Sleep is an essential part of our life. Our mood and the quality of sleep depend on how comfortable we are in bed. Children in a dream are very active, they often turn over, swing their arms and legs, so often the edges of the bed linen are knocked out and form a lump. The solution to this problem is the elasticized sheet in the crib.
Choice of fabric
Sheets with an elastic band are firmly fixed in the life of a modern person due to the fact that they are very convenient to use. It is also convenient to use such sheets if the shape of the bed is round, since the standard options do not quite fit.
Sewing a sheet with your own hands will take a little time, but it can significantly save the family budget. To do this, you need the following accessories:
- pins;
- scissors;
- sewing machine;
- the cloth;
- threads;
- linen elastic;
- edging tape;
- iron.
The fabric can be chosen according to the preferences of the owners: colored or plain, terry or knitted.
Cotton fabrics are natural, hypoallergenic, breathable and safe for babies. Bamboo fiber has antimicrobial and anti-mite properties and is highly absorbent. Chintz is one of the most affordable materials, but wears out quickly. Percale and coarse calico have a high density - the shape of such products does not change during use or washing.
Flannel is pleasant to the skin due to its softness, but it can settle during use. Satin does not wrinkle and has high wear resistance. Knitted fabrics can quickly lose color (in order to avoid such a result, it is necessary to carefully study the composition of the vending fabric and take into account the manufacturer's recommendations on the temperature regime for washing products from such fabric) and stretch, but the softness and comfort of such products should be noted.
What to look for?
The main indicators that are recommended to pay attention to when choosing the most comfortable fabric are the positions described below.
- Composition. The study of the components will allow you to understand how many natural, artificial or synthetic fibers are in the material. The high percentage of natural fiber increases the value of the product. The use of predominantly natural fabrics is recommended, because they are much more valuable than synthetic ones due to their environmental friendliness, but may differ in their durability.
- Quality. Its indicators include the strength and durability of fabrics. Attention should also be paid to the color and method of processing materials, because often manufacturers neglect the technological process, thereby saving time for the production of fabrics. To find out how good the dyes it was dyed, you can take the selected fabric and rub it between your palms, then see if there are traces of dyes on your hands.
- The density of the fabric. It is different for all materials - you can see this on the packaging. The manufacturer indicates both the composition and density of the fabric.
- The price should correspond to the quality of the executed drawings on the fabric and color.
- The linen should be environmentally friendly, safe, not provoke an allergic reaction upon contact with the body. It should have good absorbency and breathability to allow the skin to receive and release oxygen.
- If it is necessary to make linen for a child , then it is necessary to take into account the possible time for washing it; so that the laundry is well washed, as often small children defecate on it. Also, it should dry quickly, be ironed without additional effort.
How to sew?
Below is a step-by-step option for sewing a flannel sheet, because it is especially comfortable for the baby's delicate skin.
The size of the children's bed mattress is 60x120 cm, the width of the flannel is 90 cm.In this case, you will need a piece of 1.5 m long.
In order to avoid possible shrinkage problems, the fabric can be washed before sewing. Shrinkage is calculated as follows:
- you need to take a piece of fabric 1x1 m;
- wash it in the same way as you plan to wash linen;
- the material should be dried, ironed thoroughly;
- after the procedures performed, you can calculate how many villages the segment: shrinkage = 100 - (d2x100 / d1).
That is, if before washing it was 100 cm, and after washing it turned out to be 98 cm, then shrinkage = 100 - (98x100 / 100) = 2%.
Then you need to measure the fabric in accordance with the possible shrinkage. After that, in the corners of the resulting rectangle, it is necessary to cut out squares - you can make cardboard blanks in the form of squares for further use with a width of 15-17 cm.
After the figures are cut out, you need to sew the inner edges of the squares together - this way, you get a kind of envelope. Then you need to overlap the edges of the fabric or hem the edging tape (this method is more interesting due to its aesthetics).
