This sew simple blanket is endlessly versatile, if you are new to sewing or you are a seasoned sewer, you will love this easy make blanket.
We love our four legged friends but not the hair that they leave behind, this blanket looks stylish while protecting your sofa.
If you or someone you know has a baby (or is expecting a baby) this is a fantastic but practial gift. It makes a safe and machine washable playmat that folds easily into a bag.
Its so lovely to snuggly down on the sofa and catch up on some television, with a cup of tea and a cosy blanket.
As always with the patterns and tutorials from Sew Retro you can make this to your own measurements, while still following the step by step tutorial.
To make this blanket you will need
110cm of main fabric I got mine here
110cm of backing fabric also from here
110cm of wadding I got mine here
Matching or contrast thread, pins, safety pins and chalk
Cutting measurements.
Cut 1 in main fabric - 93 cm x 106cm
Cut 1 in backing fabric - 93cm x 106cm
Cut 1 in wadding. - 93cm x 106cm
RS = right side of the fabric WS = wrong side of the fabric
Cut out the blanket using the measurements above.
On a flat surface, layer the blanket as follows, first layer = the wadding, second layer = main fabric facing up, third laye r= RS of the backing fabric, onto the RS of the main fabric. The backing fabric WS will be facing you.
Pin the three layers together. Use lots of pins to secure the layers and stop the wadding moving.It also help to use safety pins to hold the layers together.
Thread your sewing machine with matching thread and attach the walking foot according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The walking foot is designed for layers of fabric. The walking foot for the sewing machine is a foot with its own feed dogs to move the top layer of fabric, while the sewing machine's feed dogs moves the bottom layer.
As the fabric is proceeding under the needle, the machine's feed dogs grip the bottom layer of fabric and pull it through the machine so that the stitches are formed in a line.
This special sewing machine foot prevents the top layer of fabric from shifting by moving it under the needle at the same rate as the machine's feed dogs are moving the bottom layer, preventing puckering and pleating of the layers.
Choose a large stitch length.
Taking a 1cm seam allowance, stitch the layers together.
Leave a gap in one seam to turn the blanket to the RS. When you reach the end of a seam, leave the needle down in your blanket. Lift the foot and pivot the sewing around so you are ready and facing the correct way to stitch the next seam.
Cut the excess fabric from each corner. Turn the blanket to the RS.
Turn the blanket to the RS and using slip stitch, close the gap.
Press the blanket.
Well done :-)))) you have made a stunning blanket which will look stylish and protect your sofa or make a safe and washable mat for your baby to lie on. You can at this stage call it finished OR take it to the next level and quilt the blanket.
I decided to follow the Orla Keily pattern and use a matching thread, but you could use a contrast thread in the bobbin, on the under side of the blanket you will have a stitch pattern that mirrors the front. You do not have to follow the pattern on the front of your blanket although, if you had an animal print for a baby blanket it would look amazing on the underside, and you could change the thread colour for the different animal shapes. Using chalk and a ruler you could mark out a tradition diamond pattern and follow the chalk lines when sewing.
Using safety pins pin the blanket layers together, this is really important step and makes the process so much easier. I have also tacked the layers together, although this is a little more work before you start quilting your blanket, its much quicker than unpicking, if the layers are not stable and tacked together it’s very easy to accidently catch sections of the blanket into the pattern of the quilting.
This is used to hold the fabric in position while it is being permanently stitched. Like running stitch but with longer stitches. It is also called or know as Basting.
Work with single or double thread, knotted at the end, and make evenly spaced stitches by taking the needle in and out of the fabric.
End a line of tacking with 1 backstitch or a knot.
To release the tacking stitches, cut off the knot and pull out the thread.
Using your chosen pattern start quilting.
Thread the sewing machine with contrast or matching thread and start stitching.
Secure the stitching at the beginning and end of each row. Cut all the loose threads
and pull out the tacking. Press the blanket and CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE FINISHED YOUR BEAUTIFUL BLANKET. Well done :-)
ng