Make a Summer Beach Robe in 1 Hour — Sewing Tutorial

You can make many useful items from towels. We love simple travel caddies for toiletries and small sewn toys, and a towel can easily become a handy beach bag or a cozy robe for children after swim time.

I signed the boys up for swim lessons hoping for warm, sunny mornings, but the weather surprised us with rain and chill. Even so, they enjoyed the lessons. Because their classes are at different times, one often waits for the other, so I wanted a quick, practical project to keep them warm between lessons.

This beach robe tutorial is a simple and fast sewing project. It uses one towel and requires only basic cuts and straight seams—no sleeves or complicated shaping. If you are comfortable with basic sewing, you can finish a robe in about an hour.

The project works best with a large beach towel, though regular bath towels are suitable for toddlers and smaller children. Extra-large towels or novelty Coast Guard-style towels are perfect when you want a roomy robe.

Follow these clear steps. The process is straightforward and beginner-friendly.

1. Lay your towel flat and picture the outline of the robe. A bath towel works well for ages 3–5, while a beach towel is better for older children. You can trim a beach towel if you prefer a smaller size.

2. Fold the towel in half lengthwise with the fold at the top. Cut straight up the middle of the top layer only—do not cut through both layers. This creates the front opening.

3. At the top fold, round out a small curve on each side of the center cut to create the neck opening. About 2.5 inches to each side works well for most children.

4. Your towel should now resemble a robe shape with a center front opening.

5. Turn the towel inside out and try it on the child. With their arms out, mark where the underarm and side cuts should begin. Carefully cut away that section to create the arm openings and side seams.

6. Keep the scrap you cut away and use it as a template to trace and cut the matching section on the other side for even armholes and sides.

7. With the towel still inside-out, stitch the side seams from the bottom hem up to the bottom edge of each sleeve to close the sides.

8. Most commercial towels already have finished hems at the bottom and sleeve edges, so you only need to finish the raw edges along the front opening and around the neck. Make bias tape from scrap knit fabric or use pre-made bias tape, twill tape, or ribbon to bind those edges for a neat finish.

For the belt: Cut a strip of fabric 4″ wide by the desired length (mine were 48″). Fold the strip in half lengthwise and sew along the long edge to create a tube, then turn it right-side out and press. Fold in and top-stitch each end to finish. Top-stitch around the entire belt for a durable, tidy result.

Attach the belt to the back of the robe by sewing it to the towel at about hip height. Reinforce the attachment by stitching a small box or square where the belt meets the robe so it stays secure during use.

Here is a smaller version made from a bath towel—perfect for younger children.

I’m not a professional patternmaker, but this simple method produces a functional, comfortable robe that keeps kids warm and dry after the pool or at the beach. If you try it and have questions, feel free to ask.

If you enjoyed this beach robe tutorial, check out other easy sewing projects and kid-friendly ideas on sewing boards and project collections for more inspiration.