Hooded & Pleated Baby Towel

This is one of my favorite baby shower gifts.  These towels are perfect for cradling a baby straight from the tub; the hood cradles the baby's head while the pleats wrap the baby in fluffy softness.  I found this towel and washcloth in the re-style section of Target on sale, and I already had the ribbon.

Supplies/Materials

• 1 washcloth
• 1 towel
• Thread (preferably heavy duty)
• Accent ribbon
• Heavy duty needle

Directions

1. Pin pleats into the towel.  To make the first pleat, measure out 10 inches and mark with a pin.  Fold the pin back so the pleat and the pin match up at 7 inches from the edge.  Measure out 7 inches and mark with a pin; fold the pin back, so the pleat and the pin match up 4 inches from the previous pleat (repeat this pleat step). 

2. Repeat the process, so the bottom and top pleats match to create folds.  Then repeat on the opposite side of the towel, so the pleats mirror each other on each side.

3. Sew across the edge of the towel with a straight stitch, then reinforce the pleats by sewing again directly over the pleats.
4. To make the hood, begin by folding back 3 inches of the washcloth on itself.

5. Pin your accent ribbon over the fold, then sew in place about 1/8 of an inch from the edge of the ribbon.
6. If you want a ruffle ribbon, use a long stitch length on your machine to baste a stitch down the center of your ribbon, then pull one thread to gather.  Pin the ruffle to the hood over the other ribbon.  Sew the ribbon down the center, then pull out the basted stitch.

7. Use a seam ripper to pull out the seam on the other end of the washcloth.  Fold the washcloth in half like a rectangle.  Cut off 1 inch from the corner.  You will fold the corner into the lip left from the first fold you made.  Pin in place.

8. Sew a seam across the bottom of the hood, then about an inch up the lip to secure the corner you folded into it.

9. Align the center of the towel with the center of the hood.  (You will want both towel and hood to have the inside facing up)

10. Pin the hood and the towel together.  Then sew them together, making sure to reinforce your stitches.  Your seam should enclose your ribbon ends, so they won't fray.

I don't have a baby to model it, but I hope you get the picture.  I will be linking this up at these fun parties.