Well, it’s official, my little lady is getting big. She turned three today, and although she moved to a “big girl” toddler bed and potty trained months ago, this day still feels monumental. Unlike anything my boys ever requested, she asked our college babysitter to paint her toenails and fingernails. As a girl who did not once paint my nails until college, this is uncharted terrain for sure.

Ahem, but I digress.

So, while my sweet pea leaves behind so many bits and pieces of being a baby, a few can live on with new purpose!

Here’s how to quickly and easily turn a swaddling blanket into a mini pillowcase:

If you are like me, you have gobs of these sweet, lightweight, flannel swaddling blankets left over from your baby’s babyhood. To turn one into a pillowcase, simply start by folding it over along one side about six-to-eight inches (leaving the pretty patterned side facing out).

Fold the folded-in blanket in half (like above) and trim off the extra fabric from the bottom and left down to the size of the pillow.

To “measure,” I just lay the pillow form on top of the fabric lined up to one corner along the folded side and eyeball it to cut off the extra from the bottom and side. Alternatively, you could measure the pillow form seam to seam, and add a half inch or so to measurements to account for hem and pillow loft.

Then unfold it back to this (but with the extra cut off now), and sew straight along the fold line. [That way, your envelope closure will stay in place when you use it and not turn inside-out or stick out of your finished pillow.]

Okay, so here is the most important picture: it’s all you really need to see to pull this off. You already have a “finished edge” along the top because it’s a fold. Simply sew along the left-hand side and along the bottom to make a simple pillowcase.

The ruffle trim is not necessary, but a nice detail. You could simply sew a straight seam right around the opening. I used a zig-zag stitch to attach the ruffle while seaming the pillowcase.

Wait, did I just say ruffles are not necessary? Oof, I must be tired. Starting to talk crazy up in here.

And that’s it! Slip the pillow form in…

…and then pull one flap or the other over the pillow to tuck it in with cuteness.

So even from the side, the pillow looks pretty on Sis’s bed.

And shazaam! You have a happy [but functional] keepsake, and she has a snuggly soft new pillowcase.

This project meets the trifecta of crafty goodness for me: cheap, fast, and easy… OH! And adorable. Let’s not forget adorable. So… quadfecta??

Hmm, either way, wheeeeee! AND this would also be a fantastic way to upcycle a keepsake shirt (maybe from camp, school, or an event into a functional but attractive item for your child’s room, yes?!

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