Whatever you call it (porta crib, playpen, playard, pack n play, portable baby jail) and however you use it (travel crib, baby containment unit, toy storage), you know it gets dirty. I notice, especially when traveling, that the fabric doesn’t seem that comfy for baby either. When Scarlet was just 12 weeks old we took her cross-country to visit family and she slept in an old travel crib dug up from someone’s garage. The only thing we had to cover the dirty bottom of it was a big fluffy blanket that didn’t seem safe for such a young one, so of course I didn’t sleep the whole week worrying she was going to suffocate. Never again! Sheets for these aren’t readily available, so I thought I’d show you how to make a play yard sheet. I think it’s super simple, let me know if you give it a try.
Get the full DIY Pack ‘n Play Sheet tutorial after the jump…
DIY Pack ‘N Play Sheet Tutorial
This sheet fits my Combi Jazz Play Yard
“mattress” which is pretty standard and measures 36″ X 26.5″ (they’re all around 30″x40″), but the sheet is forgiving so if yours is within the general ballpark this sheet should work fine.
1. Wash, dry and cut your fabric. Add 7 inches to the length and to the width of your mattress, so i cut a piece of fabric 43″ X 33.5″. And a piece of 3/4″ elastic 60″ long.
2. Fold it in half lengthwise and then widthwise so it looks like this:
On the outside corner, the one with no folds, cut a 3.5″ square through all the layers.
Your item now looks like this:
3. Line up the cut edges at one corner and sew them together with right sides facing:
Repeat on all four corners.
4. Along the bottom of your sheet, fold the fabric 1/4″ to the inside and iron, then 1″ and iron, and pin in place. 
Starting next to a corner, sew all the way around with a straight stitch, leaving a hole and backstitching and the beginning and end.
5. Thread your piece of 3/4″ elastic through the hole and all the way around. It helps to pin one side of it to an ironing board or some other surface and to use a safety pin to feed it through:
Pull it out and sew both sides together with a stretch stitch or a zig zag stitch.
Close the hole by sewing across the opening with a straight stitch.
You’re done!
It looks like this from the bottom:
And like this from the top:
Place your homemade playpen sheet on the mattress. Yay!
I love this! I actually have an old packnplay I'm washing up, I'm going to use organic spray paint {Yes, they actually make that!} to touch up the metal and use fabric paint to paint some designs on the mess, I was dreading having to pay 20 dollars for two boring packnplay sheets! lol thanks I love the tutorial!
What a GREAT idea! I actually have a pack n play that I will likely be using in the nearish future while watching my baby cousin…and I have NO sheets for it (I sold my old one AND the sheets last year). I agree, the sheets they sell for those things are pretty expensive AND not very comfy (or cute really).
ADORABLE fabric as well!
I love this! I better make a prettier sheet for the pack-n-play before you visit in LESS_THAN_ONE_MONTH. You've set the bar for pack-n-play sheets very high.
Love, love, love this.
Would you consider a tutorial for an oval shaped bassinet sheet?
thanks everyone! i wanted to say you could use the method from our regular crib sheet diy for the elastic and it would require a lot less elastic…four 8" pieces would do it. that just occurred to me.
also Color Prestige, i have heard of this spray paint but don't know what brands or where to buy… could you share?? thanks!
My local organic store had organic baby safe spray paint. I was just going to buy milk pain and brush it on, The brand on this is Classix, I haven't been able to find a website. I know you can buy milk paint online, the only thing is It smells kind of bad. My hubby said it smelled like rotten eggs, so we made sure to let it stay outside for a day or two and now it doesn't smell.
Karen,
I just made a sheet for my oval shaped bassinet mattress. I traced the mattress onto newsprint, added 4" around the traced line and made an elastic channel in the same manner as the tutorial above. It worked perfectly, though I would recommend marking the top of the sheet in some way before adding the elastic as it is difficult to find after.
