Burp cloth tutorial

I told the girls on Crafty Mamas that I would make up a tute for these and then promptly forgot about them!! So sorry, girls, but here it is!! This is not EXACTLY how I made them, but how I learnt through sewing them!

Materials:
Cloth nappies. I used towelling nappies that I found - very luckily - at an op shop. If you are using new ones, I suggest that you wash them first in hot water and, maybe, dry them in the dryer, so they pre-shrink.
Flannel material. Again, I used a plain cot sheet that I got from the op shop. And, again, if you are using a new one, I suggest that you wash it first....etc. Any other type of absorbent material will work well, too, I spose!
Cotton material. In any print that you like.
Ribbon.
Thread.

Step one.
I find that cloth nappies - especially the towelling ones - are different sizes, depending on the manufacturer, so following this step will make the burp cloth a little more uniform to the rest of them, should you have a couple from different manufacturers, like I did.

Take your nappy and fold it into three sections. Take the measurements from the middle section and this will be the measurements for your outer material. Do not unfold! You will need this for the next step!

Step two.
From these measurements, cut out a piece from your flannel material that is a little smaller each side. You may like to cut out one large piece (doubling, tripling or whatever to maximise absorbency) From my cot sheet, I managed to get 4 inners out of 1/2 the sheet (by folding it in 1/2, then 1/2, then 1/2, cutting out and then folding this piece to have 3 layers....I think! When I make another and put the photos up, I will edit if otherwise).

Step three.
Take this piece and centre it on the folded nappy. No need to be exact, here......the outer layer will cover any mistakes (as I found out). Pin and sew down each side to stabilise. You may like to do the top, too....depending on how close it actually comes to the top! Mine were a little skewed on it and were a little shorter, so I sewed the ends, too.

Step four.
Cut out your outer material, adding on a seam allowance from the measurements. Fold and press in the edges to make a hem on each side and end. Centre this over the top of your inner and sew in place. You MAY like to double stitch each end.......it is entirely up to you

Step five.
Take your ribbon and place it down the side of the outer material, measuring how much you need and adding a little to fold under each end. Pin in place and sew as close to the outer edge on each side as possible. I suggest sewing the inside of the ribbon first, because I found that, after sewing the outside, the inner material has a bad habit of popping out of the ribbon! Then again, I used a thin ribbon and centred it on the edge of the fabric, so it was BOUND to happen!

There you have it!! A very nice burp cloth and not just a plain old nappy!!

Some extra notes:
This is NOT how I made mine! But is an easier way than what I did (and what I will be following in future)!!

If you are lucky to have those premade nappies (the ones that you can find with the padding already in the middle, then 1/2 your job is already done!! Just take measurements and follow Barb's tute, here!

The placing of the outer fabric is totally up to you! You may like to place it just inside the outer edge (which is hemmed, doubled over and, therefore, harder to sew through) or have it going to the outside edge. You may also like to have a little of the towelling to each side when folded, like mine.....like I said - TOTALLY up to you!