Just when I thought nobody I knew was going to have another baby, a friend in town had an adorable girl a few weeks ago. I made her my absolute favorite gift to give: burp cloths. All moms know how vital these are for survival during those first six months, so you might as well have something stylish on hand!
This is a PERFECT project for a beginner looking to sew something fun and useful!
Don’t need a baby gift to make but love this idea? Repurpose an old hand towel with a strip of fun fabric and use it to dry dishes and glasses next to your sink!
Resources: My favorite place to shop for fabric is http://www.onlinefabricstore.net/ (I recommend 100% cotton fabric for this project). My favorite spot to buy ribbon and trim is Les Bon Ribbon. http://www.lesbonribbon.com/
I am partial to Gerber pre-fold Heavy Weight Gauze Cloth Diapers. I like how soft they are after a few washings. I recommend buying a set and washing, drying, and ironing each cloth you plan to sew. This way, they will be good to go and can be cleaned with all of the baby’s other soiled items.
Start by measuring and cutting out a rectangle shape of fabric, approximately 6 1/2 x 18 1/2. This will allow a 1/2 inch seam allowance on all sides. Line the fabric up accordingly, press, and pin in place like this:
Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. I’ve never found a burp cloth that was an exact rectangle, so just do the best you can to make it look even. Then, sew all the way around, using a 3/8 inch or smaller seam allowance…
When you are done, press the cloth and fold. Voila, you are done! This is the “base” style, and if you’re really short on time, or like the simplicity, stop here!
If you have time, now the real fun begins. You can add trims and ribbons to your liking. Here is my completed set. Note, I did one with the first initial of the baby’s name. Simply print a letter out in a font you like. Trace it onto the fabric you will use for the letter, then cut it out. Hint: You will need really small, sharp scissors to cut it out well. Press and pin it onto the cloth where you want it. Using a zig-zag stitch, sew around the letter in the matching thread color.
Now, all I need to do is make her a card…
Have fun sewing!
