Make a Baby Blanket

These fleece baby blankets are so super easy to make! Once you make one you'll want to start all over again and make another, and another, and another...

Going green? You can even make these blankets organic by using all organic cotton fabrics. Here's some information about the advantages of an organic baby blanket.

OK so since these are super easy you do not really need a pattern or anything. Just get together your materials and follow along with my instructions.

Materials needed to make a fleece baby blanket
1 - 1 and 1/2 yards flannel or quilting fabric
1 - 1 and 1/2 yards ultra comfy fleece or faux fur
scissors
matching thread
newspaper (as pattern - optional)
clothes iron
pins

You will need to shop for fabric first and foremost. These blankets are meant to be double sided so you want to pick out two fabrics.

I recommend picking out a fabric with a nice bold pattern on it first. This way you can match the color of the fleece to the pattern rather than vice versa.

Your patterned fabric should be a non-stretchy material. Either a cotton quilting type fabric, or even flannel is great.

Next Choose a fleece or Faux Fur Fabric. The fleece I used to make both of these blankets was called soft and comfy, or ultra cuddle fleece. I have also seen it sold as faux fur or faux mink (minky). It is very soft and very luxurious. There are many colors to choose from and come in many textures as well, all of which are soooo soft. These are my absolute favorite to make a baby blanket with.

Now, on to the actual construction of the blanket...

1. If either of your fabrics is wrinkly you will need to iron them before you start sewing. You may even want to go as far as washing the fabrics too. Be very careful when it comes to washing the fleece/faux fur fabric as some of them are very sensitive to drier heat.

2. Place your fabrics together so they are facing in towards each other (right sides in). The backside of each fabric should be facing outwards. Place them so that their corners and straight edges are aligned as straight as possible.

Now lay them across a flat table, workspace, or even the floor. You do not need a pattern to measure and cut out your fabric. You can simply use a ruler and measure the fabric to cut. Or use a spare receiving blanket, or even a newspaper unfolded all the way. A newspaper works quite well, and it is what I used to make these blankets.

Lay the newspaper (or whatever you decide to use as a "pattern") over the fabric so that it is also aligned to one corner and then pin it down.

Use a good sharp pair or fabric shears to cut the fabric around your make-shift pattern (as in the example shown to the right). Once you have your fabrics cut to size remove the pins one by one and replace them to their original spot removing the newspaper (or whatever material you used as a pattern).

3. Start Sewing! Pick a thread that coordinates with or matches your fabric colors. Starting from one corner sew the first three edges. Sew about a 1/4 to a 1/2 in in from the edge. Really just sew in as far as you feel comfortable sewing. Try to to stay consistent around all four edges of the baby blanket.

When you reach the fourth edge sew this side only about 3/4's of the way. Use a back stitch just before you end. You will need to keep an opening in the fabric so that you can fold the blanket inside out.

4.Pull the blanket inside out. Pay special attention to the corners to pull them out straight. You can use a tool or a popsice stick, or whetevr is handy, to push the corners out as straight as you can get them.

5. Sew the opening in the fabric shut. To do this, fold the rough edges inward to match the rest of the seams. Pin these shut. Now get out a sewing needle to hand sew the opening shut. Thread the needle with the same thread you used in the sewing machine. Use very small stitches hidden in the seamm as best as you can. Finish by stitching 2 or 3 stitches over each other to keep it stitched firmly closed.

Iron the blanket at all of the edges. You can use it as is or go back and sew another seam about 1/2" in from the outer edge of the blanket. I like to do this using a decorative stitch, or zigzag, and using a brightly colored coordinating thread. It adds a nice decorative interest and a finished look.

Viola! You have made you're very first ultra comfy fleece baby blanket.. Now you can make a baby blanket in as many different colors and textures as you can dream up...

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