Handmade Tallitot

Deborah Carasso of Unique Invitations by Deborah Burman Carasso (08/14/2008)

You can easily make a tallit for you or your loved ones with cross-stitch, painting on silk, beading, etc.

My favorite, and what I know best, is cross-stitching. You purchase 2 yards of fabric, and then get aida in a shade to complement the fabric.

What’s easiest but sometimes hard to find is Ribband. Ribband is aida which is 2″ wide and about 3 feet long and the borders are finished off - you only need to finish off the ends.

You then cross-stitch your prayer and design and attach it to the fabric in the center. You will need some plain aida to do your four corners which are about 2-3″ square. You then tie the Tzitzit on the four corners and you have a tallit.

My family’s are special as my children and husband’s are tied in Sephardic, not traditional Ashkenazic. What’s nice is while you are doing the atarah, you can roll it around a toilet paper tube and it goes anywhere and takes up very little space.

Your designs for the atarah can be original or you can find lovely ones from border charts. Your tallit will be truly original. My favorite one is crocheted. I crocheted with ribbon my fabric and put the ribband design on it. It is so very nice, and by doing ribbon it’s not too hot.