How to Make a No Sew Baby Blanket

Baby blankets are a necessity when a baby is on the way. Making your own baby blanket adds that special touch to complete your nursery. You will be encouraged by the ease of making a no-sew baby blanket. Not only is it affordable, but your child will get a lot of use out of it.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fleece fabric
• Scissors
• 4-by-4 inch square of paper or cardstock
• Measuring tape

1. Decide on the size of blanket. Before you begin, it is important to evaluate how long you plan to use the blanket. If you think you will make a new baby blanket regularly, you can make it smaller. But if you want the child to be able to use it for several years, it is important that you make the baby blanket large enough to cover them as they grow. For a smaller blanket, use two 1-yard pieces of fabric. To cover your child through his toddler years, use fabric of 1½ yards to 1¾ yards.

2. Pick your favorite pattern. You can find a variety of patterns for no-sew baby blankets through retail stores in your community. There are fabric designs for any nursery style. The designs include cartoon characters, landscapes, patterns of different shapes and color, and sports logos. Pick a pattern for the top of the blanket and the bottom. You can choose to have a design print on both sides or a printed fleece on the top and a solid color on the bottom.

3. Prepare the material. The two separate pieces of fleece need to be exactly the same. If you have to cut them to size, lay one piece on top of the other and cut both pieces together. Trim off any selvage that is around the edges. Selvage is the finished edge of the fabric that keeps it from fraying. Fleece does not unravel, so the selvage is not necessary for the baby blanket. Once the fabric is trimmed, lay the two separate pieces of fleece on top of each other with the wrong sides together.

4. Cut the fringes. To begin, you will need to cut a 4-by-4 inch square off of each corner. Lay the 4-by-4 inch square of paper on the corner of the fleece. Cut out the corner, making sure to cut through both layers of the material at one time. Once the corners are prepared, begin cutting the fringes. Remember to cut through both layers of fabric for the baby blanket. The fringes need to be 4 inches into the fleece and approximately 1 inch wide. To make the cutting a little easier, you can lay a tape measure across the side of the fabric you are working on and cut towards it. Cut around the outside of the baby blanket until all four sides are complete.

5. Tie the fringes together. With the blanket still laying on your work surface, gather both layers of one fringe and tie them together. Then proceed with the next fringe, gradually working your way around the entire no-sew baby blanket. Double knotting the fringes on the baby blanket will keep them from coming undone in the laundry. Once you complete the tying, the blanket is finished and can be enjoyed for years.

[fen527]

on 8/13/2009 This is perfect for me because I can't sew! Great directions.