Muslin wraps must be one of the most popular gifts for a new baby. I have a drawer full of them in all different colours and trendy designs. But it turns out that I am a terrible baby wrapper so about three weeks after my daughter was born I gave up and changed to the Love to Dream swaddles. I could just never get the wrapping technique right and had a baby who was an excellent escape artist.
But all those beautiful muslin wraps haven’t gone to waste. They get used on a daily basis – even though my little one is now 2.5. They are the perfect play accessory and the uses are really endless. Here are my favourites.
Dolls blankets
We keep a few wraps in the doll pram and have shoe boxes under the bed to bring out when it is dolly bedtime. Each dolly gets covered in a muslin wrap and sent off to sweet dreams – if only getting my real child to bed was that easy! Because they are lightweight and small, muslin wraps are easy for toddlers to handle and carry around.
Superhero capes
I actually got this idea from the gorgeous brand Riser. They make the most divine organic cotton wraps and told me that this is one way they use their wraps for older kids. Throw a couple of funky wraps in the dress up box and you have instant super powers! Just be careful with the length of the wrap as you don’t want the kids tripping on their cape.
Picnic rugs
Time for a tea party? Lay a wrap down and enjoy your afternoon tea or picnic in style. I often take a muslin wrap outside for a little lunchtime picnic for my daughter and I and she also sets up tea parties for her dollies using her favourite wraps.
Scarves
This wouldn’t work for all wraps but a stylish neutral print wrap could easily double as a scarf. I have a beautiful Marquis navy polka dot wrap that I often wear around my neck. If you are a breastfeeding mama, you can also use the wrap as a modesty cover but never feel like you have to cover up! I did the first few times I breastfed in public but found it all too hard in the end so didn’t bother with the cover – whatever you feel comfortable with is totally ok.
Wrapping paper
Maybe a bit of an odd use but wrapping with fabric is really cool and using a muslin swaddle wrap makes it easy. The edges are already finished, they are usually a good size perfect for large gifts and have bright, fun patterns. Upcycling at it’s finest.
Tummy time
When my little one was a baby, I would always carry a muslin wrap in my bag for tummy time while we were visiting friends and family. Lay it on the floor and they have a lovely clean surface to rest their chin on.
Furniture protector
Our playroom has a couch in it, mainly for us to sit on while we are watching Little Miss play, but she also sometimes sits on it to eat her afternoon tea. If I know she is going to eat something on the couch, I will lay a couple of muslin wraps down to protect the couch. At least I can quickly pick up any spills and less damage is done. The carpet on the other hand has seen better days…
Cubby house walls
Hang a few wraps from a table for an instant indoor cubby house. Table cloth clips will do a good job of holding the wraps in place. A great idea for rainy day play and much lighter and easier for the kids to navigate than cubby house walls made from bed linen.
What are your creative uses for muslin wraps?
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