How to Sew a Hooded Bath Towel

Sew a basic hooded bath towel from one bath towel and one hand towel. The hand towel becomes the hood, while the bath towel supplies the wraparound coverage. This version uses straightforward machine stitching and leaves you with a soft towel that works for babies, kids, or adults when sized appropriately.

What a Hooded Bath Towel Is

A hooded bath towel is a regular towel with a hood sewn to the center of one long edge. The hood keeps wet hair covered while the larger towel wraps around the body.

The simplest version uses the factory-finished edge of a hand towel as the face opening. That finished edge is already neat, absorbent, and comfortable against the forehead, so you do not need to bind it yourself.

For sewing purposes, call the towel surface you want visible the right side. Towels often look similar on both sides, so choose one side and keep that choice consistent while pinning and sewing.

A hooded towel looks cleaner and lasts longer with a neat attachment seam.

Plan Your Materials and Choose a Hood

Gather these supplies before cutting:

One bath towel
One coordinating hand towel
Matching all-purpose thread
Sewing machine
Scissors or rotary cutter
Pins or sewing clips
Measuring tool or sewing gauge
Optional embroidery or appliqué fabric; one forum maker reports using a marine-vinyl design with satin-stitch appliqué

A hand towel cut across its middle makes two hood pieces, so one hand towel can supply hoods for two matching bath towels. Choose towels that are not so thick that your machine struggles to feed several layers evenly.

Pick the hood construction that suits the recipient and the look you want.

Hood Style	Best For	Main Approach
Standard folded hand-towel hood	Beginners, gifts, everyday use	Fold a hand-towel section lengthwise and stitch one side
Custom square hood	Babies and smaller toddlers	Cut a smaller square and finish the face edge before sewing
Pointed hood	Animal ears, crowns, or a more shaped look	Fold and seam the hood panel to create a point
Embroidered or appliquéd hood	Personalized gifts	Decorate the hood panel while it is flat, then construct it

Sew the Standard Hooded Towel

Step 1: Prepare and Mark the Towels

Wash and dry both towels before sewing if they are new. This helps prevent uneven shrinking after the hood is attached.
Lay the bath towel flat with the right side facing up.
Fold the bath towel in half along its long edge, then mark the midpoint of that edge with a pin or clip.
Lay the hand towel flat and cut it across the middle. Each half should retain one original short, finished end.
Set one hand-towel half aside for a second project, or use it to make another hooded towel.

Step 2: Form the Hood

Lay the hand-towel piece flat with the right side facing up.
Fold it lengthwise, keeping the factory-finished short edge at one end and the cut short edge at the other.
With the hand towel folded, align the long edges, making sure the cut short edges are even, and pin or clip the layers together.
Sew a straight seam along the aligned long edges, securing the beginning and end of the seam.
Turn the hood right side out and push out the folded top edge with your fingers.

You should now have a simple hood shape: the folded edge forms the crown, and the cut short edge will attach to the bath towel.

Step 3: Center and Sew the Hood to the Bath Towel

Put the bath towel right side up on your work surface.
Turn the hood wrong side out again so its right side faces the right side of the bath towel.
Align the center seam of the hood with the center mark on the long edge of the bath towel.
Match the hood’s cut short edge to the bath towel’s finished long edge and pin across the width of the hood.
Sew through both layers of the hood and the bath towel edge, removing pins or clips as you go.

Keep the towel flat as it feeds through the machine. Terry cloth can stretch and shift when pulled, so guide it rather than tugging it from behind the presser foot.

Step 4: Enclose the Hood Edge

Turn the hood up so it stands in its finished position.
On the back of the towel, fold the bath towel’s finished edge over the first seam so it covers the cut edge of the hood.
Topstitch across the full width of the hood to hold that folded edge in place.

If the towel’s edge is too narrow to fold over the hood seam, finish the hood’s cut edge with a zigzag or overlock stitch before attaching it, then topstitch the seam allowance toward the bath towel.

Step 5: Finish the Towel

Remove every pin, clip, and loose thread.
Turn the hood right side out and make sure the center seam sits at the top of the head rather than pulling toward one side.
Check that the hood opens easily and that the bath towel hangs evenly from both sides.
Launder the finished towel once to remove cut terry-cloth lint and soften the stitching.

Use a Custom, Pointed, or Decorated Hood

Smaller square, pointed, self-lined, embroidered, or appliquéd hood panels can be finished and attached at the bath towel’s center.

