Boutique inspired "Baby Hooded Towel"

I've been promising to post this creative project for a while.  Its actually been finished for several weeks, but because it was surprise gift for my sister in law, who is expecting the first girl in our family, I didn't want to ruin the surprise.  Who knows, maybe she actually reads my blog.  I wish I would have had more inspiration when I was expecting my 3 boys.  I would love to have something now that I actually made for them, like a blanket, or towel.  I don't know about you, but when I was pregnant, the creative juices were non-existent.  I have only recently felt them come back to me full force, and my youngest is 3.  However, I now get why little old ladies knit blankets for babies.  It is so heart warming to know that a baby will have something that you poured your heart and time into.  That is the way I felt while making this towel.  The baby's name will be "Bliss."  Isn't that beautiful?  I am sorry that I didn't include any actual photos of the making of the towel.  I got in a sewing mode and didn't dare stop to take even a photo, for fear I wouldn't be able to get back into the groove.

I started with a regular size bath towel and a wash cloth of same color.  I found some girly pink fabric at Hobby Lobby and decided to add it to the back of the towel.  Let me now say that I don't consider myself a sewer at all.  I happen to have a sewing machine, and I took a 2 week sewing class at a local fabric store one summer when I was 17.  I looked up several different methods for making hooded bath towels.  The method I chose made the most sense to me.

I measured out the fabric to cover the towel and wash cloth.  Then I sewed the fabric onto towel inside out around 3.5 sides, just like you would a pillow.  Then I turned it right side out and finished the rest of the last side by hand.  For those of you that don't know how to do this stitch, you must learn.  Once you do, you will want to take on more projects.  I have wowed my kids by performing "surgery" on their favorite stuffed animals with this stitch.  No more sloppy home made looking sewing projects either.  To learn this simple stitch go here.  I actually have found hand sewing to be really therapeutic.  It relaxes me to just sit and sew.  It didn't used to, trust me.

So once both pieces were covered, I found the middle of the towel, and the middle of the washcloth, and pinned them together.  Then I sewed the two pieces together by hand, because it was too thick to do it with my machine.  Then I took the top of the washcloth and folded the two ends together and sewed it shut by hand, as well.  This is what makes the "hood."  The hooded towel is technically done now, but I wanted to add the baby's name to it.  I used iron on letters.  Isn't it so cute?

Again, I apologize that my pics are already completed pics (and not very good ones, at that).  I will do better at documenting the next project.  I still haven't figured out how to get a good picture with my camera.  The lighting is never quite right.  Would love some tips for that.

I am linking up to Get Your Craft On!

 

and also to I made it without my Hubby

and also check out Be Inspired Link Party