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The Lost Art of Towel Origami
Cotton Bath Towels Become Art in Alison Jenkins’ How-To Book on Towel Folding
Alison Jenkins is either a genius or a woman who has been on many a cruise ship---perhaps she’s both! Her book, The Lost Art of Towel Origami, is an easy-to-follow, well-illustrated guide to transforming your bath linens into decorative pieces that will delight any houseguest.
One of the standout designs in Ms. Jenkins’ guide is the “Gift Basket.” Using one bath towel and one washcloth, this clever series of folds results in a “basket” that can be filled with special toiletries. It is a wonderful way to welcome guests to your home, or as a greeting to wedding party guests in their hotel rooms. Best of all, it is not difficult at all. See for yourself:
One of the standout designs in Ms. Jenkins’ guide is the “Gift Basket.” Using one bath towel and one washcloth, this clever series of folds results in a “basket” that can be filled with special toiletries. It is a wonderful way to welcome guests to your home, or as a greeting to wedding party guests in their hotel rooms. Best of all, it is not difficult at all. See for yourself:
Directions:
STEP 1
Lay the bath towel out flat, vertically. Fold in half by bringing the lower edge upward to meet the top edge. Press the fold flat with the palm of your hand.
STEP 2
Divide the folded towel into roughly thirds, then fold along the crease lines, bringing the top edge down first.
STEP 3
Divide the resulting shape into thirds again and fold along the crease lines, pressing the folds firmly with the palm of your hand.
STEP 4
Open the top layer on the left-hand side and tuck the right-hand side into it to make a secure loop. Fix the edge in place using a safety pin.
STEP 5
Open up the loop, place your hand inside one of the folds in the middle, and push the towel down inside the loop to form a base for the basket shape.
STEP 6
Roll the corner of the washcloth to the center, then turn the shape over to the other side---this will form the handle. If the washcloth is soft, you might want to line it with a piece of tissue paper to add rigidity.
STEP 7
Use safety pins to secure the pointed ends of the handle to the each side of the top of the basket.
STEP 8
Fill the basket with pretty, color-coordinating toiletries, such as soaps, shampoo and/or conditioner and perhaps an additional washcloth in a contrasting color.
