How To Turn Vintage Tea Towels Into Budget-Friendly Wall Art

Wall art is key to making a house feel homey, but you don't need to shell out a pretty penny to create an eye-catching display. It couldn't be easier to transform vintage tea towels into wall art when you frame them. Maybe you already have some that were passed down to you, but if not, you can find a wide variety of options on websites like eBay and Etsy. Other great places to look for retro tea towels are thrift stores (where you can also find vintage kitchen storage jars), yard sales, and estate sales. Also, if you're on a trip, definitely think about picking a tea towel up as a souvenir to frame, vintage or not. 

Not all tea towels are cute, of course. Many should be tossed or turned into dust rags, but some have really cool designs. From colorful, floral embroidered kitchen linens to food-themed styles and nature scenes, there are a lot to choose from. Love birds? You're bound to find tea towels emblazoned with different species. You might also opt to swap them out based on the season. To frame one, you just have to make sure you have the measurements right — tea towels are typically rectangular in shape and come in various sizes. Another thing to consider is whether you want there to be any space between the edges of the towel and the frame or not. 

First off, any tea towel you fancy will work — it doesn't necessarily have to be a genuine vintage item. A myriad of popular stores from Anthropologie to Williams Sonoma to smaller local shops will have an array of options with pretty designs. Once you've found one you like, grab a measuring tape to help you select the right frame. After figuring out the size and scale, start the framing process by using hot glue, tape, or a staple gun to adhere the towel to the cardboard backing — though, the closures found at the back of a frame may work to keep the tea towel in place without the need for any of the aforementioned.

If you want your piece of wall art to have a white or ivory background, or any other color, you can place a slightly bigger piece of cloth, linen or otherwise, behind the tea towel. Moreover, it may behoove you to iron your towel quickly before framing it in case it doesn't look smooth. The last thing you want is to frame it and realize it looks all wrinkled. Also, be sure that it's centered. Hang your finished creation wherever you like — the kitchen, the living room, your bedroom, or even a bathroom.