Sewing a crinkle cloth: A wonderful gift for babies. With my instructions, even beginners can easily sew a crinkle cloth themselves.
The most important things at a glance
- In these instructions, you will learn which fabrics are well-suited for crinkle cloths
- I will show you a way to make colorful loops all around the crinkle cloth without using pre-made ribbon.
- You will learn that an oven bag is good for more than just cooking. ;-)
- Sewing level: easy
- Sewing time: 45 min.
What is a crinkle cloth?
A crinkle cloth is a cloth filled with crinkly film. When a baby grabs it, it makes crackling sounds. A colorful crinkle cloth can help a baby discover their senses. It is truly more than just a small, colorful scrap of fabric. A small crinkle cloth is easy for a baby to grasp, crumple up, and snuggle into. And it crinkles, too. That is excellent for the senses! It can become a lasting companion and provide comfort. A crinkle cloth is a versatile gift – for grabbing, chewing, and cuddling.
Why should I sew a crinkle cloth myself?
Have you ever asked yourself what you can sew for a birth?
How about a crinkle cloth for babies? You can easily conjure up a wonderful gift that awakens a baby's senses. It is truly super simple and can become a loyal companion into the toddler years. Your fabric scraps will be put to the best possible use, I promise!
Can I sew a crinkle cloth as a beginner?
Well, if not this, then what?! It is definitely a brilliant beginner project. If you sew the crinkle cloth using jersey fabrics, you can even "dip your toes" into sewing with elastic fabrics if you have never done it before. After all, elastic fabrics are a bit more difficult to sew than woven ones.
Can I also sew a security blanket with these instructions?
Would you like to do without the crinkle film or the use of plastic and synthetics in general? Great! Then these instructions are perfect for you, too. You can simply leave out the crinkle film and otherwise sew the cloth exactly as described in the instructions.
What fabrics can I use to sew a crinkle cloth?
You have many options and can choose from several types of fabric. You should make sure that it is a soft fabric and that it has definitely been produced and processed to be free of harmful substances. You should look for certified organic fabrics. Why? The baby is constantly surrounded by it, puts it in their mouth, bites on it, and cuddles in the cloth. That alone justifies the choice of such fabrics.
Even the small loops that peek out of the cloth should be made of such fabrics. Because colorful organic-quality woven ribbons are harder to find in the variety we are otherwise used to.
I want to deliberately avoid other small parts to sew in. It would be easy to sew beads, rings, or other beautiful things into the cloth. However, should a seam come loose, there is a risk that the baby could choke on them.
Fabric recommendation for a crinkle cloth
Here is a selection of suitable fabrics for crinkle cloths
| Fabric type | Tips & notes | Source |
| firm organic cotton (woven) |
- versatile all-purpose fabric - universal needle, size 70 - 80 |
You can order organic cotton here |
| organic cotton batiste | - firm and thin, feels a bit like silk - universal needle, size 60-70 |
You can order organic batiste here |
| organic cotton muslin/double gauze | - light fabric that falls fluffily - Double gauze is a soft double weave that is connected at certain points - universal needle, size 70-80 |
You can order organic muslin here* |
| jersey (organic cotton) | - pleasantly soft fabric, very absorbent - jersey or stretch needle, size 60-80 - use a walking foot if necessary |
You can order organic jersey here* |
| canvas | - firm woven fabric for robust cloths - universal needle, size 80 - 90 |
You can order canvas here* |
For the colorful loops, you can use fabric scraps from organic fabrics. It is great if you pay attention to different textures, e.g., fluffy Nicki, firm cotton weave, stretchy jersey, or silky batiste. You can really get creative here.
How do I prepare the fabrics?
Basically, the rule is: Before you start cutting, all fabrics should be washed. They can shrink or bleed. Depending on the type of fabric, there are different washing recommendations. Blended or synthetic fibers do not shrink as much as natural fibers. Therefore, always pay attention to the composition and care instructions.
What makes the crinkle cloth crinkle?
An oven bag - It crinkles and can withstand heat! So what could be better for filling this crinkle cloth than a crinkle-crinkle oven bag? And since it can withstand high heat, washing the crinkle cloth is perfectly safe.
This is what the crinkle cloth should be filled with. You can also buy material specifically for sewing a crinkle cloth in stores. But a roasting bag also works, as it is food-safe and naturally heat-resistant. And yes, this roasting bag also crinkles. The rest can go back to the kitchen for your next oven dish. Practical, right?
What accessories do I need to sew a crinkle cloth for babies?
