Were you a Sesame Street lover as a kid too? I remember watching it every day with my brothers and then having lunch as soon as it ended. I still have a very soft spot in my heart for Sesame Street and occasionally even get on You Tube to watch on segments.
Anyway, you know babies and toddlers love that cute furry red monster and the cookie eating crazy. Who wants to see an Elmo hooded towel and a Cookie Monster Hooded Towel?
I knew I had success when my toddler walked into my room, picked up the red towel and excitedly said “Elmo!”
It’s getting harder and harder to get him to sit and pose for a towel picture though.
Cookie Monster & Elmo Hooded Towel Tutorial:
Supplies Needed:
- 1 bath towel in red or blue (for whoever you are making)
- 1/2 hand towel that coordinates
- Small amounts of black and white fabric, orange too if you are doing Elmo
- Small amounts of Heat “n” Bond
Instructions:
I do a hooded towel post each month so I am starting to feel like typing out these directions can be a little redundant. I am not going to teach you to make the basic hooded towel part of it. For that tutorial go here.
I am going to show you the basics of how to create Elmo and Cookie Monster’s faces.
First, cut your hand towel in half horizontally (so that it is fat, not long and skinny). Then fold the finished edge under about 3 or 4 inches and sew it in place:
Flip that over and work on the backside to do the face.
First, cut your eyes out of white and eyeballs out of black. For Elmo also cut an orange nose.
Cut your mouths out. I think mine maybe should have been a little wider but smaller. What do you think? I am letting you eyeball this part for yourself. Unless I get a mad dash of requests for pattern pieces…can you do this yourself or do we need the pieces?
Cut the Heat ‘n’ Bond to exactly the same sizes as your eyes, nose and mouth.
Iron the Heat ‘n’ Bond to the back of your pieces. Place them where you want them on your towel and iron them on:
Now you are going to use an applique stitch around each of those pieces to sew them in place:
Once your face is done you need to make it a hood. To do this fold it in half so that the face is on the inside and zig zag up the back: 
Then lay it like this:
Sew a line across the top of that triangle and snip it off:
Now sew your hood to your towel using my basic hooded towel tutorial.
I’m thinking you could also do other Sesame Street characters like Oscar or Grover.
And don’t forget to check out ALL the fun hooded towels:
Violet says
Thank you Amber the tutorial for the Cookie Monster and Elmo hooded towels. My grandchildren are big fans of them. Is there a pattern for them Thank You
Amber says
I’ve been meaning to do this! Sorry for the wait.
Carmelynn says
I would like to make the Elmo hooded towel.
Would you mind sending me the pattern for the eyes, nose and mouth?
I didn’t see it posted here.
Thank you.
Carmelynn
Amber says
I’ll get that posted right away.
Nicole says
I made the Elmo towel for my son for Christmas as well 😉 I wrote about it on my blog and linked back to you! Here’s the link if you want to check it out http://thenotsoboredhousewife.com/?p=1245 Thank you so much for sharing your awesome ideas!!!
Katha says
Sorry to say, but I need pattern pieces for everything! I am not good at eyeing anything. Sorry!
I am making your wonderful towels for Christmas gifts. Thanks for your wonderful patterns!
Anne says
Thanks (again) Amber for the tutorial for the Elmo hooded towel. Made one up for my granddaughter after my daughter said that this would be on top of the Christmas Wish List! This turned out darling. I made up freezer paper templates for the eyes, nose and mouth, using a 2 1/4″ circle for eyes, slightly larger for nose, which I trimmed to egg shape, and “eye-balled” the mouth. The irises were traced using thread spool bases I was able to preview and adjust the shapes after I temporarily positioned them onto the hood. When I was satisfied with Elmo’s look; the shapes were transferred onto heat and bond fused fabric. Hope this hint helps.
BTW, I made an Elmo backpack from your wonderful pattern. It was a big hit with my granddaughter on her birthday.
Thanks again, Amber, for generously sharing your fun ideas.
Anne
Shannon says
Just wanted to write a thank you for this tutorial. I just finished making Elmo and Cookie Monster towels for my 18 month old son and they turned out great! I used pre-made heavy cotton patches for the applique (I dyed a white one to make it orange) that already had the iron-on backing to save a step. I used a biscuit cutter as the “pattern” for the eyes and free handed the mouths (for those who asked) – it really was simple once you started. Thanks again for the great idea!!
Amber says
Glad it went well!!!
