How to Sew Crib Sets
Have you ever wanted to buy one of those gorgeous sheet and blanket sets for a newborn baby - but jumped when you saw the price? I've got news for you: you can do it yourself. Not only is it cost-effective, it's actually easy - and your gift will have that much more sentimental value.
Crib SheetThis is going to get washed a lot, so you want to choose fabric that will hold up well. Hoffman, P&B, South Seas and Northcott all work well, as do Kaufman Solids, but check out what's in stock at your local fabric store. Buy 2 1/2 yards to be safe. You will also need 36 inches of 1/4" elastic.
Once you have your fabric, you're ready to start. Unless you're using a very bright or bold fabric, don't pre-wash the material. You want the set to look crisp and new, and mothers tend to pre-wash all the baby stuff anyway. If you really want to save her the trouble, then do as follows: Wash in cold water with fabric softener on the gentle cycle, then drip-dry without spinning first. DO NOT put in the dryer. Once it's dry, iron well, then fold immediately. For brights/bolds, treat with Retayne (or similar product), followed by a regular wash. Dry and iron as above.
That said, let's start sewing!
Part I:
For regular cottons, cut a 68" piece of fabric; for flannels, cut 70" to allow for shrinkage.Fold the fabric piece lengthwise, matching up the selvage edges.
Straighten both ends, making sure that you're not cutting off more than 68". (Don't remove selvages; they're already finished, and add width to the sheet so it tucks under the mattress really nicely.)
Cut an 8" square from the selvage side at both ends.
With right sides facing each other, bring both ends of the cut out square together.
Sew or serge to from a pocket; repeat on all four corners.
Part II:
Using a rolled hem, sew or serge off the raw edges on the two short sides of the sheet.Cut four 9" pieces of 1/4" elastic.
Fold in half to find the centers of each piece.
Using the seam of each pocket as a center, pin the center of the elastic to the sheet; stretch it out and pin again.
Once the elastic is pinned, serge it into place or use the stretch stitch on your sewing machine.
Finish off the threads however you like, and the sheet is done!!
Baby Blanket
I like to make baby blankets from synthetic fleece fabric. It's very soft and cuddly, and is great both as a blanket and as a soft surface for floor play. It also stands up beautifully to numerous washes, and dries beautifully in the dryer. This is important because you're going to be using fabric glue, which means that you'll want to wash the blanket before giving it as a gift (or using it yourself!).
You'll need one yard of synthetic fleece, and satin blanket binding to either coordinate or match. You'll also need to buy a fabric glue stick, and don't forget to buy thread to match the binding. Tip: Buy the fleece and the binding at the same time that you buy the material for the crib sheet. You'll save yourself a trip, and you'll also be sure that you're able to get coordinating fabrics.
Part I:
Cut a 36x45" rectangle of fabric, using a big quilting ruler or carpenter's square to ensure square corners.(Tip: Don't use either of the selvages; synthetic fleece is actually a knit fabric, and they may be somewhat stretched out of shape.)
Starting about 10" from one corner, insert the blanket edge between the layers of the binding. Work clockwise toward the corner, tucking the edge as close as possible into the fold of the binding (this is called "encasing").
(Tip: Keep the binding smooth and flat so that the finished edges will be aligned perfectly on both sides.)
Insert pins through all the layers perpendicular to the edge, heads outward.
Set your sewing machine to a multi-stitch zigzag at maximum width and 12 stitches per inch (2 mm).
Place the binding edge of the blanket under the presser foot.
Align the inner edge of the binding to the left side of the presser foot opening.
Stitch to the fabric edge, removing pins as you go.
Remove fabric from the machine.
Part II:
Move to your ironing board.Open the binding at the corner.
Fold it down along the next side, aligning the fabric edge to the binding fold. This will form a 45 degree angle in the binding. Press it lightly with the tip of the iron.
Fold the binding down to form a mitered corner (like when you wrap gifts).
Flip blanket over and repeat on the other side.
Glue the folds in place using the fabric glue stick.
Repeat this pinning and sewing procedure for the remaining sides and corners of the blanket, making sure to backstitch a bit each time you start.
Part III:
On the side where you began, cut the binding 4" beyond your starting point. Open the fold, then fold back the excess material to 2".Press under and refold; finish encasing and pinning this final edge. The folded end should overlap the starting point by 2".
Glue the folded end in place and stitch the last side to about 1" beyond the overlap.
Remove from machine and clip threads.
Reset the stitch length to zero.
Place the overlapped ends under the presser foot, with the fold about 1/4" ahead of the foot opening.
Stitch in place so that the needle has gone back and forth (left to right) at least twice. This will ensure that the ends stay in place through many washings, so don't skip this step!
Your blanket is done!
After you wash and dry the blanket, fold it carefully and place the sheet on top. Wrap in tissue paper and tie with a matching ribbon before wrapping in gift wrap for a pretty presentation. Wait for compliments!
If the new baby has an older brother or sister, you can make a matching toddler bed set. Watch for the next article!