Greetings! I posted this tutorial 2.5 years ago, and it’s still one of my most popular posts. If you’re visiting today, chances are you’re coming from Pinterest, so hi Pinners! You can find me on Pinterest here. If you make one of these and post a picture, please let me know so I can pin it or re-pin it. I’d love to see it.
The pictures in the tutorial below are for the first crib rail guard I made for my son. I made another last year for my daughter, along with everything else I made for her nursery:
Now, onto the tutorial…
Not only do I make people, but I also make things that keep those people from turning their gorgeous convertible crib that I once envisioned gracing children’s rooms and guest rooms for decades to come (HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHA!! My ignorance and naivety…oooh! It’s so funny!) into chomped up little bits suitable for sturdy beaver dams.
After discovering several dozen notches scratched into the top of Kendall’s crib a while back, I began looking for things to not only prevent him from ingesting polyurethane and other lovely chemicals, but also to preserve what is left of the once beautiful crib. I found the stick on plastic and rubber guards, but those, I felt, would make the crib look worse and leave behind a sticky residue. Then I saw a few cloth teething guards listed on sites like Etsy. I was contemplating shelling out the $30 for one of my own and realized that they looked incredibly easy to make. After a lot of digging around on Google, I never really turned up a tutorial that showed me exactly what I wanted to make, so I winged it. That says a lot considering I just got a sewing machine for Christmas and have only ever made a couple nursing covers, thanks to this blog.
So, without further rambling, I present to you my haphazard tutorial on how to whip up one of these puppies. However, let me state for the record that I am no sewing expert!! My stitches aren’t straight and I wasted a ton of fabric because I got the measurements wrong the first time around, but here’s the final product.
It’s actually three separate pieces, so I’m only going to spell out how to do one. I’m sure you all can figure the rest out from there, based on your own crib measurements.
Materials: (this is enough to make all three pieces)
3 yards of fabric (I chose three contrasting fabrics)
1 yard of single face quilted fabric
1. Measure the length of the side of the crib you are making the cover for from inside corner to inside corner. Add 2 inches to this measurement for your length. I decided to make mine 9 inches wide, but I have a pretty fat crib rail. If you’d like to customize your own width, just take your tape measure and wrap it around the crib rail until it tightly touches underneath, then add 2 inches to this measurement. So, for example, I cut my fabric to 53″ x 11″ for the front guard.
Now, I did have to do some additional math since I decided to make that front guard out of three pieces of fabric instead of just one. If you’d like to do something similar, just make sure that you account for the seams when you cut the fabric and add an extra half inch where each piece will meet. ( I really hope all this is making sense. Damn. I knew I should have written this before the glass and a half of wine.)
2. Cut your quilted fabric to the exact width you want your final measurement to be. Since you only have a yard of this, you are going to have to sew together two pieces for the long guard. Again, make sure you account for seams when you cut the two pieces. My final quilted piece ended up being exactly 51″ x 9″.
3. Lay your decorative fabric strip face down, fold up the sides half an inch and press with an iron, starting with the long sides first, followed by short sides.
4. Center the quilted fabric, right side up on top of the decorative fabric. Then fold the decorative fabric half an inch over the quilted fabric, press and pin.
5. Make your ties. For the long guard, I made bows that tied the guard together at 5 spots (either end around the corner posts and three down the middle). Each bow needs two long strips of fabric, one on each side of the guard matched up. I cut the corner ties (4) 3″ x 20″ and the middle ones (6) 3″ x 10″. Then I folded each in half lengthwise, pressed them, stitched down the long side and one short side, and turned right side out. (This was, by far, the biggest PITA. Grosgrain ribbon would probably work well and be easier, but it’s much more expensive than a yard of fabric.)
6. Place your ties for the bows. Since all cribs are different, I’m not going to bother with telling you exactly where I placed my ties for the bows. I just took the raw guard and placed it over the crib, then marked with some pins where I wanted each bow to tie so that it would be centered between the crib rails.
7. Lay your raw gaurd piece back face down and place each tie where you marked, making sure it’s up all the way underneath the edge of the folded seam over the quilted fabric.
8. Straight stitch around the entire guard at the edge of the folded seam closest to the exposed quited fabric. Then fold the ties back and stitch again all the way around, this time closest to the outer edge. I also reinforced each tie by back-stitching over each one.
9. Place over your crib rail, double knot it and tie it up. Note- these ties are long, but I made them that way so that I could double knot them and, on the corners, double wrap them around the posts. If the length makes you leery, you could certainly shorten them.
10. Repeat the same steps with adjusted measurements for the other two gaurds. Here’s another look.
Hope that makes sense! Again, I’m by no means saying this is the best way to do this, just what I figured out on my own. If you are a sewing goddess, feel free to chime in with tweaks and tips! I do think it turned out pretty cute. Kendall likes to chew on it.