I love this! Thanks for saving me the work of figuring out measurements on my own – that breaks my brain! The best part of these sheets is that they have elastic all the way round. The graco ones downt have any elastic and don't even have a pocket on the sides (only on the narrow ends) – NOT safe! Can't wait to try this 🙂
I just made one of these and this tutorial is great!! Thanks 🙂
Finally made one tonight, turned out great, although the mattress on my pack & play is not cooperating. I had to add several inches to my elastic measurement in order to make it work.
Yes, I agree. I just finished making sheet for pack and play. It was a little snug. I also had to fight with mine to make it fit. All is good!
I measured my pack/play and added 7 1/2″ to each side. It was way too short and narrow, and elastic was also too tight causing the floor of the pack/play to want to fold. I have made many crib sheets that fit really well. I think adding 2″ to 3″ to the pack/play measurements might be better, and would also alleviate somewhat the tightness of the elastic.
I made one today and I'm really happy with it. I posted it on my blog along with a link to your tutorial. You can see my post at http://www.create-envision-evolve.blogspot.com
Thanks so much for the easy to follow tutorial!
I love this and it does look easy enough! One thing I love about it is I ordered a pack-n-play that looked unisex online but when I got it home it was awfully girly! Which isn't bad because I have a girl, but if a baby boy comes along then I can take a more manly fabric for the sheet and make it look boyish! yayayaya!
PERFECT! I was just looking online to purchase a p&p; sheet. They're not only very plain, but crazy expensive. Thank you! I can't wait to drag my kid to the fabric store to pick out some fabric!!
Thank you very much for this tutorial! I have a whole blog post dedicated to your site. You can see my pack n' play sheet here. I adjusted it to fit my Square pack n' play though. Enjoy!
http://prettythingsbylaurah.blogspot.com/2011/01/back-to-bobbin-with-prudent-baby-sewing.html
Great tutorial. It was “sew” easy to make! With some leftover flannel material I had. I’m a first time grandma, and needed a sheet for his Pack and Play. Thank you for sharing!
I can't wait to make one for our baby girl that's on the way. Thank's for an awesome tute!
Thanks a bunch for this awesome tutorial. Here is my finished one
http://sewchicmama.blogspot.com/2011/10/play-pen-cover-sheet.html
Thanks for the great tutorial! I used this as a guide to make a fitted sheet for my Jolly Jumper cradle (it’s impossible to find cradle sheets in stores it seems). Turned out great, only modification I had to make was in the elastic, I had to use 90 inches of elastic to prevent the mattress from curling under. Must be a thinner mattress than yours. Just thought I’d share that incase anyone else is making a sheet for this cradle 🙂
Just about to post on my blog, will be sure to give you a link back/credit!
Thanks again!
K & the bump 🙂
Thanks so much for this tuorial! Can’t wait to make some sheets! Stupid question for you, though: How many yards of fabric do you need for one sheet? Will just one do it? Thanks!!
If you use the measurements she gave {43″x 33.5″) you will need approx 1 1/4 yds with a little left over.
Thanks so much for this tutorial. So easy to follow.
Made one tonight and love it! GOnna make a few more with less elastic and see if I still get a similiar fit. Cant wait 🙂
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Thank you for the tutorial. I am borrowing a pack and play from a friend, and of course the baby super(expensive) stores only sell sheets to perfectly match the current models. Meanwhile the quality gets worse all the time. I am looking forward to making stylish matching sheets.
Thank you so much, this was exactly what I was looking for. You explained and pictured it out very well so that even I can understand it!!
that is great to hear! thanks!
This is a wonderful idea ,only thing i would advise to change is make sure you put pieces of elastic across bottom to keep baby from wrapping up in sheet and sufficatting. Sew it side to side in the middle at at each end , but not towards the ends like two across middle towards each end so they cant reach it and strangle.hope this helps. Also you can make two staps that velcor to sides of sheet and in middle of straps underneath the mattress. Sew to one side velocor to other for easy removal.or just make like a pillow case and velcor at one end.
