How to Sew Batting to a Bumper

The batting in crib bumpers provides cushioning if the baby rolls over and bumps his head.

Baby crib bumpers decorate the infant’s crib and help prevent the baby from bumping her head into the crib railings. The batting between the fabric layers provides cushioning and gives the bumper a three-dimensional look. Making your own crib bumpers is often less expensive than purchasing premade ones and allows you to customize the room decorations with your choice of fabric. Sewing on the batting properly helps ensure that it stays in place without bunching or shifting. You can also replace the batting in purchased crib bumpers if it comes apart in the wash.

Things You'll Need

• Bumper fabric
• Polyester or cotton batting
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Needle and thread (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure the length and width of the bumper material. Add 1/2 to 1 inch to both the length and width. Cut one piece of batting for each bumper.

2. Lay out the two pieces of bumper fabric on a flat surface, with right sides together, matching the raw edges. Center the batting on top of the fabric and pin it in place. The edges of the batting will hang over the edges of the fabric slightly.

3. Measure and mark 2 inches to the left and 2 inches to the right from the center of the bottom of the bumper. Begin at one mark and sew across the bottom, up the side, across the top, down the other side and across the bottom until you get to the second mark. Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance and leave the 4-inch section open.

4. Clip the corners diagonally and cut off the extra batting, 1/8 inch from the stitching line. Use the 4-inch opening to turn the fabric right sides out and turn the batting inside.

5. Sew the opening closed by hand or machine, sewing as close to the edges as possible. Free-stitch decorative designs through the center of the bumper to help hold the batting in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose batting based on the desired thickness. You can also use multiple layers of thin batting to make it thicker.

• Sew the batting to the fabric with the batting facing up to prevent the batting from catching in the feed.

• If the pressure foot gets caught on the batting, position the needle down and lift the pressure foot handle. Smooth out the batting and continue sewing. Feed the fabric through the machine slowly to help prevent the batting from catching on the foot.

Resources

• Sew a Quilt: Quilt Batting
• Quilting101.com: How to Choose Quilt Batting
• Make-Your-Own-Baby-Stuff.com: Make Your Own Baby Crib Bumpers