These little blankets are a fun way to get your fabric fix. Mix'n and match'n cute fabrics and cool textures while creating a cuddly blanket for some lucky little boy or girl.
My blanket finishes twenty four inches square but you can make them any size depending on the size of your squares and the number of squares you use.
You'll need five to nine quarter yard pieces of fabric. Once you have selected your fabric cut it into 8 1/2" squares. (You will get four 8 1/2" squares from a quarter yard of fabric). Helpful Hint #1: I just cut all of the fabric into squares so I'll have a good variety to play with. You should have enough fabric to make two or three blankets out of a variety of 8 1/2" squares.
Once your squares are cut start playing with the placement. I just put them on the floor
and start moving them around kinda like puzzle pieces
adding squares while taking away others; moving things around until
I am happy with the placement.
Working in rows, start pinning the squares together and using your walking foot
sew them together using a quarter inch seam allowance. It's easiest to move your needle position to the right so you can use the edge of the foot as a guide to keep your seams straight and consistent as you sew your quarter inch seams. Helpful Hint #2: More important than a quarter inch seam on this project is a consistent seam. Just make sure they are all the same width so everything matches up later. You'll see.
Continue working one row at a time,
pinning and sewing row by row so you don't get mixed up.
Continue pinning and sewing row by row until all three rows are together.
Take each row to the ironing board and press the top and bottom rows with the seams going out
and the center row seams going toward the middle.
Lay the center strip on top of the top strip, right sides together and pin across the bottom (if you pin across the top everything will be all wonky and you have yourself a whole new layout). Probably not what you will be looking for.
Pin through the seams like this. Start by pinning at the seams then
pin the ends then between the seams.
Ease out any problems as you go.
Did I say problems?
Do as I say and there will be no problems.
(Please)
The pin should go right through the seams of the two strips, front to back. And since your seams were pressed in opposite directions the seams just kind of snuggle up to each other like they really louve one another.
Ooh, the bliss of it all.
Now take that baby to the sewing machine and with that consistent seam allowance sew it up. Helpful Hint #3: Remove the pins before you come to them. If you sew over pins you'll run the risk of doing three things:
1. Bending the pins.
2. Throwing your machine out of time when #1 happens.
3. Scaring the pee waddle out of yourself when #1 & #2 happens.
If you've been paying attention your intersecting seams should look like this.
Ecstasy!
This is what we quilters strive for. When it doesn't happen we embellish.
Fluffy yarn tied blanket anyone?
Here's a view of the wrong side. I wanted you to see my undressed seams snuggling. (Viewers discretion advised - rated PG13).
Now lay the first two joined rows down and admire your perfectly matched intersections.
Yup, you guessed it, it's time to add the bottom row. Just flip it up with right sides together and as before pin across the bottom first at the intersections, then the ends and then in between easing as you go. Take it to the machine and sew your last perfect seam.
When everything is together press once more. At this point I usually press the rows toward the least bulk. Meaning if my top and bottom rows have lots of chenille (which they do here) I'll press towards the center. You just need to figure that out on your own (I can't do all your thinking for you now can I?)
Now it's time for something fun and different. Check this out.
It's the coolest new Minkee like texture ever! And guess what? It doesn't stretch! So for all of you who are less than enamored with sewing on Minkee give this Minkee Chenille stuff a try. It's yum!
Okay. You'll only need an eighth of a yard to go around the edge of your blanket cause it's sixty inches wide (that's cheaper than ric rac people!) Cut two strips, 1 3/4" wide and sew them together. Then fold one end back to create a finished edge and pin like this.
At this point I like to machine baste the raw edges together starting about three inches from the folded end (leave that part un sewn for now). Then starting about three inches from the folded edge start sewing the basted strip of Minkee chenille to the blanket top. Start sewing on the edge of the center row, not on a corner.
Sew until you get to the corner square and once you've sewn about three inches into that corner square stop and pin. You will want to round the corners like this.
Helpful Hint #4: Two things are muy importante here. 1. That you don't cut your binding strip too wide because as I said earlier this particular Minkee won't stretch. A strip that is too wide just won't make the curve. 2. You need to round the curve gently. Since the Minkee won't stretch it needs a soft curve to do its thing.
Should we pause here so you can get a drink of water or take a bathroom break?
I know. But we're almost done.
I promise. (If you think this is taking forever to read can you imagine how long it took to write?)
Seriously!
(Love you guys)!
Just keep sewing and rounding those corners until you get back to where you started.
Cut off any extra trim leaving about an inch to tuck into that beginning piece you have conveniently left un sewn.
Pin in place and sew to connect.
Next you'll need to clip the chenille at the corners. Just snip the chenille up to the stitching being careful not to cut thought the stitch. This will help the chenille lay flat on the corners once turned.
(Annette's stunt hands here).
Now you're ready to put on the backing. You'll do this just like we did here. Remember to cut the backing bigger all around. Pin well and start sewing on a straight side (not a corner). Helpful Hint #5: I always like to start sewing my back on at one of the sides where I didn't join the ends of my trim. It's just less bulky there.
Notice that I am sewing with the top of my blanket facing up and I'm using the stitching line that I attached the chenille trim with as a guide.
My seam that attaches the front to the back is just slightly to the left of the previous seam. If you don't sew to the left you will see that first seam once your blanket is turned right side out. Not a good look for sure.
Leave a little tab of the backing at the place you have left open for turning. (I had to trim this down after I took this photo because it was too bulky once turned. Normally I leave the tab this big with regular Minkee but this stuff was just too bulky for such a big tab).
You still with me?
We're almost done.
Just need to top stitch.
On this one I stitched in the ditch, but you could top stitch 1/4" from the edge if you'd like.
All that's left is to press, defuzz a bit and admire your fabulous work. Be careful not to iron the chenille Minkee with too hot an iron. (It smashes it a bit. Ask me how I know).
I'm in love with the way this Minkee looks around a blanket. Looks kinda like corduroy.
Don'tyathink?
And it feels like heaven! (I want my momma)
Let me know what you think. I'd love to see your creations and hear about the accolades you receive when you give one of these darling little Drag Along's.
Remember I work cheap. The only payment I ask is your comment.
So please share.
Encourage one another,
Next week?
So glad you asked!
Something quick and fun for Christmas gift giving.
Tootles...
Oh. And starting tomorrow come back for the first of my Twelve Days of Giving posts where I will be sharing super quick sewing projects and gift ideas for everyone one your gift list!
