Why Does My Towel Smell Like Fish Guts?

That cry from one of the three kids during our 2013 Family Vacation resonated BIG trouble. The scream was blood curdling. Someone, and the two girls blamed the only guy, had used a 'girl' towel to wipe up after doing God knows what with fish or some bait he'd dug up or captured somewhere.

After restoring calm to the cottage, a serious discussion ensued. Richard was immediately deemed guilty. The girls quickly moved to discussing appropriate punishments; flogging, execution on the dock at dawn, dragging him behind a waddling Canada Goose, or, and this was the worst, sentencing him to doing dishes for the week.

Having the cool, and non-fish gut towel  affected head, together with recognizing that he is the main cook for the week, and a darn good one at that, I was anxious to negotiate a settlement between the parties. In the end it was agreed that towels for fish hands would be segregated from 'real' towels and anything remotely for 'girl' use. A solemn apology was made and together with cooking one of his amazing dinners all was forgiven.

I was thinking about the episode a few weeks ago while preparing for this vacation. To avoid a repeat offence, the girls having said already that a fishing enthusiast doesn't learn the first time, I needed a foolproof plan.

We've been here three days now and my plan is working nicely.

Here's were fabric and paper collided. I wanted the kids to have a memento of the 2014 Family Vacation, be it paper or fabric. I hadn't sewn in a few weeks. I knew whatever I made I wanted it to be something I would want to include in the scrapbooked record of our time away together. Vacation was closing in so I had to work quickly.

So the idea of towels was born. I took large bath sheets and, using my Pfaff 2170, programmed in a beach design. I added the words, "2014 Law Family Vacation", and the person's name into the design and "ta da", I had everything ready to embroider.

A different colour for the umbrella and person's name was used on each towel. I then took the facecloths and, with the same colour as the name on the towel, stitched double  lines along both sides so that no one could 'accidentally' grab someone else's facecloth by mistake. No guy ever goes for anything with pink or mauve on it so the girls will likely be ok this year.

The Fluffy Towel Gang

The key to embroidering on towelling is having something like clear tear away Solvy or an Inspira product (Pfaff) on the top. This keeps the foot of your machine from getting caught in the towelling loops. This allows the embroidery to compact the loops where you are embroidering so the words and design will stand out on the towel. I get all my supplies at Muskoka Quilting in Bracebridge. Debbie can help you with everything you need and will also tell you the secret to success for any project. I think she's made everything from quilts and doll clothes all the way up to a NASA space suit.

So far the kids are loving their towels and no one has screamed,  "Why does my towel smell like fish guts?".