Kendall is 9 months and 1 week old
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for waterproofing…Joann’s sells flannel backed “rubber” (it isn’t rubber now…was when my kids were little). It is the same fabric that is used for diaper pads you’d put in the baby’s crib. It comes in a 60″ roll so it is generally along the back wall of any Joann’s store. Thanks for the idea, I’m about to make these for my granddaughter’s crib.
I just made this tonight, because even though I know my daughter was standing in the crib, it wasn’t often and I didnt think she was chewing it, until today!! I saw little marks. So I whipped this up, and it’s perfect. I’m so glad I over bought the fabric I used to make her cradle bumper, curtains and crib skirt. Everything matches!!
I really wish I would have thought to seek a tutorial to make one. Instead I bought the plastic ones (supposedly BPA free) but my daughter figured out how to take them off! She’s now older and doesn’t chew on them. My best friend is having a baby soon though, and this will make for a GREAT gift. Thanks for sharing!
And for the waterproofing question, you could iron on vinyl or PUL, which they now sell at Joann’s!
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I’m going out to buy the supplies now!
I’m about to start this! Thank you for the post. It’s been very helpful. Hopefully mine goes as well as yours. Especially since I don’t have a sewing machine! :-O
Thanks!
I just love this idea cause I hate paying shipping and handling for something I could just go get the materials and make myself. HOW CRAFTY!!!!
Just came across this and thanks! I’m new to sewing but plan to go out and get the materials for this tomorrow.
I had a questions about my you 3 yards of the decorating fabric and only 1 of the quilted?
Thanks in advance!
I just made this fort sons crib using three different printed fabrics! It is a simple pattern, very versatile and will save you alot of money that you would need to spend repairing your crib. I plan to make a set for all my friends with new babys!
This has been saved in my bookmarks for a while and I finally went to Joann’s tonight and bought the fabric – can’t wait to make em! Thanks!
Thanks for the tutorial! I am a beginner sewer, but was able to make this using your instructions. Based on one of the comments, instead of a quilted fabric, I used the fabric with rubber on the inside, then used cuter fabric for the top part of the cover that you see. I’m happy with the results. Thanks again.
Great tutorial, thanks so much for sharing! I made one of these for my little guy. Just need to work on the side rail guards next. I linked to you at http://tysonandmiles.blogspot.com/2011/01/crib-rail-guard.html.
Have a great day!
Sarah
Just a little tweak/suggestion to make this easier (I sew a lot and this is so much simpler than all that pressing for the edges). If you pin the RIGHT sides of the pretty fabric and the batting together and stitch all the way around the edge, leaving a small gap in one edge to turn the fabric right side out, this would be a lot simpler. After you turn it, press and handstitch the opening closed. If you take your ties and match up the raw edges with the raw edges of the fabric (with the ties facing the middle, be careful not to catch them while you stitch the outside), you can baste them in place (think non permanent stitches if you aren’t familiar with the term) and then stitch the top and bottom together, encasing that edge a little more and making them come out right at the bottom of the fabric rather that sticking out the way you designed. All in all, a great tutorial, but make your life easier! Hope this all makes sense. tough without a picture, I know…
Awesome!! Thank you so much for taking the time to explain that. I will try that way next time.
Like you, I also could not see myself spending money on something that I can make myself. In my case I would have had to shell out for two cribs. Thank you for this post.
Thanks for the tutorial! I have 16M old twins who JUST started chomping on their cribs. I didn’t like the damage plastic guards impose to the crib itself and the cloth ones were ridiculously expensive, especially when you have to cover 2 cribs. I made these for $10 a piece, made 4 long rails. Our short rails are to high for them to reach, so I didn’t cover those. I like the use of the pre-quilted backing. I used 2yds of fabric & 2yds of quilted backing, I didn’t want to have to piece it together. Due to time constraints, the simpler the better
I did alter the directions slightly and did more along the lines of what “Jennifer” suggested. Turned out great! Thanks for the start!
hi, thanks for this tut I made one last night for my little man. I’ve linked your tut on my blog. Please check this out on: http://nzecochick.blogspot.com/2011/08/cloth-cot-rail-cover.html
Thanks heaps. Kind regards, Madeleine.
Have a stupid question..I am making four sets for friends of our that have quads…We are using fleece and the flannel backed rubber material from Hancocks…..Now the stupid question…which side of the flannel backed fabric do I need to put on the outside?
For one, you are a super awesome friend. Two, how exciting for your friends! As for your question, I would make sure the rubber is not on the outside because you probably don’t want baby mouths chewing on that either. Hope that helps.
This is my first year sewing and I am LOVING the online tutorials I am finding, and this was DESPERATELY needed. I too have a fat crib rail and so normal teething rails are hard to find, and I didn’t want any residue left behind. I made mine based off your instructions ( I ventured a little) and I LOVE IT!! I posted a picture and your blog on my facebook page to share!!
