DIY crib sheets and changing pad cover add a POP of color!

I really don’t fancy the basic changing pad covers and sheets that you can get at Target or Babies R’ Us.  A bit too plain for my taste, and most often come in pastel colors.  Pardon me but, Barf! So, I’ve been on the hunt for brightly colored fabric for our changing pad cover and crib skirt.  For the sheets, my initial thought was to purchase crib sheets on Etsy.  I found a couple of sellers who make sheets in virtually any color cotton for about $15-18 each.  Not bad when you compare it to Land Of Nod sheets at $29 each.

TigersTies-Etsy

RagexLove- Etsy

But, when we found that Fabric Depot in Portland had a 30% off sale on everything in the store, we kind of jumped at the chance to purchase fabric, even if I wasn’t totally sure what it’d be used for.  (BTW, I say “we” jumped at the chance, because Chris was super patient and took the reins on getting me through the decision making process in the store.  It was a bit scary for a few minutes there, and at one point I almost threw in the towel and walked out of the store).

I used this tutorial from Prudent Baby blog for the crib sheets.  It turned out slightly smaller than I would’ve liked, but it was super easy to make and it still covers the undersides of the mattress, even if its just barely. (If you have a bigger mattress than ours though, you’d have to use wider than standard fabric)

For our sheets we purchased 2yds each color (red, teal, yellow) at $7.99 each + 30% discount= which meant we paid approx $11.18 per sheet!   (I don’t include the elastic because it was only $2.49 for 5 yds.)

The changing pad cover ended up being a completely different fabric than I was planning on.  Chris gently mentioned that I might be making the room a bit too feminine with my choice of fabrics.  Not wanting to have too much of a theme, but really wanting bright colors, we settled on this fabric. It has all the colors I love and a little bit of an animal/jungle theme for our little boy.

Bungle Jungle by Tim and Beck for Moda, in Critters Toss

I used this contoured changing pad cover tutorial that I found on Pinterest. It doesn’t use elastic, but the template and miter corners custom fit the cover for a contoured pad.  It slips on and off with a little squeezing of the changing pad.  We plan on using pad liners to prevent having to change it so much.  But I will be making one or two more of these.

It took about 1 yard of fabric at $11.99 each + 30% discount= which meant we paid about $8.40 per cover!   Land of Nod sells theirs for a whopping $35! Even the Carters covers at Babies R’ Us are $17.99.

So these were my Saturday projects (along with painting the wall in the office- but that’s for another post):  Get a changing pad cover done and sew a crib sheet.

I started with the changing pad cover early in the day….

Using freezer paper to create a template

Finished product-ends are specifically made for the contoured pad!

All ready for my little man’s diaper changes

Then after recharging a bit, I moved on to the crib sheet…

Fits well around the mattress!

I would’ve liked a bit more fabric on the undersides, but it’ll be a lesson for next time.

Next, I’ll make a bright red one and bright yellow one

Despite sewing two of the crib sheet corners backwards, having to rip the seams out, and my bobbin jamming up for 25 minutes, both projects were fantastically successful!  It’s was all a little sweat equity to save us some dollars on the basics we need for Baby T.  I have the definite realization that they may not hold up as well as other store bought sheets/covers but it gives me happiness knowing I made something for him and it fits my vision of the nursery too!

UPDATE: to see the completed nursery, visit my reveal post here: Baby T’s Nursery Reveal

So long for now- tomorrow we put together the desk and bookshelves we bought for the office.  Sneak peak at the accent wall color….

Mood Indigo by Behr