Ah, Christmas. The season of joy, goodwill to all men and endless washing up. Even if you have a dishwasher, most of us like to break out the best china and glassware at this time of year, so you’ll probably find yourself at the kitchen sink a bit more than usual. Having a really nice festive tea towel to use can only make the job a little more enjoyable, and having a Christmassy tea towel means your kitchen looks that little bit more seasonal at least.
We were pleased to be asked to review this festive tea towel by British designer and printmaker Kate Guy, featuring the Twelve days of Christmas based on Kate’s lino cuts in a seasonal red and green colourway.
“I take my principle inspiration from food and the kitchen,” says Kate. “I feel that the kitchen is the true heart of the home and the smells and tastes that can be found in this social hub are prominent in my work.” The organic cotton tea towel is screen-printed in the UK and costs £12 from Kate’s Etsy shop.
The first thing that struck me about this festive tea towel was the quality – it’s thick, and didn’t crease easily. It dried very well, and didn’t leave streaks or smears.
I’m not normally a big fan of Christmassy table and kitchenware, as it seems a shame to have something you only use for a short period of time, but I really liked the design of this tea towel. It was fun and quirky without being at all twee, and it looks so nice you’ll want to have it in use for weeks. I also liked the fact that Kate had used the traditional ‘colly birds’ rather than the modern interpretation of ‘calling birds’.
The festive tea towel washed and ironed well, and came up looking smart. £12 isn’t dirt cheap, but I think it’s very good value for something independently designed and made and of such good quality. I did try hard to think of a downside, and actually I couldn’t! I’d have been very happy to get this for a Christmas present, and I’m sure any cook would feel the same.
You can find the Twelve Days of Christmas tea towel, as well as Kate’s other designs, at her Etsy shop.
Reviewed by Sara Walker