Baby Crib Sheet 'pattern'

I just 'had' to make a matching crib sheet for DD (dear daughter) .... so here is what I figured out. You might want to print this out and file for future reference - even if you don't need it now. 45" fabric worked just fine - and you need 1 3/4 (1.75) yards. If it is a 60" wide knit that stretches pretty well, you might be able to get the length out of one width.-- with yardage needed being 1 1/4 (1.25) yards.

I'm going to go ahead and explain things - then try to add the picture I scanned of the 'pattern' to this post...

You need the depth, length and width of your mattress. I've allowed for just 1/4" seams. The total width Ii needed (43") was so close to what the fabric was - I just used the total width of the fabric, thereby letting the selvages 'finish' the long edges.

The pattern amounts to a huge rectange of the width by the length (+ 1/4" to each) with a square cut out of each corner equal to the depth of the mattress plus 1/4".

You then pull those 2 edges of each corner cut out together and stitch in a 1/4" seam (I then serged too) to create a 'box'.

Then - the elastic. I used 1/4" elastic, and a 29" piece for each 'end'. Divide the elastic in half, and pin that mark to the half point of the end (width) side of the 'sheet'. Then, each end will be stretched to meet a point 13 1/2 (13.5)" down along each side (length) of the sheet. Place the elastic on the WRONG side of the sheet, obviously. I then put my sewing machine on a big wide zig zag and stretched the elastic to fit and stitched it on - leaving a bit of fabric off to the side (which will be serged off to finish). I do this with the elastic UP at the sewing machine for proper placement. If you have 'needle down' on your machine - use it! Left hand belongs behind the machine, right hand in front of the machine to stretch your work so it 'works'.

Then - at the serger, with ELASTIC side UP at the serger - I skim off that extra bit of fabric to finish. Be VERY careful not to cut into the elastic - or you 'kill' the elastic! :)



That's it folks. Done. Pretty easy.