When I was pregnant with my first child, a friend of mine sewed me together a hooded towel and presented it to me at my baby shower. I had never heard or seen of them before and I had no idea just how useful it would be. Fast forward to my little boy’s first bath and as I pulled out the store bought tiny, thin hooded towels to swaddle my cold, wet baby in, I found them quite insufficient to get the job done.

Then I pulled out the large and fluffy handmade towel and swaddled him in that instead. He was warm, instantly dried off and protected in a terry cloth cocoon. I was instantly hooked. In fact, it was then that he smiled his first smile at me so perhaps I was really just mesmerized by the magic of the moment.

Either way, I knew that when my daughter was born I decided to make one for her. It was easy and simple to do. Her’s was just as protective and just as perfect. They were used for every single bath time. The kids wouldn’t have it any other way. The hood gives them that added sense of warmth and security when they step out of a warm bath into a cold room. It also is the first thing that dried off their eyes when they are whining from the shock of water poured over their heads.

However, now the towels are becoming ratty-tatty and getting a little too short. Because Walmart is rolling out their pastel towels for spring and summer, I knew I needed to make some new ones!

You’ll need:

One hand towel

One full-sized towel

I bought two two hand towels and two full-sized towels in coordinating colors for both kids.

First, fold the hand towel lengthwise then cut in half with some sharp fabric scissors.

Take one half of the folded and cut towel (now you’ve gained an extra kitchen towel with the other half, yay!) and sew the cut sides sides together with a straight stitch.

The sewn side will be the top of the hood while the finished side will attach to the body of the towel.

Lay out the full-sized towel lengthwise and find the middle point. You can pin it but I just eyeball it because I’m impatient.

Line the sides up and sew the hood to the middle of the towel. Be sure to backstitch both sides.

This project literally takes ten minutes and is so worth it!

Perfect for a holiday gift or baby shower!