08/24/2026
A lovely little idea to do with your “scraps”.
I think I would personally make these a bit larger… now to find some terry cloth (and time 😅).
🧺🌸 A SIMPLE SEWING PROJECT — REUSABLE DRYER CLOTHS
There was a time when a little scrap of cloth was rarely considered useless.
If it could be washed, mended, cut down, or turned into something useful, it usually was. And this little sewing project carries a bit of that old-fashioned practicality into the laundry room.
For those of you who use a clothes dryer, today we're making reusable dryer cloths.
They're soft little fabric squares that can be used again and again instead of throwing away a disposable dryer sheet after every load. They're also a wonderful beginner sewing project — mostly straight seams, a little turning, and simple topstitching.
And they're awfully pretty sitting in a glass jar on the laundry shelf. 🌸
YOU WILL NEED
• 100% cotton flannel
• 100% cotton terry cloth
• Cotton or all-purpose sewing thread
• Scissors or rotary cutter
• Ruler
• Pins or clips
• Sewing machine
• Glass jar with lid
• White distilled vinegar
• Water
For a set of 8 reusable dryer cloths, you will need enough fabric to cut:
• Eight 6-inch × 6-inch flannel squares
• Eight 6-inch × 6-inch terry-cloth squares
A fat quarter of flannel is plenty for the patterned side.
A NOTE ABOUT FABRIC
Choose 100% cotton whenever possible. Pretty florals, checks, tiny calicos, or other cheerful prints make these especially nice.
Prewash and dry your fabrics before cutting so any shrinkage happens before sewing.
🌸 LET'S SEW THEM
1. Cut the pieces.
Cut eight 6-inch × 6-inch squares from your flannel.
Cut eight matching 6-inch × 6-inch squares from your terry cloth.
2. Pair the layers.
Place one flannel square and one terry square right sides together.
Pin or clip around the edges.
3. Sew around the square.
Using a ¼-inch seam allowance, sew around all four sides, but leave approximately a 2-inch opening along one side for turning.
Backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching.
4. Trim the corners.
Carefully clip each corner diagonally without cutting through your stitching. This removes bulk and helps the corners turn neatly.
5. Turn right side out.
Pull the cloth through the opening.
Gently push the corners into shape with a blunt tool such as a chopstick or turning tool.
Fold the raw edges of the opening inward ¼ inch.
6. Topstitch.
Topstitch approximately ⅛ inch from the edge all the way around the square.
This closes the turning opening at the same time.
7. Keep the layers together.
Sew diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner.
Then sew from the other two corners, forming a large X across the cloth.
This keeps the flannel and terry layers from shifting or puffing during washing and drying.
Your finished dryer cloth will measure approximately 5½ inches square.
Repeat until all eight are finished.
🌸 TO PREPARE THEM FOR USE
In a clean glass jar combine:
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white distilled vinegar
(Or less if you prefer)
Place the reusable cloths into the jar and let them absorb the mixture.
Before using one, remove it and wring it out very well. It should be damp, not dripping.
Toss one damp cloth into an ordinary load of laundry.
When the laundry is finished, wash the cloth as needed and return it to the jar once clean.
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: I intentionally do not recommend adding essential oils or fragrance oils to anything that will be placed in a heated clothes dryer. Keep this version simple — water and vinegar only. The cloths themselves are for reducing static/softening, not for adding essential-oil scent in the dryer.
And as always, follow the care instructions for your particular dryer and clothing. Fabric-softening products aren't appropriate for every textile, particularly some microfiber, athletic, water-repellent, or flame-resistant fabrics.
🌼 A LITTLE SCRAP-BASKET IDEA
You certainly don't have to make all eight alike.
Imagine a jar filled with little red florals, blue calicos, cheerful checks, and tiny vintage-looking flowers — all made from scraps left from other projects.
Useful.
Washable.
Pretty enough to leave sitting out.
And one less little thing to continually buy and throw away.
Sometimes the simplest household things are the nicest things to make ourselves.
— Nana Banana 🌼
