First Sinar Tichel – DIY

Using fabric scraps, I put together a workable sinar “apron” tichel that is common in Israel. I got the idea of how to do it after seeing beautiful ones on leelach.com! I don’t have the money to purchase one yet so I figured, how hard could it be to make my own? Hahaha! While the concept isn’t hard I just ended up w/ a bunch of hangups that I had to fix since I didn’t have a pattern or copy to go off of. (***If you are going to use this as a pattern to make your own – READ THIS WHOLE THING BEFORE CUTTING OR SEWING! Send me any questions you have, I would love to help you!)

I did as much research as I could do through Google searches and whatever I could find on Leelach.com’s tichels. All I could find was that the sinar tichel was 1.8 meters. 1.8 meters? That’s 180cms, right? So I did all my caluclations based on that. Then I guessed at the thickness of the layers based upon where it sits on the head. I decided 12cms wide for the apron ties where the layering takes place and chose how wide the subsequent fabrics would be based on how much I wanted to show of each contrasting fabric. I also guessed about the dimensions of the apron square by pulling a number out of the air and using my tape measure by laying it across my head to see where the draping would fall. I then chose to make it bigger because let’s face it, you can always cut away the excess, but if it is too small…often times it isn’t fixable.

These are the final dimensions for my finished tichel which I will give later you suggestions to make it better:

Layered apron tails: 184cms or about 73.5inches long
White fabric 11.5cms or 4.5inches wide
Teal fabric :9cms or 3.5inches wide
Black fabric: 7cms or 2 3/4 inches wide
Teal squared apron fabric: 60cms or 23 5/8inches wide x 50 1/2 cms or 19 7/8inches long.

OK here are the things I would do differently next time:
I would use fabric that I didnt have to piece together! Haha, while using up scraps is nice….it is more frustrating than I thought. Mostly because you have to factor in seam allowances! And then you have visible seams (granted only if you really look hard enough) which do add bulk to the wrap, although not that much. I am not 100% opposed to doing it this way again – especially if I have fabric I really want to use for a sinar tichel. A serger would be most excellent because it would go much faster and I think would make the seams less noticable (I do the “French seam” method which can be bulkly but I adore using because of the finished look it gives).

Next, I would fix the measurements a titch. I would make the length 80 inches! 73 1/2 is long but not long enough to tie. B’H I can tuck the ends in and it still stays put nicely because it is cotton. I also say 80 inches specifically because on a few of leelach’s postings they say the tichel is 80cms long. 80cms long!? Is this for a baby? I have a feeling they meant to say inches which would COMPLETELY make sense now.

The only other measurements I would change is the square part. While the sides were good, the length was way too long. It is more likely that you will only need 40cms in length or 15 3/4 inches. I don’t like fractions so I would round up to 16. I might experiment and make the width shorter so that it remains more of a square.

So, my recalculations of a final product would be:

Apron tails: 80inches long x 4.5 inches wide – then you can decide how much of each contrasting fabric you want showing.

Apron square: 16inches x 16inches

Now, remember —DON’T FORGET TO FACTOR IN SEAM ALLOWANCE!—this was part of my hangup and I had to add length to the end of the white fabric which added another seam. A traditional seam is 5/8ths inches, however, if you are using a serger, I think it is different. I personally have never used a serger so I am not sure the rules there. If you aren’t sure, do your research first! Seams can make or break your project. But don’t be afraid to make mistakes either. No one can really tell I had to add on length to the white since it was only 3 inches on the ends.

Other tips:

• To keep from having excess bulk since my fabrics were heavier cotton for quilting, I used the salvage edges since the pattern continued to the edges. This is not always the case! It really depends on the manufacturer. Otherwise, I had to cut it double wide and fold over which then makes it more like 6 layers instead of only 3.
• When purchasing fabric, make sure to get 2 1/2 yards continuous fabric. A yard is 36 inches and you need your product to be 80inches complete – again, don’t forget the seam allowances! You will need to cut 81 1/4 inches if you are using the 5/8 inch seam allowance.
• Remember the seam allowance for the apron square also! if it is 16×16 inches, then you need to add 1 1/4 inches to each unless you are using a serger so that you do not have to hem the edges.
• You’ll want to hide the seam where you attach the tails to the square. I used the french seam method – which I do think is the smartest way to go right now. I layered the white and the teal tails – wrong side of the teal facing the right side of the white, matching edges best I could. I the layered the square and black fabric – the right side of the black facing the right side of the teal square. Yes, this is different. Let me repeat: white & teal – wrong to right; black and teal square right to right. The easiest way to match up the square and the black since they are obviously different lengths is to fold in half and stick a pin on the fold for both, then line up the pin and then the seams. Now that both sections are properly lined up, you will want to put the edges together to make a long seam. You will want to match the seams wrong side of the white to the wrong side of the teal square. Now, on the one side you will see the right side of the white and the right side of the teal, flip it around and you will see the wrong side of the black and the right side of the teal square. Ok? After pining it, sewing one long seam through all the fabrics which will obviously be three until you hit the middle where the square is to make it four and then will return to three to the end of the seam. I made the seam 3/8ths I believe so stick to 5/8ths so that you can catch all the fabric. When done, lay it flat – white and teal on one side, right sides facing up and black and the teal square, wrong side of black and right side of teal square facing up. Then take only the black and fold it up to match the wrong side of the black to match the right side of the teal tail. You may want to iron this to help flatten the seam and match the fabrics. Now, this is probably the trickiest part. You don’t have seams to match. You’ll have to just make the seam as flat as possible so that the black fabric is as flat as possible as well as the other tail fabrics. Pin the black in place. Make the seam bigger than the seam you just did. So if you made a 5/8ths seam, make at least a 6/8ths or 7/8ths. The tricky part comes not when you start sewing but when you hit the square. The extra fabric on each side cover up your seam guide on the machine. If you want to be exact, mark with sewing chalk or markers the seam so that you can follow it. Or if you don’t mind, guess. I just tried to remember how much fabric was between the foot and the seam/edge of the black fabric. By the time I passed the square I realized that my seam wasnt straight during this time but since the thread was dark navy (yeah I was too lazy to go buy black thread), you can’t even tell. You have to look for the seam there.

Wow. That was a lot, right? Well, I DO have hopes to develop a pattern that would be much easier than trying to use this blog as a pattern. I would love to be able to have pre-made pieces so that you don’t have to do the measuring, etc. I also want there to be pictures with it. I also do want to do a video; I just have to find a camera and I develop my pattern better!

If you have made or do make one, please send it to me! I want to see it and I would want to post it here too! =]

B’H!