DIY Hooded Towel for Kids – Easy Sewing Tutorial for a Cozy Bath Time
- Apr 30, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 8
A soft, handmade hooded towel from terry cloth – simple DIY sewing instructions for bath time, changing table and swim bag.
A big, soft hooded towel is a quiet essential on every changing table: after a bath, your child can disappear into something warm and cosy, wrapped up from head to toe. Children love being carried from bath to towel and feeling a soft fabric around their shoulders and hair.
Instead of buying a finished towel, you can sew your own DIY hooded towel for kids in just a few simple steps – a unique piece that is not only practical, but also especially snug. It’s not difficult and makes a wonderful project even if you’re quite new to sewing.
In this tutorial, I’ll show you step by step how to sew a hooded bath towel from terry cloth. The towel also works beautifully as a soft pad on the changing table – and as a loving, handmade gift for a new baby.
Why a handmade hooded towel is so special
Benefits of a DIY hooded towel
Homemade hooded towels are not only personal and one-of-a-kind, they also bring some very practical advantages:
With a high-quality terry cloth you make sure that your child is wrapped in a soft, absorbent towel after the bath.
You can freely choose the size and design and adapt the hooded towel exactly to your family’s needs.
You create a tailored piece for the changing table, the bathtub or the swim bag.
Sewing your own hooded towel is also a creative activity that brings joy twice: once while you’re making it and again every time you use it. And: this sewing project is a wonderful way for beginners to create something meaningful and beautiful.
For the contrasting hood and the edging you can easily use fabric scraps or an old garment you’d like to give a second life – sustainable, personal and made with love.
Materials: what you need for your hooded towel
To sew your DIY hooded towel for kids you’ll need:
soft terry cloth as the main fabric
cotton fabric or cotton jersey for the hood and the edging
you can also use an old T-shirt or ready-made musselin bias tape here
a sewing machine
tailor’s chalk or a fabric marker
fabric scissors
matching sewing thread
a measuring tape
an iron
You can adapt the exact measurements to your wishes – this way your hooded towel will perfectly match your child’s size and your changing table.
Step-by-step: how to sew a hooded towel for kids
1. Cutting terry cloth and cotton fabric
First, cut your terry cloth and cotton fabric according to the measurements you’ve chosen.
For the towel, a large square or rectangle works well (for example around 80 × 80 cm or 100 × 100 cm, depending on your child’s age).
For the hood, cut a triangle – one piece from terry cloth and one from the cotton fabric.
You can follow a simple cutting scheme and gently adjust the measurements by feel and need.
2. Neatening the fabric edges
Neaten the terry cloth all around, for example with a zigzag stitch or an overlock. Depending on which cotton fabric you’ve chosen for the hood, you can also neaten this piece – with musselin it’s a good idea, with jersey it’s not absolutely necessary.
3. Sewing the hood pieces together
Place the two hood pieces – one from terry cloth, one from cotton fabric – right sides together and sew them along the long edge of the triangle.
Then turn the hood so that the right sides are facing out. Press the sewn edge flat if needed and topstitch along the long side of the triangle about 1 cm from the edge. This makes the edge lie nicely flat and stable.
4. Attaching the hood to the towel
Now place the hood on one corner of the towel – exactly where it will sit later: with the cotton side facing upwards.
Sew the hood to the towel along the two short sides of the triangle. A simple straight stitch is enough here. The long side of the hood points outwards and will later form the edge around your child’s head.
5. Preparing the edging: shaping fabric strips like bias tape
Next, prepare the long fabric strip you’ll use for the edging, shaping it like bias tape – or use ready-made musselin bias tape:
Fold the fabric strip lengthwise in the middle.
Fold the open raw edges inwards.
Press everything carefully with the iron.
You now have a fabric band that will wrap softly around the edges of your hooded towel and make them neat and smooth.
6. Edging the towel: sewing all around
Sew the fabric strip or bias tape all around the back side of the towel first.
Then turn your work over and topstitch the strip from the front all the way around so that the entire edge of the towel is enclosed.
At the corners you have two options:
You can form classic mitered corners (like on your pot holders – you can use the same technique you may already know from edging them).
Or you gently round off the corners and sew the edging continuously – this is often a little easier and gives a soft, flowing edge.
And just like that, your big, soft DIY hooded towel is finished. It’s such a quick project that a second one might feel quite natural.
Tips for an especially soft and durable result
A few small details will make your hooded towel for kids even more long-lasting and cuddly:
Choose a high-quality terry cloth so the towel stays soft, absorbent and beautiful even after many washes.
Use matching thread colours so the seams blend harmoniously with your fabrics.
Press the fabric before sewing to smooth out wrinkles and work more precisely.
Wash the towel before first use to remove any excess dye.
Many terry cloths and cotton fabrics can be washed at 60 degrees. Even if the official recommendation sometimes says 40 degrees, a test wash with similar colours can give you certainty.
A self-sewn hooded towel is a practical everyday companion for changing table and bathroom – and a loving gift for your child. After the bath it brings warmth, a sense of being held and a little piece of everyday magic.
If this DIY hooded towel sewing tutorial speaks to you, you’re welcome to share it, leave a comment or show me your own hooded towels – I’m always happy when we can share these small sewing successes with each other.
A warm hug and see you soon.
More sewing ideas for baby time and bath time
If you enjoyed sewing this DIY hooded towel for kids, you’ll find many more sewing projects for baby time and everyday life with children on the blog – enjoy exploring:
Soon also on my blog - I look forward to seeing you again soon :-) !
self-made bath poncho for children
lovingly personalized baby carrier
Canopy for the house bed
self-made diaper bag
Decoration for the changing table
Seat cushion for the baby carriage
DIY nursing pillow cover
Self-sewn music box "Moon"
Self-sewn baby outfits
DIY baby sleeping bag
Birth gifts
Step by step, a small handmade world grows around the changing table, the bathroom and the nursery – soft, practical and full of things created by your own hands.
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