Happy Monday, sweet friends! Today I want to share with you a fun and easy DIY fleece blanket. You can buy kits that come with everything you need to make a beautiful polyester fleece blanket, just in time for the holidays! Come check out the no sew throw kit!
One of our kind neighbors finds volunteers each year to make dozens of blankets for our local orphanage. She buys the kits, then she recruits neighborhood helpers. Each volunteer pays her $20 per kit, makes the blanket, and returns it to her in time for the holidays. This year I decided to donate a little of my time and make one of these darling blankets.
These blanket kits consist of two 72″X60″ pieces of coordinating polyester fleece. All you’ll need is a nice sharp pair of scissors and some straight pins!
For extra simplicity our neighbor includes two templates with the kits. One template for each of the four corners, which is 5″x5″ square, and one for the fringe. (The fringe measures 1 inch wide by 5 inches long.)
You begin by putting the pieces of fabric together with right sides out and wrong sides together. (This is because the blanket will be reversible, so the pretty sides of the fabric face out.) I used my dining table since it’s nice and long. I pinned the fleece together and then trimmed off the selvages from both long edges. (The selvage is an unfinished piece of the fabric that keeps the material from fraying and runs the length of the fabric. You cut it off because it has an unfinished edge and sometimes writing or small pin holes.) Make sure the long edges are the same size on the top and bottom pieces. I turned mine over just to make sure before proceeding.
I trimmed off the short ends of the fabric so they were the same width, and I pinned them together.
Using the template provided, I cut off the corner of each end of the blanket pieces.
Using the other template, I cut through both pieces of fleece and made 5 inch cuts, one inch apart. ( Note: I put the pins above the fringe so the fabric would stay together and allow me to cut through both pieces.)
Simply work your way around all four sides of the fleece making sure all of the cuts are the same 5 inch depth and one inch apart.
After all of the cuts are made, it’s just a matter of knotting the fringe pieces together using one strand from the top layer and one strand below from the bottom. Repeat around all four sides. Make sure the square knots are good and tight.
I think most of the blanket kits are pretty gender neutral, so the blankets can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone.
All done! It took me about 2 hours from start to finish. Aren’t the colors so pretty? I love the coordinating fabrics.
I used the white ribbon that came with the kit to tie it back up into a neat little package. I turned it in to my neighbor yesterday afternoon. She plans to wash each of the blankets and then give them to the orphanage to distribute at Christmas. The same sweet neighbor also collected left-over halloween candy for the children too. Isn’t that the sweetest thing?
This particular kit came from Joann Stores but you can also find them online or at your local craft store. Wouldn’t these make great Christmas presents for someone in your life? Or, like our sweet neighbor, maybe there is someone in need from your neighborhood, church or nursing home that could use a cozy blanket? They come in a variety of colors and patterns. I’ve even made them as baby gifts!
Well, I have lots to do today to get ready for the week, but I wanted to pop over and share this easy little DIY blanket with you. Tomorrow I’m making a new dessert for our bible study group, so be sure to check back by for the recipe!
I hope you have a wonderful day. Thanks for stopping by and let me know if you’ve ever made one of these blankets or plan to! Until later, xoxo Dell