DIY Round Beach Towel

While I see the logic in a nice, rectangular beach towel (all the better to lay out in rows, or for some impromptu shoreside yoga!), the sudden emergence of the round beach towel as a powerhouse summer accessory really calls into question the way we've been doing things all these years.

With a round towel, you can have a little more square sand-age, which means more room for friends, for picnics, and for getting just the perfect Instagram of your mermaid-on-land activities. With this round towel (somewhat oval), which you can read the DIY steps for below, you can get all that and the creative freedom of decorating your towel with any pattern, print, or paint color that best suits your mood/ Instagram page layout. I mean, what more could a mermaid ask for?

Prep It:

2 square yards terry cloth Fabric scissors Marker Fabric paint Plastic stencil paper Razor Cutting mat Tape Stencil brush

Do It!:

1. To cut your towel in its round shape (we chose an oval, but a circle works just as well!) fold your terry cloth into quarters and mark a round corner shape with a washable marker. Try to recall the practice of making folded paper hearts in grade school — the key here is to draw a little wider and broader than you'd initially think, so the corners all connect in a round shape instead of dipping in! When you've cut along the line, unfold so your fabric is only in half and make sure you like how it is coming out, then make any additional trims or snips necessary!
2. When you've finished cutting your towel, cut bring strips around the edges, about 1 inch wide and 2-3 inches deep. You'll be tying these fringes together in the next step, so try to make sure you have an even amount of them!
3. As mentioned in step 2, you'll now tie together the fringes! Make a double knot at the top of each set around the circumference of the towel. While this step isn't necessary, the knotted fringe helps seal off the edges of your towel and gives it a cute touch that store-bought ones won't have!
4. To make the stencil, start by taping your clear stencil paper to the cutting mat. Use the razor to cut it into smaller pieces that you will then make stencils out of. It's important to tape the stencil paper to whatever surface you put it on, because that stuff is slippery! Cut the shape/ shapes out of the stencil paper — we made different size triangles for a 90s touch, but you can make anything! I advise not making your shapes too intricate since the fuzzy texture of the terry cloth won't pick up the small angles and details.
5. Tape your stencil to your towel and use a stencil brush to dab on paint. Peel the stencil off and replace it as you go, as needed!
6. When you're done painting, let the pattern dry, throw the towel through a wash to get rid of any lingering marker lines and to wear it in a little, and voila! Beach day accessory done!