How to Make a Hooded Towel
Purchase a large bath towel and a hand towel in coordinating colors., Cut a hand towel in half horizontally so that you end up with two squares., Fold the hand towel in half, and sew along the cut edge using a ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) seam...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase a large bath towel and a hand towel in coordinating colors.
Cheap, thin towels are easier to work with than thick, luxury towels.
They also come in many different colors and patterns that might be appealing to kids.
Plan ahead.
If you plan on making a super hero themed towel, base the towel on the super hero's cloak.
For example, a Batman towel would be black or dark blue/purple, while a Superman towel would be red. -
Step 2: Cut a hand towel in half horizontally so that you end up with two squares.
Fold the towel in half first, then cut it along the fold; this will give you a nice, straight edge.
You will only be using one of these squares, so discard the other one or save it for another project. , Use sewing pins to keep the edges in place, and remove the pins when you are done.Towels don't fray much, so you do not need to finish the hem.
If you'd like to finish the seam, use a zigzag stitch along the edge. , The seam you sewed should now be on the inside.
This will be the top of the hood.
The finished hem on the towel (usually embroidered) will be the bottom of the hood.
If there is a how-to-wash tag attached to the bottom hem of your hand towel, trim it off. , You can leave the hood plain, or you can add a strip of rickrack or thick ribbon along the edge to frame the child's face.
Lay a strip of ribbon or rickrack across the edge of hood, going from one bottom corner, across the top seam, and down to the other bottom corner.
Pin it in place and topstitch it down.
Remove the pins when you are done.
If you are using rickrack, sew it right down the middle of the rickrack.
If you are using wide ribbon, you will need to stitch along both sides of the ribbon.
Try to get at close to the edge as possible.
You can also use a heat-and-bond tape instead. , This is completely optional, but it can add a fun look to the hooded towel.
If you do not wish to add animal ears, skip down to the next part. , Cut the ears 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) bigger than you want them to be to allow for seam allowances.
You can also use a different colored towel for the inside of the ears instead. , If your ears are triangle shaped, clip the top points of the animal ears before turning them inside out.
This will reduce bulk., Position the slits about 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) from the edge.They can be as close together or as far apart as you'd like, but 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) from the top seam you sewed is a good rule of thumb.The slits should be the same width as the base of your animal ears. , Make sure that the ears are sticking out of the top of the hood, and the bases are on the inside. , Remove the pins when you are done, and trim off any loose threads. , The easiest way to do this is to fold the towel in half, and place a pin along the top of the fold.Unfold the towel when you are done.
You may also want to find the midpoint of the hood as well; mark it along the bottom hem with a pin. , Align the midpoints, and overlap the bottom hem of the hood with the top edge of the bath towel, making sure that the hood is on top.
Secure the two towels with pins.
When you are done with the project, the bath towel's top edge will be on the outside of the hooded towel.
The hood's bottom hem will be on the inside.
The hood is smaller than the bath towel, so there will be some extra space to either side of the hood. ,, You can add a border along the large bath towel, or iron an appliqué to the back.
You can even cut the bath towel to make it look like a super hero cape! -
Step 3: Fold the hand towel in half
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Step 4: and sew along the cut edge using a ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) seam allowance.
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Step 5: Turn the hood inside out.
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Step 6: Add a border to the hood
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Step 7: if desired.
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Step 8: Consider adding some animal ears to the hood.
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Step 9: Cut four large triangles or half circles out of the extra hand towel half.
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Step 10: Sew along the angled/curved edges using a ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) seam allowance
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Step 11: then turn them inside out.
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Step 12: Cut two slits on the top of the hood.
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Step 13: Slide the ears by ½ inch (1.27 centimeters) into each slit and pin in place.
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Step 14: Sew the ears down from the inside of the hood using a ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) seam allowance.
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Step 15: Spread the bath towel out horizontally
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Step 16: find the midpoint along the top edge
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Step 17: and mark it with a pin.
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Step 18: Position the hood above the bath towel
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Step 19: and overlap the two edges by ½ inch (1.27 centimeters).Place the hood above the bath towel.
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Step 20: Sew the towels together using a straight stitch.Remove the pins when you are done and trim off any loose threads.
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Step 21: Add any final
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Step 22: decorative touches to the hooded towel
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Step 23: if desired.
Detailed Guide
Cheap, thin towels are easier to work with than thick, luxury towels.
They also come in many different colors and patterns that might be appealing to kids.
Plan ahead.
If you plan on making a super hero themed towel, base the towel on the super hero's cloak.
For example, a Batman towel would be black or dark blue/purple, while a Superman towel would be red.
Fold the towel in half first, then cut it along the fold; this will give you a nice, straight edge.
You will only be using one of these squares, so discard the other one or save it for another project. , Use sewing pins to keep the edges in place, and remove the pins when you are done.Towels don't fray much, so you do not need to finish the hem.
If you'd like to finish the seam, use a zigzag stitch along the edge. , The seam you sewed should now be on the inside.
This will be the top of the hood.
The finished hem on the towel (usually embroidered) will be the bottom of the hood.
If there is a how-to-wash tag attached to the bottom hem of your hand towel, trim it off. , You can leave the hood plain, or you can add a strip of rickrack or thick ribbon along the edge to frame the child's face.
Lay a strip of ribbon or rickrack across the edge of hood, going from one bottom corner, across the top seam, and down to the other bottom corner.
Pin it in place and topstitch it down.
Remove the pins when you are done.
If you are using rickrack, sew it right down the middle of the rickrack.
If you are using wide ribbon, you will need to stitch along both sides of the ribbon.
Try to get at close to the edge as possible.
You can also use a heat-and-bond tape instead. , This is completely optional, but it can add a fun look to the hooded towel.
If you do not wish to add animal ears, skip down to the next part. , Cut the ears 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) bigger than you want them to be to allow for seam allowances.
You can also use a different colored towel for the inside of the ears instead. , If your ears are triangle shaped, clip the top points of the animal ears before turning them inside out.
This will reduce bulk., Position the slits about 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) from the edge.They can be as close together or as far apart as you'd like, but 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) from the top seam you sewed is a good rule of thumb.The slits should be the same width as the base of your animal ears. , Make sure that the ears are sticking out of the top of the hood, and the bases are on the inside. , Remove the pins when you are done, and trim off any loose threads. , The easiest way to do this is to fold the towel in half, and place a pin along the top of the fold.Unfold the towel when you are done.
You may also want to find the midpoint of the hood as well; mark it along the bottom hem with a pin. , Align the midpoints, and overlap the bottom hem of the hood with the top edge of the bath towel, making sure that the hood is on top.
Secure the two towels with pins.
When you are done with the project, the bath towel's top edge will be on the outside of the hooded towel.
The hood's bottom hem will be on the inside.
The hood is smaller than the bath towel, so there will be some extra space to either side of the hood. ,, You can add a border along the large bath towel, or iron an appliqué to the back.
You can even cut the bath towel to make it look like a super hero cape!
About the Author
Ashley Carter
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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