How to Make Baby Burp Cloths: A Complete Guide for Stylish and Functional DIY Projects

How to make baby burp cloths? Create stylish, custom baby burp cloths with soft fabrics like cotton or flannel! Cut, sew, and personalize with embroidery or ribbon for a trendy, functional accessory. Perfect for matching baby outfits or nursery decor—DIY burp cloths are easy, affordable, and oh-so-cute!

As a newborn parent, knowing how to clean up after your baby has an accident is essential. And there is no better piece of item as helpful at cleaning up after babies as baby burp cloths. But how to make baby burp cloths because buying so many is quite expensive. You must pick the right fabrics, sew them, and add your own touches.

Today’s article will cover all the steps to making them at home for cheap. From picking the right materials and supplies to the steps and even how to design them to make them look good, we will cover everything. And no worries—everything in this article is geared towards parents with little to no experience in DIY, so any one of you can follow along with ease.

Introduction to Baby Burp Cloths

As we said, baby burp cloths are one of the most helpful pieces of fabric parents can own and use during the early days. But are they important, and why have they become so important? Let’s explore these questions more in-depth.

What Are Baby Burp Cloths?

Baby burp cloths are pieces of fabric that parents can use to clean up after their babies when they throw up, burp, sneeze, etc. Most parents tend to keep them over their shoulders, as that’s where their babies’ mouths are when they are being burped. Others place them on their laps to protect their clothing or surfaces and avoid messes made by their little ones.

Even though baby burp cloths are meant for cleaning up messes, they can be a stylish addition to baby outfits. And not all baby clothes come in a standard style or design. Some even have unique features. Here are some examples:

• Absorbency: Burp cloths made from premium materials such as cotton, flannel, or terry cloth are quite absorbent. This makes them ideal for soaking up spills like milk and baby food.
• Softness: Since newborn skin is quite delicate, certain high-quality burp cloths are made to be super soft so as not to irritate the skin.
• Durability: Baby burp cloths are used often, and as such, they need to be durable. While some brands make them less durable to sell more of them, others use durable fabrics that ensure they can be used often, for a long time, and can handle multiple washings.
• Portability: Burp cloths are made to be lightweight and compact so that parents can take them anywhere and use them at any time.

Why Make Your Own Burp Cloths?

Now, you might wonder if you can buy good quality baby burp cloths, so why make them yourself. Learning how to make baby burp cloths has several reasons and benefits. Here are a few that should convince you to start making them:

• Customization:
  • When you make your own baby burp cloths, you can control everything from the materials you use to the design you pick.
  • You can also include or exclude certain features.
  • All these choices allow you to customize your baby burp cloths for yourself and your baby.
• Cost-saving:
  • There are cheaper options for baby burp cloths, but those sacrifice quality or features.
  • When you make baby burp clothes, you can choose what you want to reduce the cost while still obtaining the benefits you want.
  • Recycling or reusing materials will help to lower the cost even more.
• Quality control:
  • When doing DIY projects like making baby burp cloths, ensure you don’t use anything that might not be safe for your baby.
  • You have all the control to make something completely safe, soft, comfortable, and durable.
• Sustainable choice:
  • We must all do our part to ensure the planet is safe for our kids, and DIY projects such as these do that.
  • Using materials such as cotton or recycled fabrics ensures that you are practicing sustainable fashion.
• Fun project:
  • This is an excellent example of a DIY project that’s fun and creative.
  • The project will allow parents to showcase their creativity and make something practical and fashionable.

Materials Needed to Make Baby Burp Cloths

Now it’s time we went over how to make baby burp cloths. But wait, we still need to collect all the materials and fabrics to make them. So, let’s do that first. Here are all the things you will need for this DIY project:

Fabric Choices for Burp Cloths

To make the best baby burp cloths yourself, you must first pick the right fabrics. There are many choices, but we recommend five that are ideal for most parents. Here are our recommendations for the best baby burp cloth fabrics:

