get mine at Walmart. They have pkg of 6 for $8.88 with all paper stuff but got some in computer cartridges dept with 10 for $9.99 I think. Was few months ago so most likely that price has gone up. 6 transfer sheets doesn't go very far when making things they're needed for and we live out few miles from Walmart so try to get supply in when I need them. Have to look at Sam's to see if they have them, Sam's is right across street from Walmart in Grand Junction.
ReplyDeleteSo weird cause I was just thinking of how I could figure out how to reverse the mason jars yesterday after I down loaded from Graphics Fairy. And here it was thanks to you. Now I can make pillow covers, table runners and tea towels with transfers. Keeping busy in house, too hot to be outside unless in water. Almost too hot to clean. Just finished mud room and I'm drenched, phewy. Hope it's not as hot where you are. Thanks again. Happy summer days
So sorry, I forgot to ask you how your kitties are doing. Been awhile since on your blog, always enjoy seeing photos of them in action.
ReplyDeleteLove all your mason holiday jars, they're so awesome, will have to go back up to pin them. Wish they'd make the zinc lids again, like them much better than the alum. ones. I have several of real vintage jars with zinc lids. I won't part with them for anything, make things just for home with them. Buy jars wherever I can find them to give or sell. Good vintage items are hard to find in G.J. and if I can find them the prices are outlandish. Happy summer days
Thanks for this great idea. I would love to make a few for my kitchen. Must buy a few towels first.
ReplyDelete~ ~Ahrisha~ ~
Does the use of transfer sheets make that area of the towel stiff and/or non absorbant? I'm thinking of using this to put my grandmothers handwritten recipes on dish towels.
ReplyDeleteHi Hestia! What a lovely idea! Yes, it does make it a little stiffer until you wash it. I always hand wash and drip dry to keep the transfer fresher looking, but they can be machine washed, in which case it softens them more if that's what you are after...hugs...Debbie
DeleteThe link you provided does not take me to an image like the one printed on your precious tea towel. It takes me to a Mason jar graphic without any writing. I searched Graphic Fairy's site and was unable to locate your graphic. Help!
ReplyDeleteJust use the graphic above. Hers seems to have been removed...not sure why...but you would have to reverse it and mine is already reversed.
DeleteWhat kind of fabric is used for these tea towels...I need to buy by the yard and make...Thanks p.s I know it's cotton...but is there a special type of cotton?
ReplyDeleteThey are flour sack towels from Target...nothing special. I hope that helps! :-)
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