A huge thanks to Dr. Carol Gerson for sharing photos and details of this button-closure tallit bag she designed to accompany a hand-made tallit for a bar mitzvah boy. Making the tallit was a family project, with the bar mitzvah boy choosing the design elements, Dad on the sewing machine, and Mom helping out, too. … Continue reading
Tag Archives: bar mitzvah
Sneak Peek at the Sew Jewish Book Cover
Update: Sew Jewish is now available in two versions: Paperback on Amazon.com and the SewJewish Etsy Shop. PDF format for instant download on Etsy. The book includes the 18 projects you need for Jewish holidays, weddings, bar/bat mitzvah celebrations and your home. Just in time for holiday gift giving! Get all the details on Etsy. Continue reading
New Sewing Pattern in the Shop: Pomegranate Atarah for a Tallit
Our newest addition to the Sew Jewish Shop is a pomegranate-themed atarah (neckpiece) and corner pieces for a tallit. The pattern comes with step-by-step instructions and illustrations as well as lots of tips, so even beginning sewers can get great results. Visit the Sew Jewish Shop for the pomegranate atarah pattern. Maria Bywater is the … Continue reading
Here’s an Easy Way to Sew Tzitzit Holes in Your Tallit [Video]
When you’re sewing a tallit, making holes in the corners for the tzitzit strings can be tricky if your sewing machine can’t make eyelet circles automatically. We’ve come to the rescue with a technique you can use with any sewing machine. This video explains. It’s full of details and tips, so even beginning sewists can … Continue reading
Use Ribbon to Sew Favor Bags that Crush the Competition
Planning a special celebration? You don’t have to settle for those ubiquitous plain organza favor bags. We’ll show you how to sew a set of unique favor bags using fabric ribbon. The ribbon’s pre-finished edges mean you can sew up a set of bags fast with just a few simple seams. For Hanukkah, fill them … Continue reading
Free Atarah and Corner Pattern for Your Handmade Tallit [PDF]
Are you making a tallit? As promised, here is a pattern for an atarah (neck piece) and corner pieces. Earlier, we posted instructions for making a tallit that used a purchased atarah. Now, with this pattern, you can make your own. Neither the atarah nor the corner pieces are strictly necessary for a tallit, but … Continue reading
How to Sew Your Own Tallit
Update: You’ll now find full instructions for a tallit as well as a tallit bag, kippah, and other projects in the Sew Jewish book, available in paperback from Amazon and in PDF format directly from Sew Jewish. The tallit is the one sewing project (besides the curtains that hung in the Tabernacle and Temple and … Continue reading
The Best Video Ever on How to Tie Tzitzit
This video by Jewish Pathways explains how to tie tzitzit to a tallit better than any other I’ve seen. It’s the one I always refer to: Here are a couple of my own tips: Each time you start a new set of windings, pinch the hanging tzitzit threads together just below the knot. Make the … Continue reading