How to Make Organic Washable Baby Wipes

Making organic, washable baby wipes can be more cost-effective than buying them. They are very easy to make and even easier to use, plus they're better for baby and the environment. The instructions below will include steps for using either a serger or a sewing machine, and either scissors or a rotary cutter. The amount of fabric listed will make 8 to 12 wipes, depending on the width of the fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine or serger
• 1/2 yard of 4- to 4.5-oz. organic, unbleached flannel
• Rotary cutter, mat and straight-edge
• OR ruler, fabric marker and scissors
• Matching or contrasting thread for your machine

Instructions

1. Wash the organic flannel in warm water and dry on medium heat. Press the fabric, from the back side, on the cotton setting with high steam to remove all the wrinkles before cutting.

2. Lay the fabric out flat (in a single layer) on your work table. If using a serger with cutting blades, cut 8.5-inch squares, allowing 1/4 inch to be cut off the edges all the way around. If using a serger without cutting blades or a sewing machine with a zigzag stitch, cut 8-inch squares.

3. If using a serger without cutting blades or a sewing machine, fold each 8-inch square in quarters, making sure to match to corners. Round off the corners slightly. If using a serger with cutting blades, skip this step. The corners will be rounded with the serger when you turn the corners.

4. Set up your machine with the thread color or your choice. Your sewing machine should be set on the widest zigzag setting, with a stitch length of 18 to 20. A serger should be set on the widest width and the stitch length set to 1.5 or 2. With a scrap or two from the fabric trimmings, test your machine settings to make sure the fabric doesn't pucker, bunch or roll when you stitch along the edges. Check the serger stitching, making sure it's not too loose. You don't want baby's fingers to get caught in any loose threads.

5. Finish the edge or the fabric one at a time, starting close to a corner of the wipe. On a sewing machine or a serger without cutting blades, be careful to keep the fabric straight and positioned so that the needle picks up the thread at the very outside edge of the fabric. When using a serger with cutting blades, position the fabric so that it will trim 1/4 inch off the edges all the way around. You should make one continuous edge all the way around, slowly turning the fabric at the corners. A serger with cutting blades will round the corners for you as you continue around the wipe. Complete the edge by stitching back over the place where you started and clipping the threads. If you're using a serger with cutting blades, leave a 1-inch tail on the sew-off. Separate the threads, tie them in a square knot and trim the threads closely to the knot.