Make a Smaller Square Hood

A smaller hood can be more proportional for a baby or young toddler than a full hand-towel section. For toddler sizes and smaller, begin with a 9-inch square; an 11-inch square is another workable choice when you want a roomier hood. Confirm the final size against the intended wearer before cutting because head size and the desired amount of coverage vary.

If you cut a raw edge that will remain visible at the face opening, leave 1 inch of extra terry cloth for the fold. Turn that edge under 1/2 inch, then fold it over again by 1/2 inch to hide the cut loops before stitching it down.

I use a sewing gauge to turn a consistent narrow hem on a raw towel edge, because plush terry loops can hide the fold line.

Fold the finished square right sides together, stitch one side to form the crown, then attach the remaining raw edge at the center of the bath towel’s long edge. Turn the hood upright and topstitch the towel edge over the join to cover the raw edge.

Make a Pointed Hood

A pointed hood is useful for animal-themed towels, costume-inspired gifts, or a more sculpted shape.

Place the hood panel wrong side up.
Fold 2.5 inches of the finished edge upward.
Bring the raw side edges together and stitch the matched raw edges with a 5/8-inch seam allowance.
Open and flatten the hood so the top forms a point.
Measure 2.5 inches down from that top point and sew a straight seam across the hood to shape the point.
Center the hood on the bath towel’s long edge, stitch the raw bottom edge in place, flip the hood upright, and topstitch the towel edge over the join.

Keep the finished edge free when sewing the side seam; it needs to remain open around the wearer’s face.

Trim a Self-Lined or Embroidered Hood

An embroidered, self-lined hood can become deeper than needed once its layers are sewn together. After finishing the lining and decoration, place the hood against the intended child’s head and shoulders and trim approximately 3 inches from the bottom when that is needed for the intended fit. The exact amount depends on the child and the hood shape.

Attach the trimmed bottom edge to the bath towel and cover the raw edge with the towel hem or a neat zigzag finish.

Add Embroidery or Appliqué

Decorate the hood before folding or attaching it to the bath towel. A flat panel is easier to hoop, stabilize, position, and stitch than a completed hood.

Choose a simple name, monogram, animal face, or appliqué shape that will sit above the face opening and away from the seams. A full-size bath towel can take a sewn hood. For a bold, wipeable motif, attach a marine-vinyl design with satin-stitch appliqué.

After embroidering or appliquéing, remove stabilizer carefully, trim loose threads, construct the hood, and attach it to the bath towel. Keep dense designs away from the seam allowance so the hood still folds softly.

Check the Finished Hooded Towel

Before gifting or using the towel, lay it flat and check these details:

The face opening lies flat rather than twisting.
The hood seam is secure and does not scratch at the forehead.
The towel can wrap around the wearer without the hood pulling backward.
Embroidery, appliqué, and decorative stitching are firmly secured.

A large bath towel makes a generous hooded towel for older children, teens, or adults. A bath sheet can provide even more wraparound coverage when you want an oversized version.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size hand towel should I use for a hooded towel?

A standard hand towel works well because one cut in half provides two hood panels with factory-finished edges. Use a hand towel that coordinates with the bath towel and is not dramatically thicker or thinner than it. For a very small hood, a 9-inch square is suitable for toddlers and smaller children.

Can I sew a hood onto a full-size bath towel?

Yes, a full-size bath towel can hold a sewn hood and makes a useful towel for older children or adults. Center the hood on the towel’s long edge so the towel hangs evenly on both sides. Use a larger towel or bath sheet when you want more coverage around the body.

How do I embroider a hooded towel?

Embroider the hood panel before sewing it into a hood, while the towel is still flat. Place the design above the future face opening, use stabilizer appropriate for the design and terry cloth, then remove excess stabilizer and construct the hood. Keep the embroidery clear of the hood seams so the towel remains soft and flexible.

How do I fold a hooded bath towel for a gift?

Lay the towel flat with the hood at the top, fold the bottom edge up toward the hood, then fold each side inward. Roll the two outer sides toward the center and tie the bundle with ribbon, leaving the hood visible at the top. This makes the hooded towel easy to wrap without crushing embroidery or appliqué.

How many hooded towels does a baby need?

There is no fixed number because it depends on how often the baby is bathed and how often laundry is done. Keep enough clean towels to cover bath time while another towel is waiting to be washed and dried. Sewing two matching towels from one hand towel and two bath towels is a practical way to build a small set.