Comments on: Make an easy swaddling blanket http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/ Two geeky girls' guide to the first year of motherhood. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 12:29:33 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mama_B http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127858 Mama_B Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:31:49 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127858 I looked at the muslin Anais swaddler for a friend, but a $44 pack was going to be over $80 to ship to Canada. Um, not a freaking chance! So I think I'll just make a bunch of them. I could use silk for what those Anais ones cost! I looked at the muslin Anais swaddler for a friend, but a $44 pack was going to be over $80 to ship to Canada. Um, not a freaking chance! So I think I’ll just make a bunch of them. I could use silk for what those Anais ones cost!

]]> By: Jenn B http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127808 Jenn B Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:41:25 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127808 For my first baby a few years ago, I made a few out of plain old cheap muslin from JoAnn's. Did exactly what you outlined. Very easy, and the blankets work great for other jobs too (changing blanket, etc. ). Big tip for any fabric that you want to have some absorbency to: Do not use fabric softener (dryer sheets or liquid). These products make fabrics slightly waterproof. I use a few splashes of white vinegar in the liquid fabric softener bin in the washer. Clothes come out soft and clean with a neutral odor. ...I always wondered why I bath towels didn't absorb water like I thought they should..... Now I know :) For my first baby a few years ago, I made a few out of plain old cheap muslin from JoAnn’s. Did exactly what you outlined. Very easy, and the blankets work great for other jobs too (changing blanket, etc. ).

Big tip for any fabric that you want to have some absorbency to: Do not use fabric softener (dryer sheets or liquid). These products make fabrics slightly waterproof. I use a few splashes of white vinegar in the liquid fabric softener bin in the washer. Clothes come out soft and clean with a neutral odor. …I always wondered why I bath towels didn’t absorb water like I thought they should….. Now I know :)

]]> By: Molly http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127800 Molly Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:59:33 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127800 This looks like something even I could handle. Love it! And with a new baby cousin born today I will have to get on it. Thanks! This looks like something even I could handle. Love it! And with a new baby cousin born today I will have to get on it. Thanks!

]]> By: RookieMom Heather http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127349 RookieMom Heather Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:30:05 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127349 Rumor has it, muslin is fantastic! We'll provide more information when we get it. Rumor has it, muslin is fantastic! We’ll provide more information when we get it.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127344 Lauren Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:07:45 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127344 What about muslin? I realize it is a bit more expensive, but I was seeing all of these positive reviews for the muslin Anais blankets but they are ridiculously expensive. I was thinking of buying Unbleached Super Muslin 44'' x 15 Yds. for $49.99 and cutting them into 40x40 squares. Has anyone had any experience with using muslin as a swaddler? What about muslin? I realize it is a bit more expensive, but I was seeing all of these positive reviews for the muslin Anais blankets but they are ridiculously expensive. I was thinking of buying Unbleached Super Muslin 44” x 15 Yds. for $49.99 and cutting them into 40×40 squares. Has anyone had any experience with using muslin as a swaddler?

]]> By: RookieMom Heather http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127219 RookieMom Heather Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:48:35 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127219 Hailey, it's worth a try. I fear that your jersey might be too stretchy. Please do report back. Hailey, it’s worth a try. I fear that your jersey might be too stretchy. Please do report back.

]]> By: Hailey Thomson http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-127214 Hailey Thomson Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:29:22 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-127214 Quick question, I have this lovely jersey knit, kind of fannel fabric, it is quite stretchy, do you think this will work if I trim it down to a smaller sized square? Is stretchy fabric okay to use? I have used the same fabric to make a sling, I bought 5 yards as it was marked down to $1 per yard. Love a bargain! Quick question, I have this lovely jersey knit, kind of fannel fabric, it is quite stretchy, do you think this will work if I trim it down to a smaller sized square? Is stretchy fabric okay to use? I have used the same fabric to make a sling, I bought 5 yards as it was marked down to $1 per yard. Love a bargain!

]]> By: beth http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-123850 beth Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:18:05 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-123850 I made a pile of these blankets while pregnant with my lil one. Here's my recipe: For one blanket, get 1 yard of flannel. It's a thin, slightly fuzzy fabric, non-stretchy, and absorbent enough that you can wipe up spit-up with a corner of the blanket as needed (I love these blankets for nursing & burping too!) ... JoAnn's often has "Snuggle Flannel" on sale ($6 down to $3ish) and it comes in tons of cute prints. The fabric is usually 44" wide (check to be sure), so if you buy a yard you can cut it down to 36x36, or buy 44 inches for a larger blanket. Trim the edges so they are square and straight. Then fold over an edge, by say 1/4 or 1/2 inch. You can either iron the fold in place, or fold it as you sew. Use the zigzag stitch on your machine (99% of sewing machines have a zigzag stitch, even the cheap ones) to c over the raw edge of the fabric. This is quicker and easier than a real hem and I think better for blankets anyway. Repeat for the other 3 sides. Ta-da! Finished blanket. I made a pile of these blankets while pregnant with my lil one. Here’s my recipe:

For one blanket, get 1 yard of flannel. It’s a thin, slightly fuzzy fabric, non-stretchy, and absorbent enough that you can wipe up spit-up with a corner of the blanket as needed (I love these blankets for nursing & burping too!) … JoAnn’s often has “Snuggle Flannel” on sale ($6 down to $3ish) and it comes in tons of cute prints.

The fabric is usually 44″ wide (check to be sure), so if you buy a yard you can cut it down to 36×36, or buy 44 inches for a larger blanket.

