Self Assembly Required

DIY dressmaking + crafts with Emily

Baby gifts!

So I’ve come to a point in life where lots of people I know are popping out babies! (That’s what happens as the big 3-0 arrives I guess! 🤣).

A week or so ago saw a small gathering of London sewing bloggers gather for a baby shower for Megan AKA Pigeon Wishes and one half of the Stitcher’s Brew podcast team.

It was a very pleasant afternoon of tea, cake and oo-ing and ah-ing over everyone handmade gifts!

I had considered crocheting a toy or something but after meeting lots of babies recently I realised that all they want or need are cloths. Plain old muslin cloths. Perfect for wiping drool and for tiny baby hands to grab onto. I thought I’d go for practicality with my gift and made a stack of baby burping cloths!

These are super easy and quick to whip up and make for a great gift for expectant mothers. All you need is a couple of fat quarters of some quilting cotton (any cotton would do but quilting cottons will come in the best colours and prints) and an absorbent cloth for the other side.

I used 2 different quilting cottons in somewhat matching colourways and a terrycloth for the backing.

(Note the buttons fabric – I had to get something sewing related in there! 🤣)

You can make these cloths any size but I made them in a way to get the most out of the fabric and made two cloths from each fat quarter.

You just need a large rectangle – I made mine 50cm x 56cm – of both the cotton and the terrycloth.

With these right sides together stitch along the edge leaving an opening of around 10cm.

Reach into the opening to turn the cloth right side out and use a stick/ point turner/ knitting needle to push out the corners.

Topstitch along the edge of the cloth to close the opening. I also topstitched at 1/3 intervals along the width of the cloth to keep the two pieces of fabric securely together.

I sewed in a little tab of cotton tape into the side of the cloth as well which I thought could be useful if they needed to be hung or for the baby to grab hold onto!

The good thing about these is that in the long run, once the baby no longer needs them, they can be used a general cleaning cloths too so there should be plenty of use out of these!

These are a great simple make that’s perfect for personalising baby’s everyday essentials. I love the idea of picking out prints, patterns and colours that work together to make everything more fun!

(Annoyingly I’d wrapped them all up nicely before I remembered to take photos!)

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4 Comments

  1. This is such a nice idea. I’ve been looking for homemade baby present ideas! The other thing I was thinking was a baby sleeping bag, but I haven’t found a good pattern for this yet. Still on the look out!

  2. Brilliant gift Emily and not being anywhere NEAR the whole baby experience (I’m 63 – not a mother – my brother is in his mid-fifties and not a father) I saw lots of other possibilities for these lovely cloths. First off they are so eco-friendly. Could be used in place of these now popular disposable cloths women use to remove make-up, give their face a quick wipe or hankies with some heft :))) Love them and will keep these in mind for left over liberty cotton with some french terry backing – so soft and lovely and eco-friendly. What’s not to love??

  3. My sister is due to have a baby any day now and I’m really excited about making gifts. I made exactly that ‘mistake’ for my first nephew and made a bear which now lives on top of the wardrobe. This time, I’m determined that the gift will be useful and I really like this idea! Beautifully done and really useful: winner. 😊

  4. Great idea and one I am going to steal! In the past I have made a large reversible bag (for nappies and general baby clobber), with a matching patchwork baby blanket (patchwork on one side, fleece on the other – not quilted or padded). The blanket could be used for purpose, or on a sofa/chair to catch dibble and other fluids!, over the shoulder when burping, when the baby is a bit older, on the floor etc. Found a great pattern for the blanket from Handmade Jane’s blog.

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