Directions to Make a Blanket With Sleeves

You'll be almost as warm as a wooly sheep in this fleece blanket with sleeves.

Take the chill off and keep your heating bills low by creating your own version of a Snuggie -- a fleece blanket with sleeves to wear when you curl up on the sofa with a good movie. Fleece comes in many patterns and colors and is often on sale for as little as a couple of dollars a yard, making this project not only easy but also inexpensive, not to mention the dollars you could save on your heating bill.

Things You'll Need

• 3-yard-long piece of 60-inch wide fleece
• Measuring tape
• Fabric marker
• Scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Instructions

1. Lay the fabric out on a large work surface or the floor. Measure 24 inches from the bottom edge across the width of the fabric. Mark with a fabric marker and cut. Fold the 24-inch piece of fleece in half, so that the fleece measures 30 inches by 24 inches. Cut the fleece and set the two pieces aside. These will form the sleeves.

2. Cut a piece of paper to 6 inches wide by 9 inches long and fold it in half so it is 3 inches wide by 9 inches long. Mark a half oval on the paper, beginning at the top of the folded edge, touching the outside edge of the paper for the widest part of the oval and ending at the bottom of the folded edge. Cut out the shape with scissors. You now have an oval that is 6 inches wide and 9 inches tall. This is the template for the cutouts for the sleeves.

3. Fold the fleece in half lengthwise so that it is 30 inches wide by 84 inches long. Place the sleeve hole template in the center of the fleece with the top of the oval 14 inches from the top of the fleece. Mark the sleeve holes with fabric marker and cut them out.

4. Fold the fleece for one sleeve in half lengthwise. The right sides -- the sides that you will see when you finish the project-- should be facing each other. Pin with straight pins perpendicular to the cut edge every 5 inches. Sew the seam with a sewing machine. The seam should be 5/8-inch from the cut edges of the fleece. Repeat to make the second sleeve.

5. Open up the large piece of fleece and lay it on your work surface with the right side facing away from you. Pin the sleeves to the sleeve holes, again keeping the right sides of the fleece facing each other. Double check to that you have placed the pieces of fleece together correctly. Sew with the sewing machine.

6. Turn the blanket right side out. Stitch around the edge of the blanket with a fancy or plain stitch. This step is optional. Fleece does not fray, but this will give your blanket a more finished look.

Tips & Warnings

• All seams should be sewn with the "right sides" of the fabric facing each other. This means the side of the fabric you will see when the project is completed. Sewing with "right sides together" means that all of your seams will be on the inside of the finished project.

References

• Fleece Blanket with Sleeves