How to Sew an Extra-Large Flannel Baby Blanket

This is an easy blanket, but one that will last beyond the infant, even the toddler, years because of its large size, about 40" by 40." Many of these have become children's special blankies that stay with them everywhere.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 ¼ yards of 45" flannel
• 1 ¼ yards of 45" flannel (If making both sides of the same fabric, purchase 2 ¼ yards)
• Contrasting thread for the outer edges. (I use one color in the bobbin and another on the top, so different colors along outsides)

1. To construct a two-sided, flannel blanket, you need to purchase 1¼ yards of two different flannels (If you choose, you can use the same flannel for both sides and buy accordingly.) and contrasting thread colors for the outer edges.
   
   1. Wash and dry flannel material. Stretch to pull them into shape after drying.

2. 2. With the right side together, fold the square in half and cut edges even. Fold a second time to cut those edges even. Unfold and you should have a square of material to sew.

3. 3. Pin the edges all around, leaving an eight-inch opening on one side only for reversing. Sew from one edge of right-inch opening to the other, taking ⅝ inch seam.

4. 4. Cut off the points of four edges, turn material to right side out and poke corners to point with a pencil or cornering tool. Iron the edges even.

5. 5. Insert one color thread in the bobbin and another color on the sewing machine top. Choose a decorative stitch and stitch around the entire blanket edge.

Tips & Warnings

• TAGS: Since children like tags, you can make (or order online) little tags that say, "Welcome to the world, little one" or whatever message you prefer. The ones you sew directly to the blanket do not have a backing, so you will have to provide one.
• BACKING: A. Cut a left-over piece of the flannel fabric the size of the tag. With right sides together, sew the tag and fabric on three sides. Turn and make pointed corners as above. When you sew around the final edging color, you insert the bottom, unsewn part of the tag into the seam, allowing the tag to show for the baby.
• B. Another way is to insert the tag on the INSIDE on the initial raw-edge sewing. I find this harder to make the tag's words show evenly.
• OPTIONAL: You can sew on yarn and then knit an edging to make an EXTRA edging.