This is why we pre-shrink our towels before embroidery. These were a gift to me and came from a local well known store. They looked like beautiful kitchen towels when I received them. I washed them and they turned into shrunken, waffle type towels that have curly edges and misshaped snowflakes. They work as towels but they're not very pretty anymore.

Oh my! I see why you are disappointed in them. They look too misshapen to iron out all the problems. Did they bleed too? I'd just used them for pratical purposes and not for display.

I would take them to the store and request a credit voucher to use on something you can use.

I think teh same that laurasomi, i you iron with steam, it could be better

Has anyone ever had a waffle type NOT do that? I avoid waffle towels like they have the plague! Hugs. Nan W

I bet if you iron them, they'll look like new again.
Hugs,
Gabi

I just hate it when I purchase something and it turns out like this. Does the tag say where it was made?/Lillian

Reminds me of the lovely cream T Towels I bought from Ikea when I first got my machine. Beautiful feeling I decided to wash them first and glad I never embroidered on them. They became a very thick waffle weave. They are still going strong as T Towels but not suitable to embroider on.
Only thing I can suggest to you is to iron them every time you wash them.

Oh dear :( Maybe they didn't expect people to use them but just use them as a decorator item.

How sad! I admit I would be using them as dust rags but I love Pam's idea of rescuing them, Please do let the manager know either by picture or by showing the towels to him/her. A good manager will want to know so it doesn't happen again.

It will likely irritate you every time you use them so I would try to reinvent them to make something you will smile every time you use them. The first thing I thought is that these could be saved by using a bit of creativity and likely supplies you already have on hand. I would cut the hem edge off and use a bias tape made in coordinating material to cover the edges and then stitch a design on material large enough to cover the existing snowflake designs. If the designs cause too much puckering underneath, you could try removing some of the snowflake stitching to help it not pucker so much, or you could add a layer of batting between the towel and the new applique, but would need to choose designs that the batting would look right with. I would also plan out the design so you also created a design for the back side at the same time so no matter how you would then use the towel it would look gorgeous with no one knowing just how great of an improved towel you had created from these towel disasters. I am grateful you have the skill and patterns to actually fix these towels as most households would not and these towels would have been tossed in the garbage or used for dust rags after the first washing. I also hope you take a picture and give it to that well know stores purchasing manager so that they would understand what quality of items they were selling. Pam

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by sewmom 24 Dec 2015

Thank you for your wonderful ideas.

The other problem with the mass-produced stuff is that often the stitching is done on cloth before the item is made and stitched without stabilizer.

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by sewmom 24 Dec 2015

My first thought was that they didn't even know it was a waffle weave. I couldn't tell until it was washed.

I know you don't want to, but if you wanted to use them for a special decoration they can be ironed and reshaped.

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by sewmom 23 Dec 2015

I don't think it's worth my time. But thanks for the idea.

That waffle stuff will do that. I have a piece that would be good for a baby blanket, yet I am not sure about putting embroidery on it. and it is pre-washed.

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by sewmom 23 Dec 2015

It's very deep/thick. I don't think it would embroider well.