I was asked to participate in Evite’s #EviteBabyTrends series. Although I have been compensated, all views are my own.
The time has come for the end of my 5-part Baby Shower series. You can find my other Baby Shower tips and tricks under my DIY page. Now that we’ve covered diapers, baby shower decor, the diaper cake and even baby shower games, it’s time to discuss baby shower gift ideas! Watching the mother-to-be open up the adorable baby gifts is my favorite part of the shower. Before I give you my DIY tutorial for making baby-to-be their own large, and comfy hooded towel, I want to share Dr. Harvey Karp’s Top Baby Gift Picks.
- Cool-mist Humidifier
- Baby Carrier
- Swaddlers
- The Happiest Baby Soothing Sleep Sounds CD
- Aden + Anais Burpy Bibs
- Books Galore: Give mom and baby a collection of new books, including black-and-white books for little-bitties, like Peter Linenthal’s Look, Look! and children’s classics such as Go, Dog Go!, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Goodnight Moon.
- The Happiest Baby DVD
Of course, diapers in numerous sizes always make EXCELLENT gifts! You can never have too many diapers with a newborn. Don’t forget to snag the Huggies coupon before you do your shopping.
Now for my DIY Hooded Towel. You simply combine a regular soft bath towel, with a hand towel, to create a large plush hooded towel for baby. My kids LOVE theirs!
1. Make the hood first, by cutting one hand towel in half crosswise, using scissors or a rotary cutter.
2. At the border, fold finished edge back about 4″, or where it looks best with any embellished border on the towel. Sometimes you can find a hand towel with a fancy border that doesn’t lend itself to folding back (like a duck bill, or flowered edging).
3. With folded edge turned back – right sides together, now is the time to sew on any embellishment you might have in mind, such as ribbon or braid.
4. Stitch the folded edges together about 1/4″ from the finished edging.
5. Fold the hand towel in half onto itself with right sides together, bringing the manufactured edges together.
6. Stitch the unfinished edges together with a tight zigzag stitch. The hood will have a pointy back, but if desired you may round out the back of the hood by cutting a curve and finishing it with a rounded back.
7. Turn the hood with finished side facing out. Now you’re ready to attach it to the bath towel.
8. Fold the bath towel in half crosswise to find the middle of the towel. Mark the center point with a pin. Then with right sides together pin the sewn back seam of the hood to the center point of the bath towel. Continue pinning the hood to the towel, matching the manufactured edges – right sides together.
9. Sew the hood to the towel just along the manufactured edges, about 1/4″ in from outside edge. You’ll be going through several layers, so make sure you have a heavy duty needle on your machine.
10. Voila – you’re done. Now make another one with the left over half of the hand towel, and another bath towel. Then you’re sure to have another when one is in the wash.
My boys are 8 years old, and they still love to use their hooded towels!!
Don’t forget to join me for the #EviteBabyTrends Twitter party happening on tomorrow, Thursday April 10, 2014 at 6pm PST, for lots of baby shower ideas and prizes!
Rita O'Neal says
Seriously?! This looks amazing, yet impossible to me. I would have to employ my mom for this one. Love it! Thanks for the great post! #client