Beginner Sewing Project: The Softest Burp Cloths (2024)
BySarah Nenni-DaherUpdated:
This simple and easy baby burp cloth tutorial is perfect for the beginner sewing enthusiast and is wonderful to use up scraps. And let’s face it – new parents are going to need a TON of these things!
If you’ve never been pooped on, thrown up on, or discovered little fingers that contained a mysterious sludge that binds better than Gorilla Glue, you’re in for a treat. Having experienced all of the above, I must say that one can never, never, never have too many absorbent cloths handy.
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What You'll Find On This Page
An Easy Baby Burp Cloth Tutorial
They are surprisingly simple to make because the only skills you need are scissoring and sewing a straight line. Um, more like sewing a straight-ish line in my case.
Step 1: Cut a rectangle 10×18 from baby-soft flannel (available at all craft and fabric stores) and a piece of terry cloth the same size. With these measurements, you will get 12 baby burp cloth gifts from a yard of fabric (1 yard of flannel, 1 yard of terry).
Step 2: Put the “right-sides” together and sew a half-inch seam around all sides (that just means leave a half inch between the edges of the fabric).
Leave about 2-inches unsewn so that you can turn the fabric.
Step 3: Once the fabric has been turned right-sides-out, tuck the opening under and sew a seam about 1/4 of an inch around the entire baby burp cloth.
If you want to gift them as I’ve done here, just download this printable and string it through a cotton or grosgrain ribbon.
Yield: 3 burp cloths
Easy Baby Burp Cloth Tutorial
This simple and easy baby burp cloth tutorial is perfect for the beginner sewing enthusiast and is wonderful to use up scraps. And let's face it - new parents are going to need a TON of these things!
Step 1: Cut a rectangle 10×18 from baby-soft flannel (available at all craft and fabric stores)and a piece of terry cloth the same size.With these measurements, you will get 12 baby burp cloth gifts from a yard of fabric (1 yard of flannel, 1 yard of terry).
Step 2: Put the “right-sides” together and sew a half-inch seam around all sides (that just means leave a half inch between the edges of the fabric).
Leave about 2-inches unsewn so that you can turn the fabric.
Step 3: Once the fabric has been turned right-sides-out, tuck the opening under and sew a seam about 1/4 of an inch around the entire baby burp cloth.
If you want to gift them as I’ve done here, justdownload this printable and string it through a cotton or grosgrain ribbon.
Notes
More fun and easy crafts at Ruffles and Rain Boots
Did you make this?
Please leave a comment or share a photo and tag me @rufflesandrain
Variations of Handmade Burp Cloths: Sizes and Shapes
There are so many variations you can make: rectangular burp cloths, contoured burp cloths, rounded burp cloths, terry, chenille, flannel, cotton, sandpaper…
Okay, that last one was just to see if I’d lost you.
I made my gifts of the rectangle-variety because the ones we had that were contoured didn’t seem any better than the ones that weren’t. I figure the more surface area to catch the ‘grodyness,’ the better.
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If You Want to Add an Applique
After I was halfway done with mine, I got a wild hair to find a tutorial to add an anchor applique.
If you’d like to add an applique to your baby burp cloth, cut a piece of flannel in a solid color to match your fabric.
Before sewing (the 2nd step listed above), hand-sew or slowly use your machine to sew it onto the flannel fabric.
Burp Cloth Tutorial (with a Quick Washcloth)
Oh, and I found this tutorialby Buttercream and a Sewing Machine for burp cloths with rounded corners if you’d like to make that style. It also contains a neat little trick for the rounded corners using something you are almost guaranteed to have in your cabinet.
Because I had some scraps of fabric left that were too small for my other gift, I included a small washcloth and tucked it between the burp cloths for gifting.
If you’ve never made one, cut two small square pieces of fabric, sew them right-sides together (with an opening for turning). Once turned, top stitch around the edge of each side, just as you do with the burp cloths.
I made a sweet little printable sentiment for each set of parents and strung it through a sewn ribbon tie for gifting.If you’d like to use one of the baby sentiment notes I created, I’ve included them here as a free printable. I printed mine out on photo paper to really give the image depth (it is sized for 4 x 6), cut slits each side, and threaded a ribbon through. I’ve removed our ‘signed names’ so that you can add your own. You can also click on the picture below to get the link.
