Hankies may not be the most glamourous item to sew but once you try them you may never buy tissues again! And they're so easy to make, you will have a whole collection before you even notice.
But what about the GERMS?!? Listen, I know there's a yuck factor for some folks around reusable things that modern society has learned to throw away and it's only been amplified during the pandemic. But hear me out! Are you working from home, a stay at home person, or do you just generally use a tissue or two around the house? Start there! It's easier to use them at home when you can toss them right in the laundry bin after use. Even using a handful of reusable hankies a week or a month will limit the pressure we put on the environment when we buy tissues. Think of all the trees, water and chemicals to process, shipping, energy to ship, and packaging materials that we could avoid! It's also okay to still keep regular tissues around while you adjust, any step towards reusables is a good step in my book!
If you want to learn about how paper products in the home contribute to deforestation, read the article here or a more in depth report here.
I received a whole bundle of girls baby clothing from a neighbor that nobody could use anymore due to some stains or wear and tear. Baby clothes are tiny and I was having a hard time finding ideas online for repurposing beyond memory bears or rags. Hankies were the first idea I had, I hope to have other ideas to share for recycling and repurposing them!
If you know any families with young kids, ask to see if they have any clothes that can't be used anymore. You could even gift them a set of hankies in return, they'd be great for wiping messy faces!
Supplies:
Cotton knit clothing (I used old baby onesies, but you can probably use soft t-shirts or woven bedsheets so long as it's cotton!)
Contrasting fabric, I used a woven cotton lawn but I'd recommend another cotton knit (optional)
Ruler, chopstick/pencil for turning corners
Rotary cutter
General sewing supplies like a sewing machine, scissors, etc
First, you'll need to evaluate the clothing that you're using so you can decide what size your hankies will be. To do this, I measure the biggest square I can fit on each onesie. I think most of my squares were between 6"-8". Anything smaller than 5" may not be worth making into a hanky, I made a few that were 5.5"-5.75" to start and they're usable still. Save those itty bitty clothes for another project!
As you measure your squares (squares are best but slight rectangles are fine too!), it's easiest to cut as you go. I like lining up my metal ruler and using my rotary cutter over my cutting matt but you can also do this by marking the measurements with chalk or a pencil and cutting with scissors. If you go with the scissor method, make sure to get your lines as straight as possible and mark the wrong side of the fabric.
If you want, you can stop here! If you used a knit fabric (t-shirt or onesie material) it doesn't have to be sewn to keep from unraveling. I have several hankies that I made from and old tee this way and they are still going strong 3 years later!
If you want nice finished edges, we are basically going to add a lining, or a second side to our hankies. I cut out my contrast fabric, by laying the first hanky piece over it and cutting out the same size. As always, if you haven't ironed your fabric before cutting you should cut it before sewing it!
I used some woven cotton lawn to do this, which I don't recommend if your using a knit. Mixing knit and woven fabrics makes it really hard to get the tension right in your sewing machine and it may not sit flat! So if you use knit fabric, stick with knits. If you used woven fabric, stick with wovens.
Now you're ready to sew up your hanky! Make sure you have right sides facing, then sew as close as you can all around the edge, leaving a small 1.5-2" gap. If you're using knit fabric like I did, you should switch your need to a ballpoint (probably a 70 or 80) and reduce your presser foot pressure if its an option.
Trim any excess fabric from your seams and clip the corners. If you used woven fabrics and you want to make sure they hold up for a really long time you can using pinking shears instead or zigzag the edge after trimming it. We are going to add another seam, so this shouldn't be a major concern if you'd like to skip it!
Turn your hanky inside out and gently poke out the corners with a chopstick or pencil. Iron flat. Sew all around the edge, as close to the edge as you can get.
And voila! You have your very own hanky! Now go forth and make whole sets!
I made a few sets for my parents and they are over the moon about how soft they are! My mom even requested more, as many as I could make!
I'd love to see what you make, tag me on Instagram @Sunny_Salvage or Facebook! Follow my Pinterest for other cool upcycling ideas!
Until next time, stay crafty!
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