Thanks! Jenn
Tutu Cute Bows By Jenn
This was great! I had given up on finding anything to guard my daughter’ rails and am totally not creative enough to come up with something on my own. Thanks so much for posting! Here’s the one I made: http://adventuresinvilgatown.blogspot.com/2011/11/cloth-teething-guard.html
What is the best fabric to use? I love the feel of velour but am wondering if it will hold up to all the teething. I was also thinking about sateen cotton? I want to use organic fabric. What do you suggest? I was also thinking of using organic cotton batting to make a great cushion.
I’m stuck on what fabric to use. I want to make sure it holds up but is also very soft.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hey Jennifer! I think cotton works best just because it’s soft and washable. Make sure you pre-wash it before you sew this so it won’t shrink. Organic cotton would be fine, too. On my daughter’s I used organic batting between the top cotton layer and a backing layer of organic muslin. That worked great, too. Hope that helps. Good luck!
Just make sure the fabric is finely woven – you don’t want the baby to be able to chew through the fabric!
I am in the process of making this for our son’s crib. I went into his room yesterday and he had completely chewed up one side of his crib!
I’m having some problems finding the one-sided quilted backing (since we don’t have a fabric store in town), but we’re travelling to a town that has one this weekend, so I’ll pick some up and we’ll be set. I didn’t have any fabric in our house, so I had to improvise and use his old receiving blankets. It worked out great though. It’s been super easy to sew together and I can’t wait to see the finished product. 
Thanks for this super-easy tutorial and for adding pictures. I’m a “have to see it to understand it” kind of girl, so that was a HUGE help.
Michelle, I just used regular quilt batting when I made these yesterday and they turned out amazing. It was enough padding to protect the crib rails and not bulky at all.
UPDATE: For the longest time, our son would lift it up (no matter how tight it was tied) and chew underneath the cover. I fixed it by just throwing a few hand stitches on it and sort of stitching it around the crib-rail more or less. That way, even if he unties it, he’s unable to remove the cover itself or lift it to chew underneath.
BUT, the other day I discovered that my little monster figured out how to chew AROUND the cover. The corners of his crib were munched pretty badly. Grrrr…I just tied it a little differently so that it *almost* covers the corners of the bars also. Hopefully that will fix it.
Still think this is an amazing tutorial and have told a bunch of my friends about it.
Well, isn’t he resourceful?!
It’s scary how quickly he figures things out! haha I have to thank you again too. After making a cover for his crib rails with this tutorial, I tweaked it a little and also made covers for our wooden baby gates. Our son was chewing on them and not only biting off pieces of wood, but chewing on the metal pieces and he cut his mouth one day. I went straight to this idea and thought “I can make this work for the gate too!”
I don’t have a blog, but I posted photos of both projects on PhotoBucket.
http://s1127.photobucket.com/albums/l632/HAGEMIC/Craftiness/
I ran across this while looking for stuffed animal patterns. Well lets just say his teddy bear is set for a later day! This is wonderful. I found my 7 month old little guy just chomping on his crib today!! Those plastic bars just aren’t wide enough! This will be my first sewing project that doesn’t have a squeeky toy in it! Thank you for taking the time to post such a simple and pretty spiffy creation!
How about the problem if my son loves the strings? It will never stay on its place
But I love the idea very much.
That’s why I made my ties super long, so that I can double or triple wrap them around the rails and then double knot them. Hope that helps!
Oh, thank you for that help
I was also thinking about the velcro 
Have a nice day.
Oh thank you for your kind help … I was also thinking about velcro :-d
I am going to be making some teething rail covers for friends. I wanted to use velcro or snaps for the fastener. Are all the slats on the cribs universal or am I going to have a problem if I put velcro/snaps between a few slats?
I’m not the author of the original post, but did make these for my twin’s cribs – and they turned out great! I appreciated the tutorial. My opinion: stick with the ties, makes it more versatile. Kids love to “rip” apart velcro, I don’t even buy velcro shoes anymore (snap or ties that can be double knotted), mine would have velcro tabbed rail covers off in seconds. Snaps aren’t a bad idea, but you would have to have exact crib measurements in order for the straps to hold the cover on tight enough (make sense?). Just my opinion – hope it helped.
Cribs are not universal
Thanks for the inspiration!
http://www.amytriedit.com/2012/02/beginnings-of-nursery.html
Loved this. Made mine last night. Turned out awesome!!! No more wood chunks of his bed!!!!! Thanks so much for a wonderful idea!!!!!! We used a curtain rod that’s the little round ones to flip the ties right side out though and worked great!!!! Much faster than doing it by hand.
Yay! Glad it worked for you.
Hello,
I’m making a teething rail cover, one that is 51″ and One that is 27″. I am not sure whether I’m supposed to make the covers longer to take into account shrinkage. I’m using organic cotton fabric and cotton batting. If both the fabric and batting have a shrinkage rate of 3%, should I use fabric and batting that is longer in length and width? If do, how much more?
Any help before I start would be great!
I would suggest washing and drying all your materials first. Then go from there. Good luck!
I made one from the bumper pads that came with the set. It worked out very well.
My daughter in law thought of the idea.