I am in the midst of preparing for Joshua's upcoming Bar Mitzvah and one thing I will be needing is a prayer shawl to wear when I read from the Torah.When I was recently down in Phoenix, I looked to buy one in a Jewish store up in Scottsdale and discovered that the one I liked was $450. Yikes. I guess I have champagne taste on a beer budget!
So, remembering that I have a sewing machine and know how to use (well... kind of) I figured I could make my own. So I bought the kosher tzitzit (official strings needed for the corner "fringes") in Phoenix and I'm ready to go.
I want to make a tallit, approximately 20 X 72 inches, with a matching bag. Not sure if I will also make a yalmulke, it's kind of hard to find a style that matches my poofy hair.
So, I combed through the internet looking for women's tallitot (that is plural for tallit) for one's that I like (needs to be purple of course) and came across the two below. I think that I am leaning towards the second photo, which is shades of pinks and purples. I just think it looks so pretty.
Talit example #1
Tallit example #2
Now of course, comes the hard task of shopping at Joanne's for fabrics, while trying to not look like an idiot. I seem to be dyslexic when it comes to talking in "yardage". I don't have a clue about how to convert the size of material I need into 1/4 or 1/8 of a yard.
I wish I had my sewing buddies (Terry or Sandy) visiting... to come to the store with me! If my neighbours didn't hate my barking dogs so much... I could call on them for help.
P.S. I don't have the visual/spatial skills needed to tie the tzitzit by myself. It is a special series of 614 knots, which require a blessing to be said for each one! Luckily, I have my v/s Jewish Boy Scout to help me!