You need the conventional items that you might already count among your equipment anyway.
- Fabric scissors*
- Measuring tape*
- Pins*
- Marking pen*
- Iron*
- Sewing thread*
- a piece of oven bag or crinkle film for sewing in*
- Rotary cutter & cutting mat*
- Ruler*
- Fabric clips*
- Seam ripper*
- Sewing machine
Which sewing thread is suitable for crinkle cloths?
You can use a standard all-purpose sewing thread (polyester). You might already have this thread in your stock, and as the name suggests, this thread can be used for pretty much everything. I have linked my favorite thread in the list of materials.
What is the best way to cut the fabrics for the crinkle cloth?
There are several ways to cut the fabrics for the crinkle cloth.
My tip: Cut your fabric with fabric scissors or a rotary cutter. It depends on what you prefer. Working with a rotary cutter is especially neat and clean, but also quite fast. If you have not had any experience with it yet, you can learn more about it here: read everything about rotary cutters.
What must my sewing machine be able to do?
Nothing more than the absolute basics are necessary to sew the crinkle cloth. For this sewing project, your sewing machine needs a conventional straight stitch and a zigzag stitch.
You should equip your sewing machine with a zigzag or a straight stitch foot. If your prepared loops are a bit bulky, you can also use a walking foot. It ensures that thick layers of fabric are transported well. You can find more tips in my post sewing thick fabrics.
Can I sew a crinkle cloth with an overlocker?
If you want to sew a crinkle cloth for babies, you can also sew it together with an overlocker. This is because the crinkle cloth only consists of two pieces of fabric, which are later turned right side out.
My tip: Folding in the seam allowance works much better if you sew a few stitches with the sewing machine before and after the opening for turning. Especially for beginners, closing the turning opening in this way is much easier.
What are the best dimensions to use for a crinkle cloth?
You can be creative with the dimensions for the crinkle cloth. Everything between 20 x 20 cm and 30 x 30 cm is common. Important: You should always add a seam allowance of about 1 cm.
If you make the crinkle cloth a bit larger, you naturally have more options or more space to sew in "fiddly bits." And the baby will have more to grab onto as they get older. In my example here in the instructions, the crinkle cloth is approximately 28 x 28 cm.
In the video, my fabric cut has a base dimension of 25 x 25 cm. The finished cloth is therefore 23 x 23 cm.
What dimensions are suitable for the loops in the crinkle cloth?
In my example, some loops have a total width of 1 cm.
If your loops should be 1 cm wide, cut them 4 cm wide. The loops should be approx. 8 - 12 cm long. They should protrude from the fabric by approx. 3 - 5 cm.
Why 4 times the width? The loops should be nice and stable. The fabric is 4-layered and only needs one seam on the side. Complicated turning of narrow strips is not necessary. You do not need to reinforce the fabric; the loops are stable enough as they are.
Extra tip: You can apply this type of loop to many projects. For example, the suspension for curtain panels, a torn-off loop for old dish towels, a loop for new beautiful homemade dish towels ;-), the suspension for a fabric basket if you don't have suitable webbing for a bag, and so on. You can vary the length and width as you like.
As a supplement to the woven fabric loops, you can also incorporate a jersey or Nicki strip.
Jersey does not fray, so you can process it with raw edges. For this, you can simply stretch the strip slightly and make a knot.
Of course, you can also cut a narrow triangle out of jersey, sew them right side to right side, and turn them inside out. Other shapes are also possible. Your imagination knows no bounds here.
How do I best get started now?
Get an overview of which fabrics you want to use for the crinkle cloth and which for the fabric loops. Perhaps you also have some soft jersey. With that, you could, for example, incorporate a knotted jersey ribbon. A bit of corduroy leftover or some cozy sweat fabric are also good alternatives.
YouTube Video: Sewing a Crinkle Cloth
Conclusion
It is a wonderful sewing project for beginners that can be implemented super quickly. It is also a great and very personal gift for a birth. Simone and I immediately conjured up a few more crinkle cloths. I also find the version as a cuddling or pacifier cloth without crinkle film very beautiful.
But hey, the article is called: Sewing a crinkle cloth and not "sewing a cuddling cloth." Ultimately, such a pacifier cloth works just the same. So, have courage to try it out: your self-sewn baby companion will surely be enchanting!
Are you wondering now what else you can sew for babies and children? How about a cute baby scarf? Or a self-sewn baby kicking bag?
Happy simple sewing
Sabine & Simone :)
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