{TT} Towel Skirt Tutorial

I've been wanting something cute to wrap around myself at the pool. I saw these cute towels at Costco and got a little idea bug in this crazy head of mine...


(Just remember I'm a novice. Since I've made this skirt I've actually made another one that I really like too (another post maybe?)...FYI both are EASY since I'm a beginner!(Sorry, no swimsuit picts people.)

Here's the skinny:

You'll need:
-A towel
-Some 1 1/2 inch non roll elastic
-Some super tough "sewing" velcro at least 1 inch wide (aka velcro that says you can sew it...we don't want any broken needles now!)
-Your kids to be napping or in bed!

1) Get a towel! If you have one you like already, grab it! I found these in a 2 pack at Costco.


2) Cut the "length" of your skirt. You can hold the towel up to your waist and then cut it off where you like it. Hint: Just remember that you'll need an extra 2 inches at the top for the elastic waist.

My towel was 34 inches so I just cut it in half to make this skirt 17 inches long.


3) Fold over the "rough" (aka unfinished edge you just cut) 2 inches. This will be the top of your skirt.

4) Sew it at 5/8 seam down the entire towel.

Lookin' good!
5) Now wrap that baby around you to figure out how much towel you'll actually need.

Do this by:

#1 Taking the finished edge and wrap it to your hip bone.


#2 Put your finger on the other hip bone on the towel underneath. This is where you will cut the towel off if there is excess material.

6) Cut the excess material from the towel off:

Nice job!

7) Now take your elastic and figure out how tight you want the skirt to be. Cut it where you'd like it. (Hint: Don't do it too tight or it will pull the velco too much when its done.)


8) Thread the elastic through the top of the towel.

9) Safety pin the elastic to the "finished" edge like this:

10) Pin the elastic at the other "rough" edge...

and fold the edge over like this:


11) Now pin the it all the way down the skirt.

12) Sew that baby all the way down the side! Hint: Be careful when it's thick...needles can be broken (ask me again how I know.):)

13) Now take out the safety pin & sew the elastic at the other end...

Gettin' closer!

14) Now its time to put on the velcro. Cut it approx. 2 inches long. Hint: If I could do it again I'd buy fatter (at least 1 inch wide), & tougher stuff so my skirt stays on better.

15) Now play with it. Hold the skirt up to yourself and figure out how tight you'd like the waist to be. Pin the velcro where you'd like it.
Hint: Put the soft side of the velcro facing "outward" and the "rough" side on the end where you'll wrap the towel around.


16) Sew the velcro on. I just followed the edges around it.

17) Nice work! Now go to the pool and show it off!:)

Questions or what me to make one for you? Email me at toadstreasures@gmail.com!

3 comments:

Jenn said...

This is Jenn B. in the ward. I found you blog from links of friends blogs. Hope its okay? If not, let me know?? But I love your towel cover-up tutorial, I may make one myself.

Anne said...

Cute cover-up!! I posted a link to your tutorial at Craft Gossip Sewing: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-towel-wrap-skirt/2009/07/08/
--Anne

Sara said...

I love this tutorial! I linked to your tutorial on my blog http://my-fabric-obsession.blogspot.com

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