Sew a hooded towel: With this guide, you can sew a cute and practical hooded towel for babies and children.
The most important things at a glance
- With this guide, you can sew a sweet baby towel
- You can sew the hooded towel with or without a face
- You can download the free sewing pattern in this post
- Sewing level: Beginner
- Sewing time: 1-2 hours
YouTube tutorial: How to sew a hooded towel
When you think of baby towels, you automatically think of those cozy towels that have an usually incredibly cute hood in one corner to cover the child's head and keep them warm. They are not just practical for home, but also for indoor pools, thermal baths, or outdoor pools. So, they are perfectly suited for the whole year. Our daughter had also been given such a towel as a baby.
Back then, I didn't know she would fall head over heels in love with this towel. These towels are usually quite small, and children grow, of course. So it was time for a new hooded towel, one size larger, please. In this post, I will take you along and show you how you can sew such a hooded towel in any size you like, so your child can snuggle up a little longer after bathing.
By the way, the whole thing is perfect as a gift set with a matching wash mitt. You can find the instructions here: Sewing a wash mitt
What is a hooded towel?
A hooded towel is a special towel, usually square, which is characterized by a hood at the top end. The hood of the towel is shaped to cover the user's head when they wrap the towel around their body. Hooded towels are often used for babies and toddlers, but there are also hooded towels for adults that can be used after showering or bathing. The hood can help dry the hair while keeping the body warm. Hooded towels are available in various sizes, colors, and materials and can be used in the bathroom as well as at the beach or swimming pool.
Can beginners sew a hooded towel?
Perhaps you are wondering if your skills are sufficient to sew a baby towel. I can reassure you: it is very easy with this guide. For the simplest version, you can sew the hood without any decorations. Furthermore, you will need the straight stitch and the zigzag stitch of your sewing machine if you don't have an overlocker. You will need a little patience with binding the edges with bias tape if you have no experience with that yet.
If you would like to practice that or read up on it, I recommend my post on sewing on bias tape.
Which fabrics are suitable for a baby towel?
All absorbent, soft fabrics made from natural materials are well-suited for a hooded towel. For example, these are perfect:
What do I need to sew a hooded towel?
First and foremost, non-stretch fabric. The classic towel fabric is terry cloth, also called toweling. You can, however, also use waffle piqué.
Furthermore, you will need:
- Cotton bias tape* approx. 5m
- Decoration for the hood face (iron-on faces, embroidery, etc.) as desired
- matching sewing thread*
- matching sewing needle
- Pins* or fabric clips*
- Ruler*
- Marking pen or tailor's chalk*
- Fabric scissors*
- Thread snips
- Sewing machine
Which fabrics are suitable for sewing a hooded towel?
Most towels are made of terry cloth. Make sure that it is cotton, because cotton absorbs the most water and is excellently suited for towels. You can, however, also use waffle piqué. It is important that it feels good on your skin. Try to avoid polyester. It is more durable than cotton, but not as absorbent and usually does not feel as good.
My tip: I used bamboo terry cloth. It is incredibly soft. You can find a selection here.
How much fabric do I need for a hooded towel?
40 cm is enough for the hood. You can also easily sew the ears from that. For the actual towel, you can determine the size yourself. If your towel should be 1 x 1 m, then 1 m is enough. The maximum size is determined by the fabric width of the bolt. This is usually 1.40 m. The average hooded towel for children is 0.75 m x 0.75 m.
Where can I find the free sewing pattern?
You can download the template for the hood here. The seam allowance is already included.
PDF sewing pattern Hooded Towel TOLNE
You will find two suggestions here for a cute hood face and the ears. Furthermore, the rounded corner serves as a template for the corners of the towel itself. How and if you decorate the hood is up to you and your creativity. You can also embroider flowers on it or use iron-on transfers.
What must my sewing machine be able to do to sew a hooded towel?
A normal household sewing machine with a straight stitch is perfect for this project. Furthermore, you need the overlock or the zigzag stitch of your sewing machine to finish the edges of the hood.
Use a universal needle. I prefer size 80.
Let's go!
Conclusion
Sewing a cute hooded towel is not difficult. It also offers many opportunities to be creative. You can really let off steam with the design of the hood. You can plot, iron on, applique, or embroider. Does your child like unicorns? Try to fulfill this wish and applique various pieces of cotton as a horn. Prefer rabbit ears instead of a teddy bear? No problem. Simply cut the ears longer. Need a loop for hanging? Sure. Sew a piece of bias tape into the hood.
In terms of color, you can explore and combine all facets. The hood can also gladly be the same color. The bias tape can also be used as a contrast. In the post How to make your own bias tape, Sabine shows how you can make your individual bias tape.
Snuggle up and feel comfortable. Whether at home, in the indoor pool, the thermal bath, or the outdoor pool. Whether in summer or winter. Whether for yourself or as a gift. A hooded towel is quickly sewn, suitable for year-round use, and absolutely individual.
Happy simple sewing, Eve & Sabine
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