Organic Cotton – By far the most popular. Organic cotton is a favourite to use as it is all-natural. It is low maintenance and comfortable. And is absorbent which is ideal for burping pads.
“Gerber cloth diapers in a pack of 10 are hands down the best burp rags out there.” “Get Gerber Cloth Diapers makes very absorbent burp clothes and much cheaper than traditional ones.”
I only use two flannels no batting when making burp cloths. I have seen some in LQS that use just two layers of flannel. They feel really soft and I bet they are absorbent. I have been making burp clothes using flannel on one side and a prefolded diaper on the other.
What is the standard size of a baby burp cloth? Most burp cloths are around 15 -22” in length and 10 - 15” in width. They are this long so that they offer as much coverage as possible and also drape over the shoulder without falling off.
Purchase ⅓ yard of flannel for each of your homemade baby burp cloths. I also used Cotton Batting for padding. The cotton flannel and batting are both washable and absorbent. Note: You could choose to get a fleece iron on interfacing instead of the batting if you prefer.
We recommend the Aden + Anais Burpy Bib if you like the classic muslin feel and value one-and-done products that will be useful for many years. But if you are a parent shopping on a budget, the absorbent Gerber Prefold Gauze Diaper may be a better pick.
First and foremost, cloth diapers are more durable than traditional burp cloths. The material of cloth diapers is thicker and more absorbent than a standard cotton burp cloth. They can be washed and used over and over again without wearing out—and that's a good thing for burp cloths, because babies spit up a lot.
Use – These are used during feeding to wipe away small amounts of milk. While spit-up pads protect you and your clothes when burping a newborn. Size – Muslin cloths are square in shape and measure 25cm x 25cm.They are smaller in size than spit-up rags.
The best fabric for burp cloths is one that's soft, absorbent and fast-drying. If in doubt go for a burp cloth made from natural materials like cotton or muslin.
How Long Do Babies Need Burp Cloths? Babies usually need burp cloths for as long as they're fed by bottle or breast. It's different for every child, but they get most of their sustenance from milk until about 12 months of age.
We're using nursery flannel (a cotton flannel) on these burp cloths for extra absorption, plus an interfacing layer which will help them keep their shape through repeat washings and add extra absorbency. Don't use Minky, fleece, lightweight cotton, or muslin on these – it will just make a mess when stuff gets on them!
If you are wondering, 'how many burp cloths do I need?' It depends on how often your young one spits up, the number of feedings(which are unnumbered as they are still breastfeeding), and how often you want to do the laundry. But anywhere between eight to 14 burp cloths is a good number to have for a single baby.
It's always a good idea to wash everything before you use it when it comes to babies. Bibs, clothing, towels, feeding utensils, pacifiers, toys, bedding, etc. If bottles, wash and sterlize between each use.
Whether the burp cloth is thicker or thinner, if it's super absorbent Pampers Parents loved it. Some burp cloths come with a plastic liner or an ultra-absorbent middle layer so that moisture doesn't seep through, whereas some products are just so thick that that they catch most of the liquid.
From serving as a makeshift nursing cover to providing shade for strollers and car seats, the swaddle proves its versatility time and time again. It can act as a burp cloth, tummy time mat, portable changing pad, and even a beloved cuddle companion.
Cotton and Rayon(Viscose) absorb and retains maximum water. Cotton is a natural fiber whereas Rayon is a regenerated cellulosic fiber. Both are hydrophilic in nature and negatively charged fibers attract dipolar water molecules.
If you have minky scraps from making a quilt, here is an idea for you.... place a strip of minky in the middle of a cloth diaper and sew around 4 sides. ( Before sewing you can embroider or applique a shape if you wish.)
I have used this method to sew burp clothes for all of my own kids and they are always a great baby shower gift too! If you are new to sewing, this tutorial is for you! If sewing with the minky fabric makes you a little nervous you can always use chenille because it doesn't slip around as much as the minky fabric can.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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