Crib sheets are a necessity when it comes to a successful nursery. And, as is the case with all things baby-related, you’ll need plenty of them. If you’re having a hard time finding crib sheets that match your nursery décor, or if you have excess fabric that you’d love to use up, one great option is to make the crib sheets yourself. It’s a simple solution, really.This tutorial will show you how to make your own crib sheets in two different ways: (1) with French seams, and (2) with standard corners. Once you learn how easy it is, you might never buy another crib sheet again. (Bonus: This makes a great baby shower gift as well!)French Seams Step 1: Cut fabric to size. Lay your prewashed fabric out flat. If you chose 44”-45” wide fabric, you don’t need to cut any off the width.Measure 69” and cut straight across so you end up with a piece of prewashed fabric that is 45” (or 44”) x 69”.French Seams Step 2: Cut corners. Measure 8” squares out of the corners of your fabric.
I used a clear quilting guide, but because my guide was only 6” wide, I had to supplement with my measuring tape for the last 2”.Cut the 8” squares out of all four corners.Your fabric will look something like this when you’ve cut the corners out.French Seams Step 3: Sew a corner seam, right sides out. With RIGHT SIDES OUT, fold a cut corner over onto itself, so the two raw edges you just cut line up together.Still with the RIGHT SIDES OUT, sew a 1/4” seam along this cut edge.Carefully trim 1/8” off the freshly sewn edge.I know it feels strange and goes against every sewing instinct to sew with right sides out on this step, but trust me. The end result is so pretty.French Seams Step 4: Sew the corner seam, wrong sides out. Flip the fabric over so that the WRONG SIDES ARE OUT. The seam will be inside. Again, this may feel counterintuitive, but go with it. If your fabric is stubborn at this point, feel free to press the seam in place.Still with WRONG SIDES OUT, sew a 1/4″ seam on the outside of the first seam.
Your corner will look something like this after your second seam. This is called a French seam – the raw edge is completely encased within the double seams. When you flip the fabric to be right-side out, your seam will look something like this.French Seams Step 5: Sew all corners. Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the other three corners of your crib sheet.French Seams Step 6: Sew elastic casing. Fold (and press, for greatest accuracy) the raw edge of your sheet over 1/2″ all the way around.Fold another 1/2″, so that the raw edge is completely inside the casing.Sew as close to the edge of this second fold as possible, to close up the casing, almost all the way around the crib sheet.Leave 2”-4” open on your casing seam. This is where the elastic will go in and come out.French Seams Step 7: Add elastic.Cut 62” of 1/4” elastic.Note: Others have suggested anywhere from 60” to 72” of elastic length. I like a snug crib sheet fit, so I recommend 62”-65”. It will be snug to put the sheet on your mattress with a 62” elastic length, but the corners will be safely taut and the sheet will fit perfectly on a standard sized crib mattress.
Use a safety pin to attach one end of the elastic to the fabric near the opening of the casing seam.Attach a second safety pin to the other end of your elastic and begin threading it through the casing, all the way around. You might feel a bit of carpal tunnel. TIP: The bigger/longer your threaded safety pin, the faster and easier this step is.French Seams Step 8: Sew elastic & finish off casing. Overlap the ends of your elastic by about 2”.Sew a zigzag stitch on the overlapped elastic, stretching both sections of the elastic gently as you sew.Pull elastic into casing, then use a straight stitch over the opening to close it off.You’ve just created a lovely, customized French seam crib sheet. Isn’t it pretty, inside AND out?!Start with a piece of prewashed fabric that is 69” x 44” (or 45”). (See French Seams Step 1.)Crib Sheet Step 1: Cut 9” squares out of all four corners.TIP: For a time-saving option, carefully fold all four corners on top of each other and measure and cut the 9” square a single time.
Crib Sheet Step 2: Sew a corner. Starting in one corner, fold the two freshly cut 9” edges to line up with WRONG SIDES OUT.Sew a 1/4″ seam along this edge.Sew a zigzag stitch along the raw edge.(Or, if you’re lucky enough to have a serger, do this seam-and-finish in one fell swoop.)Crib Sheet Step 3: Sew other three corners. Repeat step 2 for all other corners, so that all four corners are finished up before moving on.Crib Sheet Step 4: Fold & sew casing. Fold the raw edge of the crib sheet’s perimeter in 1/2″; Fold this end another 1/2″ in, so that the raw edge is encased. Start at French Seams Step 6 and continue until your “regular” seam crib sheet is complete.You’ve just sewn a custom crib sheet (or two) for a very lucky baby.We hope you’ve found this tutorial helpful and that you’re able to make crib sheets that will be safe for your baby as well as complement your nursery décor.PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It’s apparent that many single guys live in filth, but a new survey reveals they sleep in it as well.
