How to Make Burp Cloths From Prefolded Diapers

Make a snazzy burp cloth from a plain cloth diaper.

As you feed your sweet little baby, he holds onto your finger with his chubby little fist. Once he polishes off his bottle, you hoist him upright against your chest to coax out a burp with a few pats on the back. When he finally does let out that burp, however, you get a little more than you bargained for as a little spit-up flies out as well. Protect your clothing in these situations with a decorative burp cloth made from a cloth diaper.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 yard flannel
• 3-ply cloth diapers
• Iron
• Ruler
• Scissors
• 1/2 inch-wide ribbon
• Lighter
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Machine wash and dry your fabric and cloth diapers. Iron both fresh out of the dryer.

2. Measure the length and width of the diaper's center fold, which runs lengthwise down the center of the diaper. The center fold is thicker, and has stitching down both sides, making it easily visible. Cut a piece of flannel 1 inch wider and 1 inch longer than the center fold. Fold all four edges of the flannel to the wrong side 1/2 inch and iron the folds.

3. Cut two strips of 1/2 inch-wide ribbon the same length as the center fold. Heat seal the ends of the ribbon to prevent fraying by bringing them close to the flame of a lighter for a second.

4. Place the piece of flannel over the center fold of the diaper on one side --- it doesn't matter which side --- with the right side of the flannel facing up. Lay the ribbons along the lengthwise edges of the flannel, so that the ribbon is half on, half off the flannel. Pin the ribbon and flannel in place with straight pins along all four edges of the flannel.

5. Sew the ribbon in place with two parallel straight stitches running lengthwise along the edges of the ribbon. Remove the straight pins as you do this. Sew the flannel in place along the ends of the center fold with a straight stitch and 1/8-inch seam allowance.

6. Measure the width of the burp cloth. Cut two strips of fabric 1 inch longer than the cloth's width, and 4 inches wide. Fold the 4-inch ends of the strip to the wrong side of the fabric and iron the folds. Fold both strips in half lengthwise, with the right side of the fabric facing out, and iron the folds. Finally, fold the long edges in to the center crease and iron the folds.

7. Tuck the widthwise edges of the burp cloth in the center crease of the fabric strips. Sew the strips in place lengthwise with a zigzag stitch --- length and width of the stitch doesn't matter --- and a 7/8-inch seam allowance. Sew the ends of the strips in place with an 1/8 inch-wide zigzag stitch that falls just off the edge of the fabric on the zag to complete the burp cloth.

References

• J Caroline Creative; Infant Burp Cloths; 2006