Muslin Baby Swaddling Blanket Tutorial

The perfect, oh-so-soft, muslin baby swaddles that everyone swoons over are now as easy to make as they are to buy! Which means, you now have the perfect gift to take to any baby shower, or simple project to do while nesting your last month of pregnancy!

I almost feel like this tutorial is unnecessary, because the sewing logistics for these swaddles are really simple. But then, WHY THE HECK are they so expensive to buy from boutiques (or even walmart)!!!

The only thing I can say is, these are not fancy-screen-printed-organic-brushed-muslin-cotton, but they are beautiful colors in soft crinkled cotton gauze.

And that makes me happy.

It also makes me want to share how to make them and where to source your fabric. Let's get started!!!

Click through for tutorial:

// Materials //

1-2 Yds Fabric

Sewing Machine

Scissors

Coordinating Thread

// Fabric //

I figured it would be best to just discuss the fabric in it's own little paragraph, because when you google around to find muslin fabric... well, it's just not what those soft little swaddles are actually made of. In a round about way they are muslin, because muslin is basically any plain weave cotton fabric that is light weight. But if you want the soft stretchy cotton that the typical "muslin swaddles" are made out of you actually need a light weight crinkle or bubble cotton gauze. That is, if you're in the U.S. or looking on U.S. websites.

SO, short version: DON'T JUST GOOGLE OR FIND MUSLIN AND BUY A TON OF IT FROM JOANN'S.

INSTEAD, here are three great options: 

• Cotton Gauze from Michael Levine's Low Price Fabric. They have over 45 beautiful colors and they're currently on sale $3.20/yd! This is where I purchased my fabric in White, Denim Blue, Dark Olive, and I'm extremely happy with it.

• Cotton Bubble Gauze from Dharma Trading Company. Everywhere I've read, THIS is like an exact match to Aden + Anais Swaddling Cloths.

• Cotton Gauze from Fabric.com. There are mixed reviews on the gauze from fabric.com but I haven't tried it so I'm not sure... the price is great and they will always do free returns, so it might be worth checking out.

// Tutorial //

I decided, that for me it was more reasonable to have rectangular swaddles that were $4 a piece than to have a square swaddle only 14" wider for $8 a piece and fabric scraps left over. This tutorial is for a 50" x 36" swaddle. If you want a square, just order 2 yards and cut fabric to 50" square.

Step 1:

Trim your yard of fabric straight on both ends. Leave the selvage edge, there really isn't any reason to trim it. 

I do this by clipping about 1/2 inch in from the edge you want to straighten, then just ripping it clean down its grain line. If it tears off part way through, then you'll need to go another 1/2 inch in until you get a clean rip all the way down. This ensures that you have a squared corner with your selvage edge.

Step 2:

Once you have you're edges straight, you will need to sew a tiny 1/4 inch rolled hem all the way around your blanket.

Step 3: 

Wash with your favorite baby detergent and vinegar (to help soften fabric even more). Then tumble dry (also helps soften fabric). This fabric and these blankets are designed to get softer with wear and age, so don't be afraid to wash them a few times before baby arrives!

// The Uses //

Swaddling

Play Mat

Burp Cloth

Diaper Changing
Bath Towel

Toddler Security Blanket

Sun Shade

...and on!

 

Total cost should be somewhere between $4 to $8 dollars a piece. Compare that to the $13+ options out there, and you might just try sewing for a day!