Toddler Towel Wrap

My thoughtful and loving husband gave me a hot pink towel Snuggie last year as a gift and it has remained in the packaging on the shelf ever since. Don't get me wrong, I love me some hot pink, but head to toe with long sleeves seemed a little excessive. So, in my compulsion to find a use for all the things we have around the house, I decided to make J a towel wrap for the pool. She's always trying to wrap our big towels around herself like I do but, being that she is quite a bit smaller than me, she doesn't make it very far.

What you Need

*Lightweight towel fabric

*Matching thread

*Velcro

*1 1/2 in thick elastic

(Keep in mind that the dimensions will depend on the size of your child so make sure to do your measurements and alter as necessary!)

First I measured J's chest which was 19 inches around. 

I cut my fabric to 33 x 26 inches with one side and the bottom already hemmed (so add an inch to each if you are starting with a completely unfinished fabric.)

Then hem the top with a two inch sleeve for your elastic. Pull your elastic through and sew in place along the already hemmed side. I sewed a box with a cross through it to hold the elastic. 

 Bunch up the elastic to the desired amount and sew the other end of the elastic in place.

 Then hem your unfinished length. (You can also add a colorful ribbon if you don't want your towel to be so plain.) My length and width turned out to be about 24 inches unstretched. 

Add your velcro once you are finished all of the other steps. And if you want straps, add them last. My straps unhemmed(right) were 12 x 3 inches.

J looks happy here but she actually didn't like the towel wrap at all the start with. She kept saying "Not pretty, Mommy." Lol! But, I'm happy to report, that after 2 or 3 weeks... she's getting used to it! I may need to add a Barbie patch or something! =)

Week Eleven: Dress to Toddler Skirt

I've been meaning to get into my box of clothes that don't fit me anymore and do some re-purposing. Kids clothes are so expensive so why not use some old clothes, that are in good shape still, into kids clothes? And I had the perfect dress to use for St Patrick's Day!

An old dress that doesn't fit me anymore but was way to cute to just get rid of!

I started by cutting off the top.

I measured my length to 11 inches. Add another two for hemming the bottom and adding the elastic to the top.

Cut to length...

Sew the sides to desired width. I only sewed at the top because I wanted to leave the liner separate but go ahead and sew all the way to the bottom. I used another one of J's skirts as a template.

Create a hem, large enough to fit your elastic, with openings at the end. Put a safety pin on the end of the elastic to help pull it through, then sew your two pieces of elastic together and close the fabric opening.

Hem the bottom of your skirt.

And you have a skirt!

Finally, add a cute little Irish girl!!! Happy St. Patrick's Day!