Trim the edges so they are square and straight. Then fold over an edge, by say 1/4 or 1/2 inch. You can either iron the fold in place, or fold it as you sew. Use the zigzag stitch on your machine (99% of sewing machines have a zigzag stitch, even the cheap ones) to c over the raw edge of the fabric. This is quicker and easier than a real hem and I think better for blankets anyway. Repeat for the other 3 sides. Ta-da! Finished blanket.

]]> By: Lindsey http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-107564 Lindsey Sun, 12 Jul 2009 22:02:38 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-107564 Ok I will be a 1st time mom in September and really liked this idea. I didn't think just one piece of flannel was enough since the baby is basically in the fall plus my mom is the sew lady of the family. I had her put together 2 pieces of flannel which was on sale at Joann Fabrics for $2.99/yd plus a 10% off coupon (off the total purchase). I must say the blankets are very nice and she has since decided to make several at once and she will give these as a shower present to the future mama's that come her way. She also bought excess and used those to make matching burp cloths! They are very cute and her sewing machine does fancy stitch designs. Ok I will be a 1st time mom in September and really liked this idea. I didn’t think just one piece of flannel was enough since the baby is basically in the fall plus my mom is the sew lady of the family. I had her put together 2 pieces of flannel which was on sale at Joann Fabrics for $2.99/yd plus a 10% off coupon (off the total purchase). I must say the blankets are very nice and she has since decided to make several at once and she will give these as a shower present to the future mama’s that come her way. She also bought excess and used those to make matching burp cloths! They are very cute and her sewing machine does fancy stitch designs.

]]> By: Wendy http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-106513 Wendy Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:58:43 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-106513 I didn't hear about the Happiest Baby on the Block until *after* my first was three weeks old and wouldn't sleep anywhere but on me. I bought two 45 x 45 inch squares of flannel (the fabric was 45in. wide) and I used them with unfinished edges for MONTHS because I couldn't handle getting the sewing machine out and threaded. Two of the edges were selvedge so they didn't unravel, but the other two were cut and frayed a bit. They eventually started unravelling, but by that time Wyatt was too big for swaddling anyway. I didn’t hear about the Happiest Baby on the Block until *after* my first was three weeks old and wouldn’t sleep anywhere but on me. I bought two 45 x 45 inch squares of flannel (the fabric was 45in. wide) and I used them with unfinished edges for MONTHS because I couldn’t handle getting the sewing machine out and threaded. Two of the edges were selvedge so they didn’t unravel, but the other two were cut and frayed a bit. They eventually started unravelling, but by that time Wyatt was too big for swaddling anyway.

]]> By: RookieMom Heather http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-106508 RookieMom Heather Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:52:38 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-106508 Ok, let's see one at a time here! 1. Flannel is that lumberjack stuff. Grunge shirts. Non-stretchy. What I did was fold over the edges, iron it (gasp!) and do my best. Flannel frays a bit if left unfinished. 2. Fleece is the stuff of recycled plastic bottles, ski trips, great for putting under potty training kids when they're zoning out playing. You can cut a square and make a "play blanket" without doing any sewing at all! Awesome, yes, but I would not recommend for a swaddle (would be too sweaty). 3. If you totally can't handle the finishing the edges, I wouldn't bother with the sticky stuff but I wonder what other folks would suggest. Ok, let’s see one at a time here!
1. Flannel is that lumberjack stuff. Grunge shirts. Non-stretchy. What I did was fold over the edges, iron it (gasp!) and do my best. Flannel frays a bit if left unfinished.
2. Fleece is the stuff of recycled plastic bottles, ski trips, great for putting under potty training kids when they’re zoning out playing. You can cut a square and make a “play blanket” without doing any sewing at all! Awesome, yes, but I would not recommend for a swaddle (would be too sweaty).
3. If you totally can’t handle the finishing the edges, I wouldn’t bother with the sticky stuff but I wonder what other folks would suggest.

]]> By: CRE http://www.rookiemoms.com/make-an-easy-receiving-blanket/comment-page-1/#comment-106506 CRE Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:16:15 +0000 http://www.rookiemoms.com/?p=1209#comment-106506 Ok, so I totally want to try to make a few of these as as I have a ton showers coming up (2 for new moms, 2 for repeaters) but sadly my many years of Home Ec. education was taken many years ago and I've apparently pushed most of that info out of my brain and replaced it with newer, important info (like who's John Mayer dating this week) hence I can not for the life of me figure out how to finish flannel edges. I have a sewing machine, but it's stitching is iffy at times (I think it may have something to do with my bobbin loading skills - either that or gremlins). What about wonder-under or whatever that iron on strip stuff is called? Can I use that on flannel? Wait... flannel's the fabric they make those throw blankets with the tied edges out of, right? Or am I thinking of fleece? Can I make a swaddling blanket out of fleece for a baby or is that a no-no. Ok, so I totally want to try to make a few of these as as I have a ton showers coming up (2 for new moms, 2 for repeaters) but sadly my many years of Home Ec. education was taken many years ago and I’ve apparently pushed most of that info out of my brain and replaced it with newer, important info (like who’s John Mayer dating this week) hence I can not for the life of me figure out how to finish flannel edges. I have a sewing machine, but it’s stitching is iffy at times (I think it may have something to do with my bobbin loading skills – either that or gremlins). What about wonder-under or whatever that iron on strip stuff is called? Can I use that on flannel?

Wait… flannel’s the fabric they make those throw blankets with the tied edges out of, right? Or am I thinking of fleece? Can I make a swaddling blanket out of fleece for a baby or is that a no-no.

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