• Cotton:
  • Regarding any clothing for babies’ cotton is always the best choice.
  • The fabric is very soft, breathable, and highly absorbent.
  • There are multiple types, so choose the one that feels right and is affordable for you.
• Terry cloth:
  • It is not the most common fabric choice but ideal for baby burp cloths.
  • The fabric is quite durable and works perfectly even after multiple machine-washing sessions.
  • A practical choice for busy parents.
• Flannel:
  • This fabric is often seen in South clothing but is a great choice for making baby burp cloths.
  • It has a cozy feel and a wide range of designs to choose from.
  • The fabric is easy to sew, so it is a perfect choice for beginners.
• Organic fabrics:
  • Parents looking to be sustainable and ensure their baby’s well-being must use organic materials.
  • Organic cotton and bamboo fabrics are the two best fabric choices.
  • Both are free of chemicals and are soft, breathable, and absorbent.
• Upcycled fabrics:
  • Another choice for eco-friendly parents would be to pick upcycled fabrics to make their baby burp cloths.
  • Repurposing old towels, sheets, or clothes is both eco-friendly and cost-effective.

Essential Supplies

Once you have picked the right material, you will need some essential items to make baby burp cloths. Here are the essential items you will need:

• Fabric scissors or rotary cutter:
  • Either will work when you need to cut fabrics evenly and accurately.
• Sewing machine or needle and thread:
  • The machine will help you make burp cloths easily and quickly.
  • The needle and thread process allows for a more hands-on approach. But it isn’t for beginners.
• High-quality thread:
  • These threads ensure the result is more durable and can handle more washing.
• Pins or fabric clips:
  • These are necessary when you need to layer multiple fabrics as you sew.
• Measuring tape or ruler:
  • Necessary when marking pieces of fabric for cutting or sewing.
• Iron and ironing board:
  • Before or after sewing, fabrics might require straightening or removing wrinkles.
• Fabric marker or chalk:
  • Used along with tape or ruler for marking fabric pieces.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Baby Burp Cloths

To make baby burp cloths, you aren’t required to follow any crazy or complicated steps. In fact, our guide only has four major steps that need to be followed. So let’s answer how to make baby burp cloths in four easy steps:

Step 1: Choosing the Right Size and Shape

The standard size of commercially available baby burp cloths is 10 inches by 20 inches, making it a rectangle. However, other shapes and various sizes are available as well. So, the first step to making them would be to pick the right size and shape for yourself.

Here are some of the other sizes and shapes you can go with:

• Rectangle:
  • The most common and versatile shape to choose.
  • Gives enough space and can be folded for extra thickness.
• Contour:
  • Unusual shape but ideal for putting over the shoulder.
• Oval or circle:
  • Much less common and, therefore, a unique shape to choose from.
  • Very useful for mopping up smaller spills or acting as an accessory.

Step 2: Cutting the Fabric

Once you have chosen the shape of your DIY burp cloth, you need to cut the fabric. But there are steps you need to take during this step (WOW) to get the best cuts. Here is what you need to do:

• Prepping:
  • Before you can start to cut your fabric for burp cloths, you need to prep them
  • You should pre-wash the clothes with baby-safe detergent and not any fabric softeners.
• Measurement:
  • With the prep done, you will need to make accurate measurements.
  • Use a measuring tape.
  • Go with the standard sizes if you are a beginner.
  • Use a marker to keep track of them when cutting.
• Cutting:
  • Cut along the marks you have made gently and slowly for accuracy.
  • Cut an extra amount in the same size to add layers for absorbency.

Step 3: Sewing the Burp Cloths

After completing the cutting portion of the steps, you will need to sew everything together. Follow our guide to sewing to ensure you do everything properly.

• Layer prepping:
  • Lay the top and bottom pieces of fabric on top of each other.
  • Ensure the right sides are facing up.
  • Put a third piece in between if you are layering.
  • Use pins or clips to keep the layers even and in shape.
• Edge sewing:
  • If you are using a machine for sewing, set the machine to straight stitch.
  • Sew slowly around the edges, leaving a gap of 2 or 3 inches on one side.
  • Trim the edges to make the burp cloth less bulky.
• Turning and pressing:
  • Through the gap, turn the entire thing on the right side out.
  • Use a pencil or blunt object to push out the corners.
  • Use an iron to straighten the entire cloth.
• Closing the gap:
  • Use a topstitch or edge stitch to close the gap.
• Adding decorations:
  • Use some embroidery, fabric shapes, or ribbon trims to add some style to your baby burp cloths.

