How to Make a Polar Fleece Blanket

Experience the warmth and comfort of polar fleece for yourself. This fun and easy blanket is a no-sew project, perfect for the novice sewing enthusiast!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dressmaker Shears
• Fabric Cutting Boards
• Fabric-marking Pens
• Heavyweight Fleece Fabrics
• Pinking Shears
• Scalloping Shears
• Yardsticks
• Rotary Cutters

1. Determine the desired length of your blanket and purchase that much heavyweight fleece fabric. If you want to add fringe to your blanket, add 12 inches to the length of your blanket.

2. Even out the cut edges of the fabric, if necessary. Lay out your fabric, wrong side up, on a fabric cutting board and use the board's measuring guidelines to determine whether the edges are straight and even.

3. Trim the cut edges of the fabric so that they are even, if necessary. If you do not want fringe on your blanket, you are done.

4. Lay your blanket out horizontally in front of you, wrong side up.

5. Use a fabric cutting board, a yardstick and a fabric marking pen to draw a vertical line at each end of your blanket. Each line should be 6 inches from each cut edge.

6. Draw a series of horizontal lines, 1/2 inch apart, between each vertical line drawn in Step 5 and each cut edge.

7. Use a pair of dressmaker shears or a rotary cutter to cut along each of the horizontal lines made in Step 6. This makes the fringe for your blanket.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a 45-inch-wide fleece for a child's blanket or furniture throw.
• Use pinking or scalloping shears to create a decorative edge on the cut ends of your blanket.
• You can also cut designs into the edges of your blanket. Polar fleece will not unravel, so your design will stay intact without any need for the usual edge finishes.

on 9/24/2006 I have been using flannel to line my throws, baby blankets, etc. The flannel makes the blanket warm and the blanket holds up better to washing as opposed to fiber fill.

on 11/22/2005 Take any size piece of fleece and cut 4 inch slits every four inches all around the fabric. Make sure that you cut out 4 inch squares at the corners. You now have 4 inch squares all the way around the blanket. In the center of each four inch square you take coordinating pieces of embroidery floss and thread it in and out (like a quilters stitch) from outside edge all the way up the full 4 inches. Then pull the embroidery floss tight, so that the result is a 4 inch bow. Do that all the way around and wah-la, you have a bowtie blanket.

on 2/12/2007 I learned how to make a blanket like this but a little different. You get to equally sized peices of fleece, then cut one peice 4 inces smaller along all the sides. Next you take the bigger peice and cut 4 by 4 ince squares out of the corners. After that you cut about 1 in. pieces up 4 in. on eace side making sure there is an even number. The on the smaller piece make small slits (one for each two slits). Then put one strip through the slit, then take the one next to it and tie those two into a knot. Do that for all the edges, and your blanket is done!

on 11/22/2005 Follow same tip for making a fleece blanket, only use two pieces of coordinating fleece. Bind the two pieces together by tying each piece of fringe to each piece of the fringe on the coordinating fleece. You can also layer batting between the two pieces by sewing pieces of yarn through the layers and knotting them. This can be a "no-sew" project. I like to serge the two long sides of the two pieces of fleece together and then fringe the two short sides. This makes a very warm and attractive blanket.

on 11/22/2005 Using a baby-size blanket, cut a slit on the diagonal for the neck opening. Blanket stich. This can be used as a poncho or a blanket for football games, etc.