Thank you for this tutorial. I’m sewing for an emergency shelter where they use lots of pack&plays, so they go through lots of sheets. My money will go so much further by making them.
I just made one of these and even though my P’n’P has the same measurements as yours the elastic was too tight. I had to add about 8 inches to make it so the mattress lies flat. Just a PSA for anyone else who has that problem. 🙂
I’m so happy to have found a way to make a sheet out of nice soft flannel instead of having to use the scratchy, cheap commercial sheets. I’m making crib sheets from your tutorial too.
Seam sizes? Looks like 1/2″ when sewing 4 corners and 1/4″ or as close to edge as possible for hem. Thanks.
I would like to know seam sizes as well.
Thank you very much! We have family coming for the holidays and bought a used pack and play which I treated and sanitized but still wants a sheet for. I took some cotton drape panels that no one in the house wanted, washed them and then made one of these sheets. Perfect!
[…] found these directions for making your own fitted sheet from a blogger and one afternoon, went to town with the sewing machine. I would have been done […]
I liked the idea and simplicity of this P&P sheet. However, the instructions didn’t account for any seam allowance. Unfortunately, because of that I have a sheet that is too small for the mattress. Ruined/Wasted a beautiful piece of material. This was going to be a gift but that can’t happen now. My recommendation is to make certain that the distance from corner to corner is the size of your mattress then add the seam allowance plus the 7 inches. Hopefully, my issues with this will save others from the same mistake.
I followed it to a t and they were perfect. thank you so much
Awesome!
I would say add the 7” of fabric to all four sides. I just followed this tutorial but should have compensated for the fact that my mattress is 3” thick. Cute sheets I just finished do not fit!
[…] one I found: DIY Fitted Sheet for Pack ?n Play | Pretty Prudent I did a google search and there were more. Vernona Reply With […]
Will these measurements work when using a 3″ high mattress instead of the thin mattress that comes with the pack n play?
Apparently not! I just made sheets for my 3” thick mattress using this tutorial, and they do not fit. Will have to get more fabric and next time will add 12-14” to the length and width.
How do you make the sheet lie flat? It constantly bunches up and makes a bubble. I try to tell myself it’s safe because if she rolls onto it, it goes flat, but I am struggling with understanding how this is safer than those snug store bought ones. Please help!
Do u have the matress fastened down? Mine has snaps underneath that snap to the frame to make the matress fit more snug.
We do our granddaughters day care and our 4 month old granddaughter sleeps in my pack and play. A little bit of math to make the sheets fit my mattress and she has cute sheets. The excess fabric I make into a matching blanket..
Just made one today following these instructions and it turned out well! I used a less stretchy elastic and only cut it when the sheet firmly covered the mattress without bunching. Next time I will try adding 9” to L and W and cutting 4.5” corner squares for more coverage below. Maybe I will also try a knit elastic. For a 3” mattress, you might check a crib sheet tutorial to see how large to cut the corner squares and use practice fabric.
Do you by any chance make the mattress toppers also? I have a large pack n play that I cannot find a mattress for. The measurements are 30W x 43L
Okay folks, here are the measurements you’ll need for a Pack N Play with a 3″ mattress:
• Fabric 57.5 x 45.5″ (This is 10″ extra all the way around)
• Trim corners to 5″ squares
• Seam allowance 1/4″ on the corners
• Fold and press fabric with 1/2″ seam tape (I used flannel so simply ironing would not hold)
• Fold and pin fabric 1″
• Seam all the way around leaving the gap (I used my presser foot as a guide and aligned the outer left edge to the inner edge of the folded fabric)
• Run elastic through and cut to size. I’d estimate I used about 70″
Hi! A Pack N Play mattress has 4 velcro pieces on the bottom that match up with the play yard to hold the mattress in place. Does the sheet cover those velcro pieces? Thanks for any insight!