Step 4: Washing and Preparing the Burp Cloths

While you have completed your project to make baby burp cloths, you aren’t done yet. Before using any fabric on your baby, pre-wash it to remove chemicals and other irritants.

Here is how you wash your baby burp cloths before use:

• Washing instructions:
  • Use warm water and baby-safe detergents.
  • No bleach or fabric softeners are needed, as they can harm your baby.
  • If you have any decorations, turn the clothes outside to protect them.
• Drying instructions:
  • Air dry the burp cloth to avoid shrinkage and proper drying.
  • If you are in a hurry, tumble dry at the lowest settings.
• Final instructions:
  • Iron the dried baby burp cloths to smooth out wrinkles.
  • Fold and store them in a decorative basket near the feeding area for easier access.

You have done it! You have made baby burp cloths yourself, which will look amazing.

Related: When Do Babies Start Wearing Bibs? Advice for New Parents

Creative Design Ideas for Stylish Baby Burp Cloths

Matching Burp Cloths to Baby Outfits

Even though your baby’s burp cloths are meant to be used for cleaning up after your baby, they don’t have to look bland. Instead, you can mix and match all the designs and patterns with your baby’s clothes for a clean and cute look.

Seasonal and Thematic Designs

One easy way to stylize baby burp cloths with your baby’s outfit is to match the season or theme. Here are some ideas:

• Summer: Go with floral patterns, bright colors, or water designs.
• Winter: Opt for snowflakes, cozy plaids, or Christmas designs.
• Holiday: Match the themes of the holiday times around you. Each holiday has its own colors and patterns to go with that.

Personalized Burp Cloths

Another great design idea for baby burp cloths is to personalize them. Add your names, your kids’ initials, or symbols you like to make the clothes more personal.

Tips for Maintaining Baby Burp Cloths

Looking after the baby burp cloths you have made doesn’t have to be too difficult. In fact, there are simple steps you can follow to ensure the burp cloths are well taken care of.

Washing and Care Instructions

To ensure your burp cloths are well taken off, you should:

• Wash them after use in warm water with gentle, baby-safe detergent.
• Don’t use any bleach, fabric softener, or any other kind of solution with harsh chemicals.
• Only tumble dry on the lowest heat if short on time; otherwise, air-dry them.

Storing Burp Cloths

Storing baby burp cloths is quite simple. You only need to iron them after washing and then fold them neatly. To store them properly, keep them in a basket or box near or around where you feed your baby. This will allow you to find and use them more easily.

Benefits of DIY Burp Cloths for Kids’ Fashion

With how essential baby burp cloths are for parents, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that parents sometimes buy or make them in bulk. DIY baby burp cloths have many benefits if you don’t know. Here are some of them:

Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Options

When you make baby burp cloths yourself with natural or recycled materials, you save money, do your part in taking care of the environment, and ensure that additional materials aren’t wasted in packaging and shipping.

Unique and Trendy Designs

DIY baby burp cloths make excellent accessories that are both practical and stylish. Since you make them yourself, parents can personalize them with their hearts’ consent. There are too many patterns, colors, and designs to pick from, so you can definitely find something unique and trendy.  

Cost-Effective and Practical

Taking care of a baby is a costly endeavor, so parents are always looking for ways to cut costs. One such area can be baby burp cloths that you can make yourself. The materials needed for them are easily available, and even organic materials are quite affordable in bulk. By buying materials in bulk, you can make as many as you want; you will need a lot of them anyway.

Related: Can You Use Fabric Softener on Newborn Clothes? A Complete Guide for Parents

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

There aren’t too many steps to making baby burp cloths. Our guide covers the entire process in four easy steps. You need to pick the right fabrics, prep and measure them, cut and sew them, and finally wash, dry, and iron them out.

With a DIY project like this, you can make this accessory however you like. That’s why DIY projects like these are so popular nowadays. This is an excellent project because you can make it as personal as you want and do your part to take care of the environment. So have fun and create the most stylish burp cloth to remove your baby and make the outfit look fantastic.