Tie Swaddle Blanket – FREE Pattern and Tutorial

August 30, 2022

Kristen Bunch

Skill Level: Confident Beginner

In need of a quick and easy baby shower gift? Or need something cozy and cute for your little one on the way? This simple and unique and free swaddle blanket pattern and tutorial is great option!

This post is based off a tutorial found on Pretty Prudent with a few minor changes – you can find the original tutorial here: https://www.prettyprudent.com/new-improved-diy-swaddle-blanket-2/
The matching sleep gown is the Lapneck Gown featuring drawstring closure from Lowland Kids. The hat is from the Baby Sleeper Gown and Cap pattern from Ellie and Mac (affiliate).

PREPARATION

Gather Supplies:

Pattern

No pattern is required for this tutorial – all cuts will be based on measurements or drawn free-hand

Fabric - This tutorial is designed for lightweight knit fabrics

Fabric with 30% stretch or less seems to work well

From In House Printing: I highly recommend High Loft Jersey knit – it is lightweight with a great drape! Premium Athletic Knit would also work but has significantly more stretch

The featured print and fabric base is Lilly Turtles on Pink from the Lilly Pulitzer Inspired Collection in Spun High Loft (affiliate)

From Preorder: Cotton Spandex or Bamboo Spandex – again these fabrics have 50% stretch or more. They will work but will perform a little differently

Amount required:

Main: 1 yard
Trim: < ½ yard or long scraps - the hot pink trim shown is cotton spandex from my fabric stash

Cutting Mat & Rotary Cutter

If you don’t have these, that’s okay – you can use fabric scissors. A Cutting Mat and Rotary Cutter just make measuring and cutting a little faster and easier

Fabric Markers

Washable markers used to mark your pattern pieces

Straight Pins and Quilting Clips

Used to hold your pieces together while sewing

Iron and Ironing Board/Mat

For pressing (as desired)

Sewing Machine

This blanket can be made completely using a sewing machine. A serger can be used along the blanket seams, if desired, but it is not required

Cut:

To start, you will need 1 yard of main fabric – since custom fabric tends to be wider than other fabrics, I used a muslin swaddle to cut it to the correct size. If you prefer your blanket to be more oversized, just cut straight down at 36 inches.

Next, fold your yard in half, length-wise, and cut on the diagonal to create two symmetrical triangles

Place the folded piece to the side and take the two pieces you cut off (not the folded piece) and free-hand draw a “bottle” shape, as pictured. Cut out your shape. Note: I layered my two pieces on top of one another so that they are even when they are cut out.

Cut your trim fabric into 1 ½ in strips, enough to go all the way around the 2 bottle pieces (swaddle).

BLANKET

Now take your folded piece you set aside (blanket) and finish the edges (if desired) using either a serger or a zig-zag stitch.

Fold your finished edge over twice to cover your finished edge. Press if desired. Pin or clip in place. Sew using a straight stitch with lengthened stitch length. Note – I finished my edges using a twin needle; however a single needle works just as well.

SWADDLE

Next, we are going to create a French Seam on the back of our swaddle. Take your two bottle pieces and place WRONG SIDES TOGETHER. Line up the straight edges on the wide part of the pieces and sew together.

Fold pieces over so that they are right sides together and the raw edge is covered. Press seam flat, and sew across the seam with a 5/8” seam allowance.

Open the swaddle back up, fold your seam to one side, press if desired. Sew the flap down.

Next, finish the outside seam of the swaddle, as desired, using a serger or zig-zag stitch. Then add your strips of trim fabric to the edge of your swaddle piece with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER

Note: you will need to fold over the raw edge of the trim with WRONG SIDES TOGETHER.

Continue pinning trim fabric around the outside edge of the swaddle until you reach the beginning of where you started pinning. Overlap the trim by about 1 inch. Sew all the way around until the trim is completely sewn to the swaddle.

Flip the sewn edge towards the outside edge. Fold the outside edge toward the sewn edge. Fold the outside edge over the sewn edge to create the binding. Press if desired. Pin in place. Sew to secure binding.

ADDING THE SWADDLE TO THE BLANKET

Fold the blanket in half lengthwise. Mark on the crease with a fabric marker (marked here with clips)

Line the seam of the swaddle up with the crease line of the blanket. Using a ruler or measuring tape, mark 3.5 inches and 7.5 inches down on the swaddle. The space above and below these marks is where you sew your swaddle to your blanket.

The space between the marks will be used to tuck the swaddle around the blanket if you would rather not tie it.

Secure the swaddle to the blanket by sewing above and below the marks from the previous step. If you are feeling extra fancy, you can use an embroidery stitch. Make sure to secure your stitches by backstitching on each end.