How to Make a Child's Towel Wrap

Maybe your daughter and her friends want to play "spa," or perhaps your toddler just loves to run around post-bath before putting on his pajamas. Either way, a towel wrap is a great way to keep your kids warm and cozy after a bath or shower. It's simple to make your own bath towel, elastic, Velcro and some cute fabric trim.

Pick the towel you'll use to make the child's wrap. Use a towel that's long enough to wrap around your child's body and overlap by a few inches, and wide enough to cover him or her from the armpits to around the knees. It can be a little longer if you like, but it shouldn't be dragging on the floor. Factor in 2 or 3 inches at the top, where you will fold the towel over and insert elastic.

Purchase a length of elastic that's about 1 1/2 inches wide and two-thirds of the length of your towel. For the closure, buy a patch of Velcro 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 inches long.

Take the side of the towel that's going to go across your child's chest, and fold it over 2 inches. Sew a seam to create a channel for the elastic.

Attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic, and thread the elastic through the channel by pushing the safety pin along it. You should be able to feel the pin from the outside of the fabric, which will help you guide it along. Stretch the elastic as you go, so that it ends up as long as the towel. Gather the fabric so there are nine or ten loose pleats evenly around the top of the towel. When the elastic comes out the other side, anchor it in place by sewing across each end of the channel.

Find the places at the top of your towel where the ends overlap; the closure should sit roughly over your heart. Use pins to mark the exact places where you're going to put the Velcro patches, so they still line up when you're done. Carefully and slowly sew the Velcro onto the towel; if you rush, you could break your needle. Trim any hanging thread ends.

For edging, trim off your towel's ends and sew on contrasting fabric. You can also edge the towel in satin, or make a long strip of pleated fabric that goes down the front of the wrap.

For straps on your spa wrap, cut off the ribbed trim from another towel, or use the trim from the towel you've just made into the wrap. Hem the raw cut edge of the towel, or sew trim onto it to keep it from fraying. Fold the ribbed trim in half, and sew about 1/4 inch from the edges. These straps will fray a tiny bit, but the ribbing and your seam should hold them together. Put on your wrap and put pins where your straps should go. Take off the wrap and sew the straps on. Straps are great for kids' wraps, as they help them to stay on.

Add a pocket to your wrap by sewing on a washcloth in the same color as your towel. You can also use on a washcloth in a contrasting color. Add edging to the pocket if you'd like.