A Do-it-Yourself Baby Bed Sheet

Make fitted baby bedding with a personal touch.

A baby bed, or crib, provides a comfortable and safe place for your little bundle of joy to get the rest he needs to grow. Keeping the crib safe means outfitting it with a fitted crib sheet that stays secure on the mattress, eliminating the risk of the baby becoming entangled in the sheet. Make your own crib sheets for a fraction of the cost and match the nursery decor.

Things You'll Need

• 2 yards of 45-inch-wide fabric
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• 1/4-inch-wide elastic
• 2 large safety pins

Instructions

1. Measure and trim the length of the 2 yards of fabric to 70 inches.

2. Cut an 8-inch square from each corner of the fabric.

3. Bring the two 8-inch edges in each corner together with the printed sides of the fabric facing each other. Sew the edges together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, creating the boxlike corners of the sheet.

4. Fold the edge of the sheet toward the wrong side of the fabric one-fourth inch all the way around. Iron the fold to create a clean crease. Fold the edge of the sheet again, this time one-half inch all the way around, and iron the fold.

5. Sew the folded edge of the sheet all the way around with a 3/8-inch seam allowance, leaving only a 4-inch opening in the middle of one of the sheet's sides. This creates a casing for the elastic you will thread around the sheet.

6. Measure and cut a 2 1/2-yard long piece of the elastic. Pin one end of the elastic to the sheet right outside the 4-inch opening. Attach a second large safety pin to the other end of the elastic. Use this safety pin to help you thread the elastic through the casing all the way around the sheet.

7. Overlap the ends of the elastic by an inch. Sew a zigzag stitch back and forth through the overlapped ends of the elastic at least three times.

8. Sew the 4-inch opening closed to complete the sheet.

Tips & Warnings

• Plain cotton fabrics, such as quilter's cotton and flannel, work well for baby bed sheets.

• Wash and dry fabric before cutting it so the fabric doesn't shrink the first time you wash the sheets and cause them to become distorted or to not fit. Washing also removes any starch the manufacturer added to the fabric before putting it on the bolt. Wash the material with detergent only, no fabric softener, and dry as you normally would a garment made of the same material.

References

• Bundles of Love: Crib Sheets Pattern
• Everything Your Mama Made And More: Crib & Toddler Bed Sheet Tutorial
• J Caroline Creative: Dick and Jane Crib Set
• Make Baby Stuff: Crib Sheet Pattern
• Expanding Expectations: Make Your Own Crib Sheets