Upcycle Old Towels Into A Cute DIY Bathmat

What's in your linen closet? Chances are you've got sheets, blankets, towels, and those towels. You know, the stained, possibly holey, and frayed old towels you can't bear throwing away. In the past, these less-than-presentable towels may have sat unused on a bottom shelf awaiting the day you paint a new room. Now, however, rather than wait, you can make use of them, by upcycling those old towels into a cute DIY bathmat. 

This fun, crafty DIY will give your old linens a new life. If properly cared for, towels typically last around two to five years before they really should be retired. But this DIY repurposes those towels, transforming them into an entirely different item for your bathroom use. What's more, it's an inexpensive project. Depending on what you've got lying around, it might even be free. To get started, all you'll need are your old towels, a sewing kit, and your keen sense of design.

For this project, you'll need at least three bath towels; consider how you'd like your DIY bathmat to look like in the end when selecting colors among your old towels. Next, you'll want to grab measuring tape and scissors. Fabric scissors will cut the best, but sharp kitchen scissors can work, too. You'll also need pins for securing pieces together and a needle and thread for attaching them.

Once you've got your materials, cut the towels into 3-inch-wide strips. Stack three strips and pin them together. The pin will hold your fabric in place as you hand-stitch the top of the strips into one. Then, take the edges of a strip and fold them inward so they meet. Next, bring the folded edges together and pin the strip down to secure it. After pinning them, carefully twist them together and remove the pins as you work. The strips will come together in one thick section.

Attach additional strips to the ends and twist them for a larger rug. Take the top end that you sewed and begin to make a spiral. Keep the top in the center and coil the towel around it. If your towels are different shades, you'll have a beautiful swirl of colors resembling a lollipop. Lastly, sew the end of your towel rope and secure each section together. Start with the middle and connect each ring to the next.

If the spiral design of this DIY bathmat doesn't suit your tastes, you can always create another pattern by braiding the strips after you've folded them inward. To achieve the braided bathmat design, follow the above instructions until you're supposed to twist the towel. Instead of twisting the strips, braid them instead and then coil them into a spiral. Just as you would with the other design, be sure to secure each ring to the next.

Luckily, this upcycling project requires no major purchases, and you can finish it with a hand stitch. So fear not if you don't have or can't operate a sewing machine. Even beginner sewers can create a beautiful piece with a simple backstitch. In fact, this project is great for those new to DIY and sewing. Because the stitches won't be seen in the finished product, there's no need for perfection. What's more, if turning your old towels into a new bathmat inspires you to keep the linens DIY ball rolling, consider giving those old pillowcases a refresh next.