Photos
Fig 1: Cut two wide ovals of fabric
Fig 2: With faces together, sew around edges
Fig 3: Leave a 2" gap not sewn
Fig 4: Flip inside out and iron flat
Fig 5: Sew around edges
Fig 6: Sewing the edge will close the gap
Fig 7: Roll up and tie with a ribbon for a gift
Whenever a new baby is born in my family, you can count on my Aunt to give the parents a giant stack of handmade burp cloths. They are easy to make, soft and gentle, and absolutely adorable. They also quickly become indispensable items to have on hand for all the baby’s messes. When I was invited to a baby shower recently, I took on my Aunt’s tradition and made a stack of burp cloths for the mom-to-be. Here’s how I did it.
Gather the supplies
The list of supplies for this project is quite short — a sewing machine, thread, and fabric. The fabric I use for these burp cloths is microfleece, which is perfect for this project because it is very thin and very soft. You can get micro-fleece in a wide variety of adorable baby prints, too. I used some leftover micro-fleece I had from my recent taggie blanket project.
Cut the fabric
Cut two layers of fabric into an rectangle about 12-14″ long and 8-10″ wide, then round the corners, resulting in an almost oval shape (Fig 1). The size you’re aiming for is something that can lay over your shoulder easily and provide good coverage for the baby’s potential mess.
Sew the fabric
Put the two pieces of fabric with faces together and take it to the sewing machine (Fig 2). Sew almost all the way around the edges, leaving a gap of about 2 inches that’s not sewn (Fig 3).
Now turn the piece inside out by pushing it through the gap you left un-sewn. Iron the fabric flat, pressing the edges carefully to make a nice crisp edge, especially in the area that is not sewn (Fig 4).
Finish the edges
Take the piece to the sewing machine again and sew as close to the edge as you can, all the way around (Fig 5). In this step, you will close the gap you left by sewing it down, and you’ll end up with a nice finished edge (Fig 6).
The results
These are so easy and fast to make that you can quickly crank out a stack of them, which the parents-to-be will surely appreciate. I like to roll them up and tie them with a ribbon (Fig 7), which makes a pretty presentation. Pair them with a matching taggie blanket and you’ve got a gift that will be loved by all.
