making a toddler sleeping bag (and other stories)

1 June 2014


Our little one LOVES camping as much as we do, which is very lucky for us. (Mind you, I have never known any kids not to like camping). She currently uses her baby sleep sack at night (the one with armholes) but she is on the verge of popping out of it as she is getting bigger now. She also used her pop-up cot a lot, but we have now bought a bunk bed that fits into the cab area of our camper van, so she will be using that from now on (exciting!). Anyhows, I digress...I then had to look around for a nice toddler sleeping bag but no luck (unless you don't mind Peppa Pig that is). So I decided to make one, as Peppa Pig doesn't quite fit in with my camping look, which I aim to look like this...
ha ha! Anyways, here is how I did it in case you are thinking to do the same.

I did it this way but I don't know if there is a way it 'should' be made (blah blah). Basically you have to sandwich the fabrics so that the right side of the outer fabric and the right side of the lining fabric are facing each other, then lay the wadding on top of that. I used a polyester wadding because I wanted it to be light but warm, however this wadding was not a very nice one and was a bit too ridged for my liking, but oh well...

then sew them together around the edges, make sure to leave a gap...

trim off the excess, then turn the whole thing inside out and stitch up the gap in the seam.

I then did a bit of quilting, I used the flowers as a marker to make zig-zags...

to be honest, this sleeping bag was pretty thick (thats good for camping) but was quite a lot of job to stuff under the machine on a hot day.

it ended up like this at the end (this is the inside)



I then pinned on the zip. The size of the sleeping bag actually was defined by how much fabric I had and the length of the zip I found.

I was going to use a bias binding to sew along the inside edge of the zip but in the end it became too think and I took the easy option and just zig zag stitched it, maybe not as pretty, but it will do.

hey presto!

The good thing is that it can be unzipped to make a nice quilt, or used as a mattress of it is a warm night. I hope it will last her a good few years (as she is quite small for age so far ; )
I tried to take a nice pic of a happy tot on her new quilt but...it didn't happen.

I also made some pillow cases for our inflatable pillows to keep in our van.

In other news, there have been some lovely local events on in our hood.


and our kiddo got to pick her first strawberry...



but she didn't really understand the concept of waiting till they are ripe and wanted to pick them all...



toddlers eh?

19 comments

  1. You make the most beautiful things! The pattern on the fabric is so gorgeous

    ellenunderwater.blogspot.co.uk

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  2. Lovely little sleeping bag for a lovely little toddler! So fun watching her grow up via your pics! Have lots of fun camping times this summer.

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  3. Hello
    Great sleeping bag, I always intended to make my daughter Leni a sleeping bag but just ending up making weird little quilts instead but love the idea of zipping the quilt to make a sleeping bag. Thanks for sharing

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  4. Anonymous1.6.14

    Brilliant! Our little 'un loves camping in the van but always wakes up in the small hours with cold hands, I'll have to make him one of these and he'll be toasty warm. I may even have to make 'mum and dad' versions too. Gotta go on a BIG zip hunt...
    Thanks for the inspiration.x

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  5. That sleeping bag is beautiful; I love the bright yellow zip in contrast with the Liberty print fabric :) I've just discovered your blog via Louisa at Duck in a Dress and I'm so glad I did- it's delightful.

    Bless your little one about the strawberries- what a heart melting display of strawberryless despair! xxx

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  6. You are one talented lady!!! - absolutely love your blog, and the things you make are truly gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing, big hugs from Whitstable x

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  7. Very profesh sleeping bag and lovely fabric.
    x

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  8. lovely...just lovely...

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  9. Toddlers erhh ;) That sleeping bag you made is gorgeous, love the fabrics you used. We just bought ourselves a tant and hoping to go camping first time this summer :)

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  10. Gorgeous sleeping bag! I think you're going to have some amazing camping adventures this summer. :)

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  11. Always a pleasure to look at your creations!

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  12. What a fab idea to make your own sleeping bag. I have a huge 70s pink flowery number that I adore and is soooo warm and much nicer than those mummy style ones. Elinor x

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  13. I've had a sleeping bag on my to-make list for ages, and this one has turned out so beautifully! I love your pics of Pehr, she's so funny :)

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  14. very funny..... such "trauma" ..... the sleeping bag looks lovely....hope little Pehr has many happy sleeps and adventures in your van for many a year.

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  15. Anonymous2.6.14

    Synchronicity. I was trying to figure out new sleeping arrangements for my daughter in the van. She recently outgrew her ''bubble''; that lovely pop-up travel cot (the idea came from you!!! Thanks!) Did you get he bunk bed specific to the van? Our van is a newer model ('83) and doesn't have the option.
    Lovely sleeping bag.
    I also have a sometimes-not-cooperating and flash-tantrum toddler; so much fun most of the time :)
    Seeing Pehr grow up is really great.
    Such fantastic pictures, projects and your writing always gets a smile out of me.
    Love it all.

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  16. Pehr always makes me smile, her 'tantrum face' is absolutely adorable. Still looks like a squirrel to me!

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  17. Oh, such a great sleeping bag ! I plan to go camping with my daughter too. So, thank you for the tutorial. The picture on the beach , with the dark sky is gorgeous!!!

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  18. I'm curious how little one's react when you show them pictures of their tantrums after the heat of the moment and ask them to explain what was happening. I wonder how introspective they are.

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    1. Well Unknown, (I often wonder why people post comments anonymously), she finds it funny when we show her video clip of her having a tantrum or do an impression of her having a tantrum, but I don't think 1.5 year olds are that introspective to be honest!

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