In order to sew elastic bands, you will need four of these pieces, one on each side. The length of each cut of the elastic should be 25 cm. Along the edges of the sheet, markings should be made from each corner, 20 cm in both directions. The stretched elastic should be pinned so that the middle of the elastic is adjacent to the fillet seams. For convenience, you can iron the hem for the elastic around the perimeter of the sheet with an iron.
Then you should sew all this in a zigzag: the larger the zigzag, the better.
There are also other ways to sew rubber bands into sheets. For example, when not the entire perimeter of the product is stitched, but only two opposite sides. In this case, you need to correctly calculate the footage of the elastic so that the product fits snugly on all sides to the mattress (mattress topper).
After the work done, all the knots are tied on the resulting oval cover. The children's single bed sheet is ready, you can try it on the mattress.
By the same principle, sheets of other sizes can be sewn, regardless of the size of the bed. If the size of the fabric does not correspond to the width of the mattress, the height of the sides, then you can hem the sides separately.
The pattern is pretty simple. The main thing is to buy the required amount of fabric. To do this, you need to measure the length and width of the mattress, as well as the height of the sides. On average, it is about 15-20 cm.
Then draw a rectangle on the fabric. The width of one side is equal to the length of the mattress and the height of the two sides. That is, if the height of the side of the mattress is 20 cm, then you need to take 40 cm. Add another 30 cm to the first side and make the appropriate markings.
The other side of the mattress is equal to the width of the mattress, the height of the two sides, but you need to add another 20 cm.
After that, the resulting rectangle must have corners cut in the form of squares with a side of 15 + 10 cm.
For sewing a waterproof sheet, you will need a raincoat, from which raincoats and moisture-resistant suits are sewn. It is also possible to use oilcloth on a fabric basis. You need to take the required size of the waterproof fabric and sew it around the perimeter of the rectangle at the stage when the pattern is made from the main fabric. You can fix the fabric by longitudinal and lateral sewing with a sheet - this way it can last longer and does not lose its appearance when machine washed. By using a waterproof cloth, you can easily avoid contamination of the mattress (mattress topper) in case of baby's bowel movements.
Dimensions
It is important to carefully measure the size of the mattress before buying the fabric, since the dimensions, depending on the manufacturer, may not differ much. Mattresses for children are of the following sizes: 60x120, 60x190, 60x195, 60x200, 65x125, 65x190, 65x195, 65x200, 70x140, 70x160, 70x190, 70x195 , 70 by 200, 75 by 190, 75 by 200 and 80x160 cm.
Sizes of single options: 80 by 190, 80 by 195, 80 by 200, 85 by 190, 85 by 195, 85 by 200, 90 by 190, 90 by 195, 90 by 200, 95 by 190, 95 by 195 and 90 by 200 cm.
When choosing a set of bedding, you should also take into account possible variations in size in proportion to the age category of the child.
For children of preschool and primary school age, the sizes should be 120 by 60 or 125x65 cm, for school children from 6-7 years old and more - 160x80 and 160x70 cm.As for older children, there are slightly more options: 90x200, 80x190, 200x80 and 80x180 cm.
Also, before buying and cutting fabric, do not forget about the consumption of fabric for the height of the sides and for overlaying the material. Careful selection of the texture and size of the fabric will allow your child to enjoy a restful sleep.
How to calculate?
You can apply the following formula to calculate the fabric for sewing a sheet, where A is the width of the mattress, B is its length, and C is the thickness.
The width of the sheet is calculated as follows:
W = A + 2xC + 2x2 cm + 2x6 cm (for seams and allowance).
Sheet length:
D = B + 2xC + 2x2 cm + 2x6 cm (for seams and allowance).
After carrying out the necessary calculations, you should cut out a rectangle on the fabric with sides equal to W and D.
For information on how to sew a sheet with an elastic band in a baby cot, see the video below.