Just in case you've been experiencing a baby boom in your area, here's how I make them.
I like both sides of the blankets to be different so I purchase 1 1/2 yards of two different flannels. Pre-wash them before you get started because flannel can shrink a lot! Give the fabrics a nice press and lay them out, right sides together, on a large table or on the floor.
Carefully slide a cutting mat under the edge of the fabric and using a long ruler trim up the sides. Be sure to remove all of the selvedges - sometimes these are quite wide with lots of lettering and logos that you likely don't want showing.
After you trim up one side carefully line up the markings on the ruler with the cut edge of the fabric so the corner has a nice 90 degree angle and trim up the next side. Work your way around the fabric moving the cutting mat as necessary.
I prefer the corners of these blankets to be rounded. They lie flatter than pointed edges so I take a lid and cut around that as my template.
Use a plate, bowl or any other sturdy round object that has a nice curve on it and trim those corners up.
Now it's time to pin. Pin all around the blanket. I use two pins right next to each other to mark where I'm going to start and stop sewing. Maybe it's never happened to you, but too many times when sewing a pillow I start and sew merrily along and end up sewing my opening shut! When I get to two pins together that's my signal to stop sewing so I'm left with a nice opening in which to turn everything right side out.
After the blanket is turned right side out it's time to press. This is a little fiddly, but take your time and carefully press all around the blanket making sure the edges are pulled all the way open to the seam.
Hand sew the opening shut and now comes the fun!
Pick out some threads. Most times I like to use contrasting threads to do the decorative stitching. Other times, I match. Generally I use one color in the top and another in the bobbin.
Then, pick out a fun stitch on your machine. Often times flowery quilts get that cute leaf vine stitch. Have fun, it's not often that we quilters get to use all those pretty decorative stitches on our machines!
Using a regular presser foot, sew with the edge of the foot against the edge of the blanket all the way around.
See how cute that looks? This will stitch down that seam allowance and prevent it from twisting and unraveling in the wash.
Before you know it, you'll have a stack of blankets ready in the closet for all those new babies to come.
Now that my stack is ready, it's back to quilting!
See what the other quilters are up to this
week.
- - marcella