According to the research, which was conducted by U.K. mattress company Ergoflex, single men between the ages of 18 and 55 only change their bed sheets an average of four times…per year! Furthermore, the average single guy owns just one set of sheets. Women, on the other hand, typically own three sets and change their linens every two-and-a-half weeks. Of the more than 2,000 people interviewed by the company, couples were the cleanest demo, washing their sheets about every two weeks. So if you’re one of those single dudes who don’t care for basic hygiene, consider this fact a wake-up call: Experts say the average person can sweat up to a liter a night and sheds thousands of dead skin cells. Click here to read the results of the cringe-worthy study. Top Content On CBSPhilly PHOTOS: Summer's Hottest Concerts VIDEO: Latest News & Weather AUDIO: Podcasts & Shows PHOTOS: View The Best GalleriesGetting StartedIf you own a mini crib, most likely the Alma Mini Crib, you have found out that there is only one crib sheet available on the market.
It is organic, but it it’s only plain white and kind of pricey. Here are easy, step-by-step directions on how to make your own. You will need 1-½ yards of fabric for each sheet you want to make (you should be able to make one with 1-¼ yards, but if you shop somewhere where they cut fabric pretty crookedly, you might be cutting it too close, so better to be safe). You will also need 54” of ¼” elastic for each sheet you make, a medium sized safety pin, and of course sewing thread. Next, you’ll need to wash, dry and iron your fabric or fabrics – if they are very different colors or you are unsure of how colorfast they are it’s a good idea to launder them separately. Cutting Your FabricTrim your fabric to make sure it’s square/straight. This step was especially important for the sheets I made, because all three patterns were on a grid and any crookedness would have been evident once the sheets were done. Now you're ready for the real work. Cut your fabric down to a 48 ½” X 30 ¾” rectangle.
(SEE NOTE AT BOTTOM FOR DIFFERENT SIZED BABY MATTRESSES.) Then cut out what I call the corner squares; these are 4 ¼” X 4 ¼”. Here's what the piece of fabric looks like once it's been cut: Pinning and Sewing Your CornersNow you’re almost ready to start sewing. First pin the right sides of each of the corner squares together. You could do these one at the time – pin one corner, go sew it then pin the next corner and so on – but I prefer to pin them all and then go sew them all at once. Sew each corner using about a ¼ “seam. Although you want your fabrics cut straight, absolutely precise seams are not necessary (this is not a quilt!) and most of the sewing ends up under the mattress where no one will see it. Once you have your four corners sewn, press your seams open. Making the Elastic PocketNext you’re going to create the elastic pocket. You first go around the sheet and press in a ¼” all the way around. Then you go around again and press in about another ½”.
You just need to make sure that your elastic will fit inside the pocket you’re creating - you can see how I tested this in the photos below. You'll also need to make sure to sew your pocket seam to the outside edge of the fold to make sure to allow enough space for you elastic and safety pin to pass through. Place pins every 10” or so as you work your way around the second time to hold the fold in place when you sew. Now you’re going to sew your elastic pocket. In order to avoid accidentally sewing all the way around, I like to place a pair of pins at a 90 degree angle about 10” apart where I want to start and stop my sewing. These act as my red flags. You want at least 10” left un-sewn because it’s a lot easier to join the ends of the elastic when you have some wiggle room. For the same reason, I also find it easier to start and stop on one of the long sides of the sheet. Feeding the ElasticOnce you have your elastic pocket sewn and leaving about a 10”+ gap, you can now add the elastic.
Adding the elastic is probably the hardest part of this project, but it’s really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. The measurement of the elastic is somewhat debatable. I’d say that using a 52” length would make a snug fitting sheet that is still easy to get on and off. Of course, if you like it snugger or looser, adjust your elastic length accordingly. Take your safety pin and attach it to the center of one end of your elastic (seems silly to emphasize center, but I’ve learned the hard way that if you attach it closer to the edge of the elastic sometimes the elastic frays and falls apart midway through your "feeding" process and you have to start all over). So, you want to feed your safety-pin into the elastic pocket. Slide it as far forward as you can, then with your other hand hold the safety pin in place through the fabric and pull the fabric you’ve just fed the safety pin into back over the elastic. Continue doing this until you’ve made it all the way around.
Once you get all the way around, make sure to hold the safety pin firmly and spread the fabric around the elastic evenly (because it will most likely be bunched up by the end of your safety pin). If you need to put the sheet down for a minute at this point, make sure to safety pin both ends of the elastic together, so that the end of the elastic doesn’t accidentally slip back out of the pocket. You can also take the sheet as is and place it on your mattress to see how taut it is and if you want to shorten or lengthen your elastic before doing the final sewing. Final StepsNow take the two ends of your elastic and lay them over each other and pin them in place. Place this under your presser foot and sew it together (obviously removing the pins as you go). You might want to go over this seam a couple times to reinforce it. The last step is to sew those last 10”+ of your elastic pocket. You have a beautiful, custom mini crib sheet. You’ll notice that when not on the mattress they sort of look like oversized fabric shower caps.