Have you ever been invited to a baby shower, RSVP-ed “yes,” and suddenly froze as the question arises: what do you get as a present?
There are the typical solutions – baby clothes, nursery supplies, and cute teddy bears. But, perhaps you want to gift something a little more personal?
Or, instead of the last minute baby shower gift panic, are you a parent that is tired of either inferior quality baby blankets or paying a fortune for decent ones? Babies go through a lot of blankets!
In both cases, learning how to sew a baby blanket is a simple (yes, simple!) solution and one that will take only hours to master.
Wait…Baby Blankets Are That Easy?
Yes, they are! Of course, there are more complex designs, and sewing various materials like silk can take additional time to get the hang of, but overall, making a baby blanket is simple – even for novices.
Mastering this craft is a great way to keep a stockpile of baby shower gifts with a personal touch, and to keep your own linen cupboard full of wonderful, fluffy blankets for the bubba.
What You Need
Before running out to a supply store and loading up the cart, choose the kind(s) of fabric you want the blanket to be made of – cotton, minky, fleece, and silk are all pretty common and readily available.
Minky and fleece are plush, and great for making blankets for the cooler months, while cotton is cheap and comes in hundreds of colors and patterns.
Silk will be luxurious, but is more difficult to master and, remember – babies are messy!
This tutorial is specific to an extra comfortable blanket with a soft border. Feel free to mix and match fabrics to your own taste, of course!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Fabric scissors.
- Straight pins.
- Cotton fabric of your choice (90 cm. x 90 cm.).
- Fluffy cotton (102 cm. x 102 cm.). Swap this out for another fabric if you want a thinner, lighter blanket.
- Sewing machine. You can do it by hand, but of course, a machine is always faster and easier.
Let’s get started!
How to Sew a Baby Blanket
Before we get started, you may want to refer to this useful baby blanket size guide.
Step One:
If they aren’t already, cut your two pieces of fabric to the specifications above.
Or, if you want a super-sized baby blanket, the rule with this design is to keep the fluffy cotton layer 12 cm, larger than the plain cotton layer on all sides.
Step Two:
Lay the fluffy material right-side down, and smooth out any wrinkles as best you can.
On top of this, lay the cotton piece, right-side up, and center it within the fluffy material as best you can.
It isn’t the end of the world if the alignment is a little off, so don’t stress if the edges aren’t ruler-straight!
Step Three:
Break out the pins and pop a thimble on – this is the “fiddliest” step.
Take the outer edge of the fluffy layer and fold it over the second cotton layer.
You will want to ensure you’ve folded the fluffy layer inward, at least 2 cm so that the stitches have plenty of material to grip onto. Keep folding down and pin as you go.
Further reading: How to do blanket stitch.
Step Four:
Line up the edge of the sewing foot to the innermost edge of the folded fluffy cotton layer, and start sewing.
Stop sewing roughly an inch from the first corner, snip the excess fabric from the overlap, fold the raw edge down, and sew it shut.
Keep stitching until you’re done!
The great thing about using a fluffy cotton layer is that, so long as the thread is the same color, the stitch-work is nearly invisible! This is particularly handy for dealing with the corners.
Step Five:
The last step is the easiest one – snip off any hanging threads and remove any remaining pins.
Are Sewing Machines Necessary?
In a word: no. Learning how to make baby blankets without sewing machines isn’t all that hard, but it does require a lot more time and patience.
Instead of using a machine, this design can be easily hand-stitched.
Hand-stitching is a useful skill, and if you want to develop it, baby blankets are certainly an easy item to start with.
Just follow the same process as above, but with a hand-managed needle.
How to Sew a Baby Blanket With Personal Touches
For those who want to go the extra mile, adding lettering is a cute way to up their sewing game to the next level – and ensure that you receive the title of ‘best baby shower gift giver.’
You can either cut out the lettering yourself, or buy pre-made letters out of felt or cotton. Iron-on patches are another way to go too!
If you do want to personalize the blanket, add the lettering before sewing the two layers of cotton together.
Be careful with the positioning too; don’t stick the lettering too close to the edge.
Here’s a video showing an easy baby blanket sewing pattern.
Verdict
Baby blankets are super simple to make, and take no time at all to master.
This fluffy baby blanket tutorial is one of the easiest designs, perfect for novices, and fantastic for those that aren’t the neatest sewers.