Stripes are not required for a tallit, although they are strongly traditional in some communities. In Ashkenazi Jewish communities –communities that trace their roots to Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages—prayer shawls traditionally have black or blue stripes. The stripes call back to the blue dye used to color one of the tzitzit strings in … Continue reading
Inspired by a quilting class in curved piecing and staring down a sizable fabric stash, Deborah Freedman crafted this tallit featuring the rolling hills around the Old City of Jerusalem. Deborah created the scenes on each of the two ends of the tallit as separate pieces, and then she appliqued the pieces on to the … Continue reading
Yesterday evening we finished a four-day tallit making class at a local synagogue. Eighteen students participated, most of them around bar and bat mitzvah age, but some as young as eleven and also several adults. Yesterday’s class was dedicated to finishing tying the tzitzit, which we started the week before. So much positive energy. Every … Continue reading
A reader recently asked about stripes on a tallit, so I thought the topic would make a good blog post. A tallit, Jewish prayer shawl, does not have to have stripes. You’ll often see tallits with stripes in Ashkenazi communities. In Sephardic Jewish communities, however, the tradition is for the tallit to be plain white. … Continue reading
Yesterday a reader wrote to ask for advice on how to make a tallit katan, the small tallit typically worn under a shirt for daily use. It’s something I had been looking into although I haven’t written up a project, so I thought I’d share with you what I know. Because making a tallit katan … Continue reading
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
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
In my last two posts I mentioned that you can use the eyelet setting on many models of computerized sewing and embroidery machines to quickly create reinforced holes for the tzitzit strings on your tallis (tallit, tallith, prayer shawl). I thought you might like to see that magic in action. Here are two videos that … Continue reading
![Here’s an Easy Way to Sew Tzitzit Holes in Your Tallit [Video]](https://sewjewish.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/jerusalem-corner-hexagon-with-pattern.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "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
![To Easily Sew a Neat Tzitzit Hole on Your Tallit, Don’t Make a Circle, Make a Hexagon [Free Printable Pattern]](https://sewjewish.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/sew-hexagon-tallis-hole.jpg?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "To Easily Sew a Neat Tzitzit Hole on Your Tallit, Don’t Make a Circle, Make a Hexagon [Free Printable Pattern]")
Update: You’ll find a video version of these instructions here. If your sewing machine has a setting that automatically creates nice, circular eyelets, that’s a great way to make reinforced holes for the tzitzit on the corners of your tallit (tallis, tallith). But if your sewing machine doesn’t have that capability, making neat circles using … Continue reading
![Free Atarah and Corner Pattern for Your Handmade Tallit [PDF]](https://sewjewish.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/atarah-pattern-pdf.png?w=290&h=290&crop=1 "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
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