I have been itching for a good sewing project lately. Positively itching.
It seems that half of my friends are pregnant right now, and baby sewing is my favorite sewing. The times was right to hole up with my sewing machine and temporarily let the housework go to the dogs.
I sewed up seven--SEVEN!--batches of burp cloths. I never get tired of making these things! I remember, with my own baby daughter, how handy they were. And the fun fabric combinations keep me from getting burned out on each project. Here are the finished products--click on any one of them for a larger look (each set is either five or six cloths, folded and tied together with a tulle bow):
These next ones are my favorite. Gingham and strawberries--yum!
(This is the point where you say, "MY WORD, is she actually going to make us look at ALL of them?" And the answer would be, "Yes.")
Every time I've posted about making burp cloths, I get requests for the pattern and instructions. I don't have a great track record with tutorials, but I'll give it a try.
1. Each burp cloth set makes 5-6 burp cloths, depending on how your flannel washes up (and how accurately the lady in the fabric store does the cutting!)
2. You'll need 1 yard each of two coordinating pieces of flannel. I usually pick a pattern with a coordinating gingham or stripe. Watch your fabric stores for half-off sales and stock up!
3. First, make your pattern. Use whatever paper you'd like to make a 11x17 rectangle. Using a plastic cup, trace rounded corners onto your pattern.
4. Wash and iron your flannel.
5. Place your two pieces of flannel, RIGHT SIDES FACING EACH OTHER, together. Lay it out on your cutting surface.
6. For speed, I prefer tracing my pattern onto the flannel, instead of messing with pins.
7. Cut! You should have five or six double-thickness flannel rectangles now--RIGHT SIDES STILL FACING EACH OTHER. It will look like this (click on any of these pictures to enlarge):
8. Sew it together (pin together in a few places first). I use just over a 1/4-inch seam. Leave a 4-5 inch opening, so you can turn it right-side out:
9. Next are two very awkward photos of me trying to turn it right-side out with only one-hand. Um, please use two hands.
10. Flatten the seams. You can either do this very quickly and neatly with an iron, or you can do it SLOWLY using your fingers and pins while sitting on the couch watching American Idol (guess which one I chose?):
Be sure you pin up that 4-5 inch opening especially securely.
11. Now, back to your sewing machine. Using just under a 1/4" seam, sew all around the edge, including the opening. If you're using that tiny seam, it will close the opening up for you--no hand work!
12. Your finished seam is going to look something like this:
14. Here's each side of a finished pair:
13. Fold them up all pretty, alternating between which patterns are on the outside (see pictures at beginning of this post), and tie them up with a bow.
I've learned this project seems to go a LOT faster when you sew several sets at once. And it feels good being set for baby gifts for a while!
