How to fold a Washcloth Train

Isn’t this washcloth train just adorable! It would be a cute addition to a baby shower gift.

The creative juices were running high when I created this train because it just came together so nicely. Perhaps it is due a little to the fact that my life is immersed in trains and cars at the moment, thanks to the influence of my three year old.

He LOVES anything with wheels, especially trains. Once while traveling we stayed at a friend’s home and Boston discovered their train table. He played quietly by himself for over two hours! It was amazing! I could definitely use that kind of time at home! Since he has this passion for trains, we decided to buy him a train table this past Christmas. He had received a very small train set the year before and the train table came with a train set and then our friends gave him a train set a month later… so needless to say we have lots of train tacks laying around. None of the railroads we create last very long thanks to my one year old, so I take it as a challenge whenever I play trains with my boys to create a new track and to try use as many of the railroad pieces as possible.

This picture captured my best railroad set up thus far, with only six railroad pieces remaining! (o: I’m not going to lie, I was pretty stoked about my accomplishment… oh yes and my little man loved it.

Okay, okay, I know you are not here to see my railroad creations (although stinkin’ amazing right!?!) but rather the trains themselves made out of washcloths… so let’s get to the washcloth train tutorial.

How to fold a baby Washcloth Train

Supplies needed are 6 baby washcloths and 13 rubber bands. This may appear a little more advanced than the washcloth hippo and washcloth elephant, but if you follow the steps it’s easy peasy.

Step 1 – the TRAIN ENGINE:

Lay a washcloth flat and fold it over three and a half times. Take your second washcloth, fold it into thirds and then roll it tightly lengthwise almost to the end. Place the second washcloth on top of the first one and then sandwich it, securing it with three rubber bands.

Step 2 – the TRAIN CAB:

Take the third washcloth and fold it into thirds with a small lip left over. Wrap your a third washcloth around your first, folding in the end before securing with three rubber bands. Bend the third washcloth up to make the cab of the train. Flatten the top ends of the first washcloth to make the roof of the cab and stretch the washcloth out on the other end to make the “cow catcher”.

Step 3 – the TRAIN SMOKE STACK:

Uh… how to explain this in words is tricky. You are trying to make a smoke stack with a billowy top. I’ll let the pictures do most of the explaining for this step. Basically fluff up the washcloth and then roll, securing with two rubber bands.

Step 4 – the TRAIN WHEELS:

Bend the washcloth into small thirds with a lip left over, put the lip on the inside. Roll lengthwise and then secure with two rubber bands. Fold another washcloth into a little more than fourths. Then curl down the ends and squeeze it together like an accordion. Secure with one rubber band.

Step 5 – ASSEMBLING the WASHCLOTH TRAIN

Place your train body on top of the accordion wheel and secure with one rubber band making sure to place the rubber band on top of one of the other rubber bands. Take the circle wheel and place it in the back securing it with one rubber band. The smoke stack will actually use the rubber bands already on the train to secure it into place. Simply lift up the rubber band and slip part of the washcloth underneath.

And there you have it! A tutorial on how to fold a washcloth train. If you are up for it, try making a little coal cart for the train to drag along.

Will you be making a washcloth train for your next baby shower?  🙂
 

You may also enjoy this tutorial on how to swaddle your baby and protect their neck.

And another washcloth tutorial, on how to fold a washcloth hippo.