How to make a gauze square

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one 25 cm square)

• Double gauze — about 30 × 30 cm × 2 (outer and lining; scraps are fine)
• Sewing thread

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Baby” → “Gauze square” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the width, the height and the corner radius. Presets cover small, standard and large.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Pre-wash
   Gauze shrinks noticeably. Wash, dry and press before cutting. Skip this and the finished square distorts in the first wash.
2. Trace the pattern
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side and trace both lines.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut two. Different prints front and back are more fun.
4. Transfer the notches
   Mark the two notches on the bottom edge for the opening.

4. Sewing

4-1. Sew the two layers

1. Place the two right sides together and sew around.
2. Leave the section between the notches on the bottom edge — about 8 cm — open for turning.
3. Clip the rounded corners every 1 cm.

4-2. Turn

1. Turn right side out through the opening.
2. Ease the corners out with an awl. Push gently — too hard and the point goes through.
3. Press flat, folding the opening's allowance inwards as you go.

4-3. Topstitch

1. Topstitch all the way round, about 3 mm from the edge.
2. That closes the opening too.
3. Gauze stretches easily, so let the machine feed it rather than pulling.

✏️ Pre-washing is not optional here. Double gauze shrinks about 5%, and if it shrinks after sewing, the two layers pull against each other and the square ripples. Wash and dry before cutting and the finish is completely different.

5. Tips & variations

• Make a batch: about 15 minutes each. A meter of fabric yields ten or more, so batching is efficient.
• As a gift: nobody has too many. Five tied with a ribbon is a good present.
• Softer with use: double gauze puffs up and softens as it is washed. Ignore the initial stiffness.