We’re a water-loving family and during the summer we spend a lot of time in our bathing suits. This year I was in the market for new cover-ups and everything I found was so thin that if the kids actually put them on while wet, the material would get soaked instantly, providing no warmth, no coziness, and would overall still require a towel. Then I was at good ol’ Target and they were having a sale on these beautifully colored bath towels for only $5 each, normally $7. Most good quality cover-ups will run at least $30, so to me this was a huge savings. I also bought matching washcloths to make into pockets and added some cute boho trim for the girls. Needless to say, the kids love them. These towels are super-thick which makes for a very cozy and warm, post-water experience, which is important when you have littles. Both girls are now asking for them after their baths, to just relax in before they put their clothes on, so now I’m thinking I’ll need to make a few more.
You can watch me make these on our Instagram REELS!
Baby Elly Got One Too!
After I made them for the big kids, I was at Target again and I walked by this beautiful shade of red, and I thought about my beautiful Elly Rose. So I made her a little matching cover-up too, sans the pocket! The hand towel made the perfect size for her.
SUPPLIES:
- Bath Towels
- Sewing Machine + Thread
- Washcloths (optional)
- Trim (optional)
- Scissors
- Ruler
Fold In Half
I started by folding the towels in half and then pulling them up by about 3″ to make room for the trim.
Cut In Half
Then using my RazorsEdge Fiskars scissors I cut the towel in half.
LITTLE KIDS: for the two littler kids I removed 3″ for Hadley and 6″ for Russ during this step to shorten the towels. I probably could have done a tad bit more but having them long is ok for coziness.
I seriously cannot believe that I got this much, nice quality fabric for only $5. Those who sew and buy fabric know what I mean!
Hem
Hem both the front and back panels of the towel that you just cut in half. I did a very simple fold over hem using the zig-zag stitch to secure. A double fold would have made the fabric way too thick.
Add Pocket
For fun I added a washcloth pocket to the front panel. I cut off about 4″ of the washcloth to make a proper pocket size.
Fold + Pin
Then I simply folded the edges under and pinned it in place, right above the decorative stitching line of the towel.
Sew Pocket
I sewed the pocket in place using a zig-zag stitch.
Add Trim
Then I sewed the boho trim on the bottom of the towel.
It’s easiest to add the pocket and the trim before you sew the two panels together because it gets really thick.
Measure + Pin Panels
Place both the front and back panels together and pin. Then measure 9″ in from each side and place two pins there to make sure that is where you stop sewing. This will leave an 11″ hole for their heads in the middle, that is on these exact towels. Other towels might be different.
Sew Panels
I sewed these panels together using a normal stitch, at this point it gets pretty bulky.
Side Seams
This is the last step! I added side seams to keep the towel properly wrapped around them.
Half-way down the pocket, I measured 5″ in and placed a pin. From there I sewed down to the trim and that was it.
BULKY: at this point it’s super bulky to work with the towel. Here I rolled the side up but it was still a bit annoying. Good thing this stitch went fast.
Done!
And so darn cute! I love these colors, so vibrant and fun for the summer.
Cuties
These guys are far too cute for their own good! I hope your family enjoys this project and that the steps are simple enough that even if you’re a beginner to sewing that you can still make it happen. xo
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DIY Tutorial Credits
Photography + DIY Tutorial: Jen Causey-Kidder of Something Turquoise // Bath Towels in Gold, Rose Pink, Orange, and Maroon: Target // Boho Fringe Trim 3″ in Natural: JoAnn // Fiskars RazorEdge Scissors: Amazon
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