Burp cloths are an absolute necessity for any baby! Actually, having absorbent burp cloths are an absolute necessity! I love terry cloth for this exact reason. It's incredibly absorbent and protects your clothes against baby's lil messes :) I also find that flannel is the perfect fabric for the backing of the burp cloths as it helps keep the burp cloth stable on your shoulders.
For this fun and useful project you'll need the following:
- 1/2 yard terry cloth fabric
- 1/2 yard flannel fabric
- scissors
- cutting mat
- measuring tape
- pins
- thread
- sewing machine
I used a darling Winnie the Pooh flannel fabric and an ivory terry cloth. I love the little chicks on the fabric with the rest of the Pooh characters :) As always, it's important to iron the fabrics first.
Then, use a tape measure or ruler and a cutting mat to cut the fabrics to the desired dimensions for the burp cloths. Allow an extra 1/2" of fabric on each side for seams. Meaning, if you're wanting a 13" x 19" burp cloth, you would cut your fabric to measure 14" x 20".
I find it's easiest to cut the flannel fabric first and then cut the terry cloth. The terry cloth is a bit more difficult to cut because it is ribbed unevenly. The flannel tends to be sturdier so it's a breeze to cut the terry cloth by using the flannel piece as a guide.
Next, it's time to pin the fabric. Some burp cloths are made by sewing the right sides of the two pieces together, turning them ride sight out and placing a stitch on the border. I prefer not to use this method but rather have the flannel piece sit a bit lower on the terry cloth to create a nice terry cloth border. To do this, fold over 1/2" of the terry cloth piece on each side and pin. Be sure to fold the wrong side of the fabric down.
Continue folding all the way around the terry cloth. Fold the two shorter sides first. Then, fold the two longer sides down creating right angles at the corners.
Fold down 5/8" of the flannel fabric piece and pin.
After you've folded over the ends of each fabric piece, place the wrong side of the flannel onto the wrong side of the terry cloth and center the fabric pieces. Use the pins to keep the fabrics in place once they've been centered.
Once you've pinned all the burb cloths you're making, you're ready to start sewing! I always place my burp cloths on top of one another on the cutting mat to ensure they're all the same size and pinned straight.
Stitch the burp cloths together by placing the seam close to the edge of the flannel piece.
The final product should look something like these:
