How to Make Fleece Blankets & Pillows
Fleece is durable and comfortable, and it comes in a wide variety of colors and designs. Patterns depict animals, hobbies and even sports teams. Fleece does not unravel at the edges, which means no edging is required for fleece projects. A blanket and pillow made from fleece is a cozy gift for a friend, a loved one or yourself. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Fleece in two or three complementary designs and colors
- Pillow form
- Scissors or rotary cutter
- Ruler
- Rotary mat (if using rotary cutter)
Instructions
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Blanket Instructions
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1
Cut two pieces of fleece to the appropriate size, removing the selvages. (Selvages are the long finished edges of the fabric, woven more tightly than the rest to prevent fraying.) Both pieces of fleece should be the same size. A typical fleece blanket is 50 x 70 inches.
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2
Lay the fleece out, wrong sides together, keeping the edges even. Pin the layers together if you're worried about slipping.
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3
Cut a 4 x 4 inch square out of each corner of both pieces of fleece. It is easier to cut both layers at once.
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4
Cut 4 inches into the fleece, at 1 inch intervals, around all four edges.
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5
Tie an overhand knot (like the knot you tie in your shoelaces before making the loops), using one strip of fringe from the top and the matching strip from the bottom. Pull tight, and tie a second overhand knot for security.
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6
Continue tying knots all the way around the edges of the fleece to complete your blanket.
Pillow Instructions
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7
Cut two pieces of fleece to fit the pillow form plus a 4-inch border all the way around. Use the same fabrics as the blanket, or choose complementary colors or designs.
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8
Lay out the fleece, cut the 4-inch corners out, and then cut the fringe as explained in the blanket process.
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9
Tie knots on three complete sides of the pillow cover.
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10
Slip the pillow form into the cover, and tie knots on the final side. The pillow is complete.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Tie every other strip with one piece of fleece facing up, then flip the blanket or pillow over and tie every other strip with the other piece facing up. This will stagger the knots so that neither side is obviously the top.
Make longer strips if you desire more fringe; try 5 or 7 inches. Cut the corner squares the same size as your strips (5 x 5 or 7 x 7, for example).
