Monday, September 26, 2011

Mile High Momday: DIY burpcloth

I had so much fun with my baby wrap carrier giveaway, I decided to do another giveaway this week!  Heck, maybe it will even become a regular thing on this here blog!

I had some leftover fabric from making this quilt this weekend.  
It's so super soft and I just love the pattern, so I decided to make some burp cloths out of them.  Burp clothes are super easy to make yourself and make fabulous gifts.  Sure, babies throw up on them, but at least you can look cute while cleaning it up, right?  I'll show you two different ways to make these.  One way is hand sewing and the other using a machine.  You'll need:

* prefold diapers.  (I use the biggest and thickest I can find 6-ply, 14X20 inches)
* 6 inch cut of fabric
* either a needle and embroidery thread or a sewing machine and thread

When you go to the fabric store to buy your fabric, it will come on a bolt, folded in half.  Each 6 inch cut will make two burp cloths.

Regardless of if you hand sew this or machine sew, you'll start by cutting your fabric to 5 inches, then cut it in half, where it was folded on the bolt. 

Fold the sides and top in 1/2 inch and iron it down to keep it in place.  (Don't worry about the bottom yet)
Center your fabric in the middle of the diaper and pin in place.
If you are going to hand sew it:
Use embroidery thread and a sharp needle and sew it to the diaper around the edges.  You could do an X pattern, or horizontal lines, or a zig zag.  Whatever your heart desires.  I wouldn't stress too much about making it perfect or uniform looking.  Just get it on there and call any imperfections "whimsical".  You could use a matching color thread, or perhaps a contrasting color. I think this would look cute with pink or brown thread.  
Machine sewing:
I decided to use white thread with this one.  I really like this fabric, and didn't want to take away from it with a contrasting thread.  Set your machine up for a zig zag stitch.  
Stitch down one side, stopping about an inch from the bottom, then stitch down the other side, also stopping short an inch from the bottom.  
 
(When I first started making these I tried just stitching all the way around, down the left side, across the bottom, up the right side and across the top, and the fabric gets all stretched and wonky)  

Sew across the top.

Cut some excess fabric from the bottom.  
 
Now fold under the bottom edge
Sew down the rest of the right side, across the bottom and back up the left side, until you reach the stitching again.  
  
Ta da!
Okay, who wants these?  Just leave a comment on this post and I'll pick a winner at the end of the week!

3 comments:

  1. Me, please. Even though I have no sewing skills to speak of, you're so crafty, I love seeing what you make! -Kate L.

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  2. umm pick me pick me!!!

    p.s. If I win there for sure won't be a shipping cost involved. :)

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