Receiving Blanket with Matching Burp Cloth

These directions make one Receiving Blanket that is a double thickness and two double thickness burp cloths. Using coordinating, bright flannel fabrics with fun edgings, makes a unique and personalized gift for the special little bundle of joy. Colorful Rick Rack or dainty lace makes a cute edging. Or if you have a machine that does special stitches, hearts or flowers in a continuous pattern can be sewn in contrasting thread around the edges.

Materials:

1 ½ yards each of 2 coordinated lengths of 45” wide flannel.
Matching thread
7 ½ yrds trim (medium size rick rack, or ½” size lace)

Instructions:

1. Wash both pieces of fabric in cold water and dry

2. Iron fabric

Receiving Blanket:
A. Cut both pieces into 38” x 40” pieces, being careful to cut the 40” length from the original 45” wide direction. It’s important to cut the longer section from the width rather than the length of the fabric in order to leave enough cloth for the burp cloth. Cutting in this direction will leave you approximately 14” of fabric for the burp cloth (you will have had shrinkage from washing).

B. Place the two coordinating flannel 38” x 40” pieces together and stitch with a ½” seam, leaving a 5” opening in the middle of one side for turning. (If you want lace edging, first pin lace to right side of one piece putting straight edge of lace on seam line, with finished edge of lace facing toward center of blanket and machine stitch two pieces of flannel with lace in between as instructed above). Cut across each corner to make less bulk in corner seam. Turn right side out, push out corners gently from inside to make sharp corners. Hand stitch 5” opening closed.

Burp Cloth:
A. Make a pattern from brown paper for the burp cloth in a rough hour glass shape by first drawing a slightly rounded top measuring 10” in width. The middle of the hour glass shape should be about 6 ½” in width and the bottom (round the edges the same as the top) should be about 10” in width. The entire burp cloth should be about 18” long. Cut out paper pattern. Place the two 14” x 45” pieces on flannel, right sides together and trace the pattern onto it two times. You should end up with four pieces of flannel in the shape of a burp cloth—two of each color.

B. If you want lace around the outside edge of your burp cloth, pin lace to right side of one piece of flannel with raw or straight edge of lace on seam line. (All seams are ½”) With right sides together, (and lace in between) sew around burp cloth, catching lace in seam and leaving a 3” opening for turning. Clip seams from edge of cloth to seams on both sides where cloth narrows to make fabric lie smoothly when turned inside out. Turn fabric and lace right side out and hand stitch 3” opening closed.

*Note: If you want Rick Rack, omit lace and simply sew burp cloth as directed. After turning right side out and stitching opening closed, machine stitch Rick Rack to edge of burp cloth.

Related Craft Ideas:
Baby Crib Bumper