Buzzings from a quilter who bumbles her way through life!

Friday, April 10, 2020

Going Green with Red!


Note: This posted originally in 2012!  You can use this little tutorial to make a lipstick blotter to save on tissue and toilet paper!!!
Who would have thought we would be worrying about that in this day and age!
   
         Lipstick Blotter Towel


My husband's Aunt Rubye was an extraordinary seamstress. She had a career embroidering monograms for Neiman Marcus at one time! She shared with me the little embroidery design of the two birds with the word "Lip Stick" in between them. When I asked about it, she said that during World War II, tissues and toilet paper were at a premium and they didn't waste them by using them to blot lipstick! They made little red towels to blot their lips on! 
  Here I'm going to give you a simple tutorial for making your own!
(Of course, if you embroider, you can just hem a red cloth and embroider near the bottom.) This is such a simple project, many of you will not need a tutorial, but I have several followers who are new to sewing. I do have a little tip in there that even the more experienced might appreciate, so glance through it for that. If you're new to sewing, this is EASY! You can do it!
1. Cut two pieces for the front and the back (I'll call these A). Also cut a coordinating strip for the bottom (B) and if you want to add trim, cut that too. The size is not crucial. You can make it any size you want. My red strips are 7" x 13" and my bottom strips are 7" x 3". The trim is cut 7" long each.
2. HERE'S THE TIP! If you will use a glue stick to stick the trim where you want it, sewing it into the seam will be SO much easier! The trim I am using is so narrow, I have dropped it down so that only the top of it is on the 1/4" seam line. If your trim is wider, you can just glue it flush with the raw edge.
3. Place each A piece right sides together with a B piece, sandwiching the trim in between the two. Sew a 1/4" seam to connect the two.
4. Press each sewn piece, turning the seam upward so the trim will lay flat.

5. Put the two pieces right sides together. Pay attention to match the seams at the sides for the borders.
6. Sew all the way around, leaving a gap at the top that is about 2" to 3" wide. Turn the piece right side out through this gap. (I like to cut the points off the corners first to reduce the bulk, but be sure you don't cut across the seam when you do this!) Push the corners out with a long skewer or some other tool. Press and hand sew the gap closed. You're finished! Wasn't that easy?

Now you can feel like you're doing your part to save that paper!!







41 comments:

  1. Well I don't wear lipstick but I would love one of those little towels to carry in my purse for wiping my hands after I eat something messy in my car, or my office.

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  2. Happy Valentine's Day. I'm not a lipstick woman but my daughter is. A towel would come in handy.

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  3. I have never heard of such a thing & these are just adorable - I would be thrilled to win one - What a great idea -Especially if , like me, you love red lipstick !!!!

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  4. I read your post earlier on Sew We Quilt.. enjoyed it and left a comment there too. Congrats again on a wonderful story. I'd love a lipstick towel in any colour...lol... :)

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  5. Linda: Firstly, I love the towel and would love to win it.

    cathy

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  6. Hi again,
    Secondly, I have followed you for awhile and I love all your ideas.
    thanks for a second chance at that towel
    cathy

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  7. I love the red fabric you used! Happy Valentines day!!

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  8. Adorable! Thanks for the tutorial! Happy Valentine's Day!

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  9. Cute! Cute! Cute! I want to make some.

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  10. Congratulations on being a guest blogger! Darling little towels, I have to go read your post now!

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  11. What a great idea! And congrats on being a guest blogger at Stash Manicure! Thanks for the giveaway chance, too.

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  12. I am a new follower! Thanks again for the chance to win.

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  13. Hi Barb yes I came here from Madame Samm's and wanted to thank you for this wonderful history of the Lipstick towel...I have never heard of it but it makes sense. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  14. Linda I am sorry will you excuse the previous post name on it, I apologize and yes I do know who I am talking to but I got a call from a friend named Barb and well I wrote what I was listening to..I apologize! But I did want to say that you have a wonderful blog and I am following.....Have a very Happy Valentine's Day

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  15. I came from Madame Samm's and am a new follower. These are so cool. I remember my gramma had these. I know just who to make some for too. Thanks for the tutorial.

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  16. I came over from Sew We Quilt. Like the idea of the lipstick towel, although I'm sure it would be useful for my 2 year old great grandson who always has sticky hands and face.

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  17. Those are so cute! I agree that they are perfect to carry to wipe your hands when needed or even dab at your lips.

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  18. I've never thought of a "lipstick" towel. What a cute idea!

    hugZ,
    annie
    anniesrubyslipperz.com

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  19. I'm a longtime follower. =)

    hugz,
    annie
    anniesrubyslipperz.com

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  20. This is such a cute idea...loved your post at Sew We Quilt!

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  21. I'm a happy follower here! Thanks for the extra chance to win the cute towel!

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  22. Interesting! Never heard of a lipstick towel. We all take turns teaching a project in our sewing group and I am going to share this towel. A great use of scraps. I just recently started following.
    Heidew2003 at yahoo dot com

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  23. I love your blog and have just signed up to follow it. Thank you

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  24. I followed you from Sew We Quilt. Thank you!

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  25. happy valentines day! Great project

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  26. What a fantastic idea! I cringe every time I use a tissue once to blot my lipstick and then just toss it. I would have never thought of this solution! Thanks for showing us how to make our own and yours is just lovely!

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  27. Thanks for the history here ! I learned something new today from your post ! Thanks for the tute also !!

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  28. So sweet of you.. I love to win. Count me in!

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  29. I already follow buzzingandbumbling. Love your ideas!!

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  30. I had never heard of a "lipstick towel" before. Thanks for the history lesson!

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  31. I love, love, love your cupid quilt!

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  32. I've been one of your loyal followers for months! I love all your tutorials and recipes. I made the Taco soup recipe you sent and this week I'm making the rump roast. Thanks again!
    Blessings
    Gmama Jane

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  33. I remember my mother using dainty little hankies as a lipstick blotter...same idea just a different take on the towel idea. I thought those lipstick hankies were so elegant. I would sneak into her lipstick and make my lip prints on the hankies.
    Blessings
    Gmama Jane

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  34. I'm coming from Sew We Quilt. Thanks for the tutorial and giveaway! What a great idea!

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  35. Well this was definitely worth waiting for. The history on the Lipstick Towel was great. In the past couple of weeks I've gone back to cloth mapkins and made faux paper towels using an old flannel sheet.

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  36. Cute towels. I remember my mother and grandmothers blotting their lip stick, but I never did (and now I don't even wear it very often).

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