Baby Swaddler
|
Baby Swaddler |
 |
|
Newborn babies like to
be bundled up tight, and this cozy swaddler is just the thing to
make baby feel comfortable.
Swaddling is said to help soothe colic and helps the baby sleep
better. This swaddler is sized for babies 0 - 3 months, making it a
perfect gift for new parents. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
First, print the
pattern piece. Cut out the shapes, and tape them together to
form a quarter of an oval. |
|
 |
|
Next, trace two large ovals onto
the flannel. To do this, trace the pattern onto the backside of
the flannel. |
|
 |
|
Flip the pattern to the left and
trace again. |
|
 |
|
Flip the pattern down and trace
again, then flip the pattern to the right and trace again. You
will have one large oval on the backside of the flannel.
Repeat this so you have two ovals traced on the backside of one
piece of flannel. |
|
 |
|
Cut the ovals from the
fabric. |
|
 |
|
Print a paper template of
the design to aid in placement.
We are placing the Giraffe in Pajamas on the center front of
the swaddler. Because the swaddler is tri-folded, this means
that the embroidery will be 7" from an
end, centered in between the top and bottom. |
|
 |
|
Mark the center. To do this, we placed a
bit of masking tape under the template, and poked through the center
of the template with a pen to make a mark on the tape. |
|
 |
|
Extend the tape out to
mark the vertical lines. These marks will be used to hoop the fabric
straight. |
|
 |
|
Hoop the fabric and cutaway stabilizer
together, making sure that the vertical marks on the tape match up
with the marks on the hoop.
Scoot the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point.
Peel back the tape, and embroider the design. |
|
 |
|
After the design has finished, trim the
excess cutaway stabilizer from the backside. |
|
 |
|
Next, sew the flannel ovals
together. Lay the embroidered oval right side up, and place the
second oval on top, right side down. |
|
 |
|
Mark a 6" opening on the bottom
of the ovals. Do this by marking 3" out from each side of the
center. |
|
 |
|
Pin the ovals together,
leaving the 6" opening unpinned. |
|
 |
|
Sew a 1/4" seam around the
ovals, stopping before the 6" opening. |
|
 |
|
Remove the pins and turn the ovals right
side out. Push out on the seams to get rounded edges. |
|
 |
|
To finish the outer
edge, sew 1/4" seam around the ovals, but do not sew the 6" opening. |
|
 |
|
To make a pocket for the infant, cut a
13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square from the companion flannel fabric. |
|
 |
|
Make two pleats by pinching and folding
3/4" of fabric, about 1 and 1/2" from each edge. Pin in place. |
|
 |
|
Tack the pleats into place by
sewing a few stitches over the folds 1/4" from the bottom edge. |
|
 |
|
Fold and sew a 1/4" hem on the
top and left side of the pocket. |
|
 |
|
Attach the pocket to the
oval. Fold in the opening on the bottom of the oval. Mark the center
of the pocket and the center of the opening by measuring and
dividing by two. |
|
 |
|
Align the center points.
Fold the right side and bottom of the pocket in a 1/4" and
pin into place. |
|
 |
|
Sew a 1/4" seam along the right side and
bottom of the pocket. |
|
 |
|
Add a 3 inch strip of
self-adhesive hook Velcro to the inside, far left edge of the oval.
Place it vertically, about one inch from the edge. |
|
 |
|
Flip the oval to the
back and add two 2 1/2 inch strips of loop Velcro, horizontally, starting about
9 inches from the left edge. Place the strips in the center about 1
inch apart.
Having the hook Velcro vertical, and the loop Velcro horizontal,
means that the swaddler can become larger with the infant over time. |
|
 |
|
To use the swaddler, lay
the infant inside the pocket and tuck the loose flap around him or
her. |
|
 |
|
Fold the right side around
and tuck it under the infant. Fold the top flap down slightly.
Wrap the left around to the right side snuggly, and secure
the Velcro. |
|
|