How to Personalize Your Own Blanket

Embroidery adds instant style to any blanket.

Give the gift of a personalized blanket to warm the heart and toes of a loved one. Personalized blankets make excellent gifts for newborn babies, grandparents and everyone in-between. One of the easiest and most common ways to personalize a blanket is by using embroidery techniques. Embroidery can be used to stitch names and important dates. However you choose to embellish your blanket, one thing is for sure. It will become a treasured keepsake for years to come.

Things You'll Need

• Transfer paper
• Pencil
• Washable ink marker
• Blanket
• Embroidery hoop
• Embroidery floss
• Embroidery needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Draw the design you want to stitch on a sheet of transfer paper. Drawing in pencil is recommended as mistakes can be erased more easily. Designs that incorporate the name of the intended recipient along with an important date, such as a birthday or anniversary, are good for keepsake blankets. For a baby blanket, you may wish to include the baby's height and weight along with his name and date of birth.

2. Place the part of the blanket where you wish to place the design in the embroidery hoop. Tighten the hoop once you have positioned the fabric. Transfer the design to the the fabric using a washable ink marker.

3. Choose embroidery floss to stitch the design. You may wish to use one color for a more simple design or several colors for more elaborate needlework. Using the same color floss as the blanket, such as white on white or black on black, will create a more subtle and elegant look.

4. Thread an embroidery needle with the color of embroidery floss that you have chosen. Stitch the design. Don't worry if some of the ink is visible under the stitching.

5. Hand wash the blanket after you have completed stitching the design. By washing the fabric you will remove any ink that is left visible beneath the stitching. Hang the blanket to dry. Do not machine wash or dry the blanket.

References

• "Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts"; Martha Stewart; 2010