How to Make a Patchwork Baby Blanket

Front of Baby Blanket

Handmade gifts for babies are always appreciated by new parents. If you have basic sewing skills, a simple patchwork baby blanket makes a great gift. The blanket shown is 38 x 40 inches. The blanket size can easily be changed to make a larger quilt for an older child or adult.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 yard each of 9 different cotton flannel fabrics
• 1/2 yard fabric for binding
• 1 1/4 yard backing fabric
• 6 inch square template for cutting (optional)

Instructions

1. This patchwork baby blanket is made from cotton flannel, which becomes very soft and huggable after washing. Because there are two layers of flannel (front and back), no extra batting layer is needed. Wash and machine dry all the fabrics before you begin cutting.

2. Measure and cut 56 squares. For the blanket pictured, each square is 6 inches by 6 inches.

3. Lay out the squares in the order you want on a flat surface. You should have 8 rows of 7 squares. Rearrange them until you're happy with the design, being careful not to put squares of the same fabric next to each other.

4. Stack up the blocks in the order they will be sewn (from left to right). Put a pin in the leftmost square of each row, and then stack all the squares for that row on top. Continue with each row until you have a single stack. This will make it easier to come back to in case you're interrupted while sewing.

5. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew the squares together for each row by laying two squares right side together and sewing the side seam. As you finish each row, stack it on top of the previous (so you'll remember the order to sew the rows together).

6. Now you're ready to sew the rows together, but first you'll need to iron down the seam allowances. Take the first row and press each seam allowance to one side or the other. Place the next row face down on the first, and press each of its seam allowances in the opposite direction. This will eliminate bulk where the seam allowances meet.

7. Match up the seams between the rows. It helps to place a pin at each seam to help them line up between the rows. Don't worry if they don't line up perfectly, it's part of the randomness of this quilt. Sew the rows together using the same seam allowance as you did between the squares.

8. Continue sewing the rows together until the top is finished. Press the seam allowances between the rows to one side.

9. Now you're ready to cut the backing. Lay out your backing fabric, and then smooth out the quilt top over it. Pin the edges all around and cut.

10. You can quilt the patchwork baby blanket quickly by machine stitching the length and width of each row and column. I used a wavy decorative stitch and contrast thread, and went down the middle of each square.

11. 

    Now you can bind the edges of the patchwork baby blanket with either straight or bias binding strips.

Tips & Warnings

• When I made my baby blanket, I discovered when I was laying out the backing that I didn't have a big enough piece of flannel of one type. I improvised and added a row of squares on the top and bottom and a column on each side. The baby blanket ended up being completely reversible, with different patterns on the front and back. Sometimes sewing mistakes can turn out to be design bonuses.