You may have read my post on sewing a summer shawl.  If you want one, but don’t want to make one, a fouta is a great substitute.

A fouta is a piece of thin, woven fabric used in many Mediterranean countries as a shawl, towel, wrap, etc.  It is usually cotton or linen and has woven stripes or pattern.

Just as I mentioned with the summer shawl, the fouta has so many uses, including:

Towel
Beach towel
Beach blanket
Shawl
Tablecloth
Picnic Blanket
Pareo skirt or dress
Throw for the bed or couch
Nap cover for a little one
Curtains (purchase two matching and add clip rings at the top)

Foutas generally are about 40″ x 70″, so they are large enough to be used for several purposes.  They have small fringe on the short ends.

I love the woven fabric, which can be cut down for placemats, napkins, a neck scarf, skirt, etc.

Foutas can be purchased on Amazon.com from $8.95 on up.  I ordered 5 to use by the pool.  However, a couple of the ones that came had flaws in the fabric.  I sent them back.  Strangely, they were the higher priced foutas ($16.00 each).    Several vendors listed them as Turkish Peshtemal.  Houzz.com and Wayfair.com also carry foutas.

These are great to keep a couple in the trunk of your car.  As I mentioned for my summer shawl inspiration, I was running through a rain shower in Key Largo and saw the need for a lightweight fabric that could cover my head as I ran in and be used to dry off once inside.  Foutas would be perfect for that as well as having available to use in a cold restaurant or movie theatre.

Because they are thin, foutas are easy to pack.  A basic black or navy would be perfect to have in your carry-on luggage when traveling.  I usually put one in my purse, when we head out for dinner, or, if carrying a small purse, I just put it over my arm.

If you already own foutas, what do you use them for?  Do you find them to be indispensable?