The BBB (Blanket/Burpie/Bib) Nursery Layette

When I found I was pregnant, I immediately went into nesting mode. Never mind the fact that I was already in the second trimester and had law school finals to study for. I was determined to make things for my baby. I am, after all, a crafter before a law student.

I decided to go for blankets and burp cloths. After all, I knew that moms can never have too many of these, regardless of how we feel during the baby shower onslaught of receiving blankets. Janome suggested a pattern fashioned from a yard of cloth, but I didn't really like the size. The blanket seemed too big for strollers and car seats, and, although I like the longer, curved burp cloths, I find them less versatile than their smaller, cloth-diaper-sized counterparts. I also wanted bibs to match.

I raided my nephew's bib stash to measure and evaluate his bibs. The best were about the size of a letter-sized sheet of paper and had snaps instead of velcro or ties. Most were reversible, so you could (attempt) to hide the mess he made on the other side. I favored the rounded rectangle over the oblong-eggy shape, so I sketched out a bib based on all the features I liked.

Next came blankets. Receiving blankets range from 24" - 36", and some are square, some are rectangle. 24" seemed a bit small, and 34" seemed a little big. I liked the idea of having a mostly-rectangle so I could drape it over my stroller better. I settled on 27 x 30".

That left the burp cloth. I figured, if I did it right, I could cut the blanket and bib, and have the perfect sized scrap for a burpie. Sure enough, I had worked it out. 3/4 yd off a 45" bolt yields a blanket, a bib, and a burpie. I was thrilled.

Finally, I decided I liked top-stitching and reversibility, so all the pieces had to be double-layered and top-stitched. Easier said than done; this is a lot of turn-and-stitching, but well worth it. In the end, I had amassed an impressive stash of flannel in complimentary colors and fun colors of threads. I set to work, and the fruits of my labors are showcased below.

Each layette features: a double-thickness burp cloth that measures 14.5 " x 11.5" - a great size for an over-the-shoulder burpie or (for cloth diapering moms like me) a diaper doubler (just fold in lengthwise quarters and stuff); a double-thickness receiving blanket that measures 27" x 30" - a great size for car seat, stroller, last-minute changing pad, or swaddling. If you have an extra-spitty baby, you can even fold it in half and throw it over your shoulder for an extra-large burp cloth; and a reversible bib measures 8" x 11" - the perfect size for your little one to grow into! My niece wore one this size from newborn 'til 18 months, so you'll get a good amount of use from it. It has snap closures; no scratchy velcro to irritate baby's sensitive skin.

Lessons learned:
1) I love, no *LOVE*, cotton flannel.
2) I hate hand-stitching.
3) Flannel comes in more adorable patterns than I have time to sew them all into adorable layettes.
4) A rotary cutter makes blanket-making MUCH easier.
5) Snaps are a pain to sew.

All in all, a fun project. I still have some cute fabrics laying around, waiting to be transformed into blankets. Cows, lions, and elephants. I'm sure they'll be more BBB's up here in the near future!