Kristy Thompson says
Any chance I could be emailed a copy of a pattern for the eyes, nose and mouth for this towel? Hoping to make it for my nephew for Christmas. Thanks 🙂
Amber says
I never made pattern pieces for this one…I should. But in the meantime you can use the eyes from any other towel and freehand the mobth?
Amanda says
So cute Amber! I have featured these on Copycat Crafts http://www.copycatcrafts.com/sesame-street-inspiration-hooded-towel/
Amber says
I saw that! Thank you!!! 🙂 I’ll see you Thursday!
Sandy Michael says
Thank you so much Amber! I love your tutorials!
Jenn says
This is really, really cute! My 18-month-old would love an Elmo towel–I think this will have to be my next project. Thanks for sharing!
Erika says
I’m so excited to make these for my boys… I’ve already cut and sewn my hand towel, and made the eye, nose, and mouth pieces… I’m just wondering if it matters what kind of heat and bond you use. I bought the ultrahold kind, and read the instructions AFTER cutting my pieces, which say not to sew after using it. Apparently there’s a lite heat and bond to use when sewing. Any thoughts? Thanks for the tutorial… my boys are SO excited for these towels to be finished! 🙂
Amber says
I think I have done it with the heavier heat n bond without a problem but my machine is sturdy. I would say give it a try?
Erika says
They turned out amazing! 🙂 My boys LOVE them! In fact, after these were done I made a Grover, Zoe and Abby Cadaby for my nephew and nieces! 🙂 I think I’m addicted to making hooded towels… since I discovered this tutorial I’ve made a bear, ladybug, and a frog, and am working on another ladybug and experimenting with a tiger. 🙂 Thanks for your blog!
Beth says
Hey,
I was just looking at this tutorial. Would you mind sending a pic of the Abby towel? My granddaughter loves Abby. I’m a visual person and would love to see it.
thanks, Beth
Amber says
I haven’t done an Abby towel. Sorry!!
Erika K says
I came up with the Abby towel on my own, but I used Amber’s tutorial for the hood part. I’m not sure if I can post a picture here, but I’ll put one on Facebook once I get it from my sister-in-law. 🙂
– Erika Klingenmaier
Beth says
Amber, I was asking the person who left the comment above. She said that she had done an Abby towel. Thanks anyway. I’ll try and wing it. Just ordered my towels. Can’t wait to start on these.
thanks again, Beth
Amber says
Oh I didn’t see that! Good luck!
Erika K says
I just posted a picture of my Abby towel on my Facebook page…maybe I can tag Crazy Little Projects on it so it’s easier to find??
Sarah @ Domestically-Made.com says
This is so adorable! And you make it look so easy to make!
Jodi says
These are so absolutely adorable. What a fabulous idea. My kids love having hooded towels. Now I know how to make them! Thanks for that.
Shelley Condon says
I’m so excited. I just made an angry birds towel and discovered this months towel. My toddler LOVES Cookie Monster and always gets disappointed when he discovers whatever towel I’m making is not for him. They are my go to gift and boy are they a hit!! I’m going to do a Cookie Monster for my little man. Your so very talented amber. I love seeing ur new creations
Amber says
It always makes me so happy to hear from happy readers.
La Tita Sonia says
Es genial!!
Me encanta!!
Tengo que hacer uno para mi sobri….
Besin
Candias Chalker says
Going to make some of these adorable towels for the next baby shower gift…original, unique and I am sure will bring a smile to the new mama’s face!!
Gweny says
OMG you have made my decision even harder on which one to make for my grandsons first birthday this coming wknd. lol. I was going to make him the dragon and then you put Elmo up.. Decisions decisions.. I think I just might make both.. ha ha.. Great tutorial. Making a pattern for the face pieces would be awesome if you have the time.
Blessings, Gweny
Angie says
Love these!! I could use a pattern for the Elmo eyes, etc. I soooo am no good at sizing them on my own. Thanks!!
Amber says
OK, I’ll do a pattern. 🙂
Gweny says
Thanks so much for a pattern Amber.. you rock !!!
Jodi says
Did you ever make the pattern? I don’t see it anywhere? Thanks for the tutorial. You’re very talented.
Amber says
No I still didn’t. The eyes are the same as on any other towel pattern though is that helps.
kelsey bang says
these are darling amber! so cute!
kelseybang.com
Angelina - JoJo and Eloise says
These are so Cute and Fun!!! I love how your little guy was excited for it.. The picture totally shows that 🙂
cris says
Omg!! Love them! I am doing these asap as my daughter is a huge sesame street fan. Thank you for such great hooded towel tutorials. I look forward to them.
Emily says
These are so cute! Love the cookie monster one! They’re perfect for the pool!