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UC Davis Children’s Hospital

Blankets and Pillowcases | Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy | UC Davis Children's Hospital

Blankets and pillowcases

Learn how to make infant blankets, blankets, and pillowcases to donate to UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Infant blankets

These are instructions for making a 30" x 30" infant flannel blanket. 

Materials

  • 1 or 2 pre-washed pieces of flannel (best are bright, cheerful colors and patterns)
  • Matching thread
  • Sewing machine or by hand

Instructions

  1. Cut and trim the fabric into 30" x 30" matching sheets. 
  2. Find a flat round object and use that as a template and curve the corner of the blanket. 
  3. Place the sides of the fabric which you want outside when finished facing each other (the pattered or brighter side) and sew a normal stitch 1/4 of an inch from the edge, leaving a 5" gap one side to turn the blanket right side out. Cut small strips up to the thread on each corner.
  4. Turn the blanket inside out, pushing the corners out and flat. 
  5. Seam the 5" gap closed.
  6. Using a zig-zag or decorative stitch, sew all around the perimeter of the blanket. 

Blankets

These are instructions for blankets sizes 36" x 36" up to 72" x 90" (fleece, quilted). Material should be pre-washed and brightly colored. 

Materials

  • 3 yards of fleece makes a good sized throw blanket. (1 1/2 yard each two colors)
  • 5 yards will make a twin sized blanket (2 1/2 yards each two colors)
  • Choose bright, cheerful colored fabrics and prints
  • Scissors
  • 3"x3" cardboard square templates
  • 1"x3" cardboard templates (if making a tie blanket)
  • Embroidery floss and needle (if making a stitch blanket)

Instructions

  1. Spread out the two sheets of fleece; one on top of the other. Trim to match material. Using the 3"x3" cardboard template, cut out all the corners. Make sure you are cutting through both layers.
  2. Attaching the two layers and finishing the edges: For tied blankets, use the 1"x3" template to cut strips from each corner down the end and along the side. Tie the bottom layer to the top by using a simple knot. 
  3. Another option is to stitch the 2 pieces together using embroidery floss. Finish stitches.

Pillowcases

Thank you for your interest in donating handmade pillowcases. We request standard size (20"x26") pillowcases – 40" by 40" (1 yard of 45" wide fabric).

Instructions

  1. Pre-wash in warm or hot water and machine dry fabric to pre-shrink materials. (If you have a serger, serge cut edges of fabric to keep fabric from fraying and knotting up during fist wash.)
  2. Draw rectangle measuring 19 3/4" x 31" on a large piece of paper (or draw directly on wrong side of your fabric with a pencil or chalk).
  3. Pin pattern on fold of fabric (make sure fabric print is running in the direction you want) and cut through both layers around other three sides. Unpin from pattern. 
  4. If adding trim, unfold cut fabric and attach trim. Finished pillowcase will measure approximately 19 1/2" x 29 1/2"
  5. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, pin folded fabric (right sides touching) and sew the long side and one (untrimmed) short side, making an L-shaped seam.
  6. Serge or zigzag seam allowance together to finish seam and to prevent fraying. 
  7. Turn pillowcase right-side out and press seams.
  8. To hem open end, iron 1/4" fold to the inside and then fold in another 1" and press.