Hooded Towel

January 8, 2013
It really has been a good day today. Chelsea slept in until 7:30, my hair worked out the way I wanted and it didn't take me very long (it's finally long enough for a sock bun!) and Andrew, Chelsea, and I went to the Rec center for a little swimmy swim! Plus, we were there with a friend and her little boy. He and Chelsea have quite the sweet relationship.
Yesterday, Chelsea and I started a "Mommy and Me" swim class and she is handling it really well! It makes me so happy to have some time to share something I love with my little girl and for her to enjoy it, too. I'm not sure I could honestly say that she loves it, but that will come with time and immersing Chelsea in it. Did you see what I did there? Eh eh?
Chelsea has a lot of hooded towels, but I thought it would be nice to make her one that was a little thicker than the ones that she currently has and that will fit her even when she's two (hopefully).

It took me one naptime (about 2 hours or less) and only requires a hand towel and bath towel, plus the sewing machine and all that, of course.
Step 1: Cut the hand towel in half (my hand towel was almost 26")

Step 2: Fold the cut hand towel in half (right sides together) so that the cut edge is lined up/touching.

Step 3: Stitch using a 1/4" seam.

Step 4: Draw a 1" diagonal from the side you stitched to the back of your hood so you don't have that sharp point on the top of your baby's head (unless you want it, but I prefer the more subtle point).

Step 5: Turn your hood right-side out and keep it folded the way you stitched it in the first place. Stitch the hood at 3/8" (a little more than 1/4") so that the exposed edge inside the hood is hidden. That way, you prevent any fraying.

Step 6: You can leave your hood this way (less time and work) or you can sew it down. Sewing it down is preferred if you plan on personalizing the hood.
Or... Just make this side, the side with the seam, the back side of the hood. Why didn't I think of that?
To sew the seam down, simple fold it over and stitch along the edge of the seam fold.

Step 7: My next step was to sew the hood to the towel (however, this would be a great time to personalize the hood). My bath towel was old and frayed, so to make up for that, I folded the hood in front and in back of the bath towel. Otherwise, position your hand towel hood so that it is in the center of the bath towel and when the hood is folded out, the corners are about 1" away from the edge of the towel.
Pin in place and stitch not one, but TWO seams for extra strength, and then your done! Except for personalizing, of course...

To Personalize:

Step 1: Get some of that sticky quilting paper stuff (I honestly don't know what it's called, but I think it's just embroidery paper) and draw your design on it.

Step 2: Iron it to your fabric.
Step 3: Cut out your design.

Step 4: Iron the finished design to your fabric and then use a zigzag stitch to keep it sewn in place. Simple as that!

I love the water, even if I did get owned on the swim team when I was 10 and one kid actually swam over the top of me because I couldn't swim straight in my lane. Boy, THAT was embarrassing! And thus ended my swim team days, but despite that unfortunate experience, I have always loved swimming. The summer before third grade, my mom purchased a booklet of tickets for the city pool and there were some weeks that I went every day with my friend, Sasha. Not even kidding. We used that booklet for all it was worth! And then when I saw the ocean for the first time, it was cloudy and gray and Mom said no swimming because it was too cold, but did that stop me? Absolutely not. If I could be a mythical creature, I'm pretty sure I'd pick Mermaid. Have fun sewing, crafting, or whatever your doing and try to get a good swim in there sometime!
 Chelsea loves hanging out wherever Mommy is!

 Whoops! Ha ha!
Doesn't she look just like her daddy?



The sign of a good time!

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