Flannel Sheets for Toddler Beds

We live in an older house, and even with new windows and new siding, our bedrooms are still drafty. I just recently got myself a set of flannel sheets and tried to find the girls a set too.

I just hate that you cannot find "big girl" sheets for toddler beds. All the stores carry baby looking sheets, why even have toddler beds then? And, the stores certainly do not carry flannel sheets for toddler beds, so I am making the girls a set with matching pillow cases for Christmas. The sheet in the pictures is for Ayra, she loves pigs, and I am going to make a penguin sheet for Jaiden.

Supplies:
2 yards cotton or cotton flannel material
2 - 26" pieces of 3/8" elastic
Extras:
8x8" cardboard template

1. Make sure to prewash and dry material (it's very important). Iron if needed.

2. Cut 3" off the length of the material to give you a piece that measures 45"x69".

3. Fold the material into 4ths and lay the template on the bottom corner. Make sure you will not be cutting into any folds.

4. Cut out template to make the corners of your sheet.
It should look like this when it is unfolded:

5. Serge the top and bottom of the sheet, the smaller sides. This will keep it from fraying in the wash. If you do not have a serger, fold under 1/4" and then 1/4" again and sew.

6. To sew the corners: With WRONG sides together, fold the corner onto itself by matching point A to point A. Sew with a 1/8" seam allowance. Do this with all 4 corners.


7. Turn wrong side out and press seams flat. Now, with RIGHT sides together, sew corner seams again using 1/4" seam allowance. This method with keep the seams from fraying when washing. This is what each corner should look like when completed:

8. You need to make some reference points on the corners for the elastic. Using a cutting mat or a ruler, place the corner seam on the 12" point and make a mark. Now on the left, make a mark at the zero. Then to the right, make a mark at the 24" point. Do this to all four corners.

9. On both pieces of elastic make the following reference marks: 6", 12", 14", and 20".

10. Align one piece of elastic with the first mark to the left of the corner at the top of the sheet. Using a long stitch, start sewing in place. Stretch the elastic as much as you can to match the reference marks on the elastic to the ones on the sheet. Do this with the other piece of elastic to the bottom of the sheet.

That's it! It took me less than a hour to make this sheet. They fit pretty well on both girls' mattresses. I cannot wait for them to use them!


My sheet was based upon the instructions I found here.