Flannel Blanket Tutorial

I will continue to distribute blankets, sleeping bags, warm clothing and food on a regular basis, in the hope that my modest efforts will give some comfort to those people we are able help. 

Mohamed Al-Fayed

Do you sometimes find yourself in need of a quick baby gift but you don't have the time to make a quilt?  This is a simple project that can be made in any size you want.  It can be a doll quilt, a baby quilt or like this one a blanket to cover the top of a NICU bed to shield the preemie baby from the harsh lights.

It looks a little strange when you cut it out and are sewing it because the back is so much larger than the front.  This is because the back wraps around to the front side to become a faux binding or edge.  Once you make one the method will make more sense to you and you will want to make several to keep on hand or donate.

For this small NICU blanket a 25" square of backing was cut and a 15" square for the front. Use the formula in the picture above to figure out your sizes to cut.  You may want to make one as big as possible with the yardage you have.  For example if you have a piece of flannel that you can cut a 42" square from this would be your back.  Decide how much of an edge you want to have.  A 10" difference will leave an edge of about 2.25".  If that is what you want then with 1/4" seam allowance the center would be a 32" square.

Match the centers of each side of the backing and front right sides together and pin.  Do two opposites, sew them then pin and sew the two remaining opposite sides.

Place a pin 1/4" away from the edge of the front.  

You must begin and end your sewing at this point 

to leave the last 1/4" free to miter the corners.

Leave an opening of 4" - 5" along one side for turning later.

It will look a little strange with big dog ears at each corner after the first four seams are done.  DO NOT TURN it right side out yet!  Flatten the blanket and center the front making sure each seam is an equal distance from the edge.

Align the outer corners as pictured below.

Press a crease along the 45 degree angle on both sides of each corner as pictured below.

Pin carefully aligning these creases at each corner.

Stitch along the crease at all four corners.  Begin and end your stitching about one stitch length away from the intersection and the edge of the corner.  Be sure to backstitch a couple of stitches at the beginning and end of each seam so it can't come out.

Trim seam.  Press these seams open.

NOW turn it right side out through the opening 

you left in one of the long seams.

Flatten blanket and smooth it out to get the same amount of backing showing at each side. Pin the opening closed.  Press.

Stitch along the seam allowance all the way around.  This will close the opening and you can use a decorative stitch here if you wish.  Contrasting thread would be a nice accent it too.

Finished Flannel Blanket

Isn't it cute?

That's all there is to it!  Let me know if you use this tutorial to make some blankets.  If you wish to make some to donate to a NICU check with them first about what size they would prefer.  This one finished at about 19 1/2" square.  They can be rectangles too you just have to start with 2 proportioned rectangles.

Linking today with: Crazy Mom Quilts

My Christmas in July

Christmas isn't a season.  It's a feeling.  

Edna Ferber

Ah, at last it's my turn to share.  Thanks to Julie at The Crafty Quilter for putting this great hop together.  I knew what I wanted to make just as soon as heard about it.  My idea was to make a Christmas Tree Skirt.  As it turned out this could be a Christmas Tablecloth if you don't need a Tree Skirt.  I had a hard time deciding which way to go with it so there may be another one created soon.
If you haven't been to my blog before WELCOME!!!  I hope you will take a few minutes to explore it.  You can get to know a little more about me by checking out some of the links in my sidebar.
Now, everyone so far in this hop has made a small project.  This could be a small Tree Skirt if that's what you need.  You can adjust the measurements to make it any size you want.  I seldom do really small quilts and this one got really big.  There is a reason however.  My son complained that the 54" Tree Skirt I gave him a few years ago wasn't big enough.  He always gets a live tree and his tree stand holds several gallons of water and is huge.  By the time a tree skirt covers the bulk of it there is very little left to reach the floor.  I think this one will do the trick!
Hexies are all the rage in the Quilting World these days.  When I was deciding what shape to use it was a simple choice.
First Make a Pattern:
I used freezer paper for this which is 18" wide.  If you have some wider paper, wrapping paper for example, use it.  You also need a 24" ruler that has 60 degree markings on it.

This makes a pattern that is 21" from top to bottom.  If your fabric is not that wide from the top of the selvage to the fold make adjustments in where the line is drawn.  For example: for a 20" width the line would be drawn 2" away from the edge of the freezer paper.

Pin your pattern to the fabric with the small edge at the fold.  Place ruler along the drawn line and cut along the angled edges.   

Remove pattern and for the second cut place it on the fabric with the long straight edge along the fold this time and the angle lining up with the previous cut.  Pin in place and cut 2 more wedges.  Repeat with the pattern in the original position and cut again so you have a total of SIX WEDGES.
If you want a plain tree skirt that measure about 44" across you just need to sew these wedges together.  
Want it a little bigger?  Let's see what borders will do.

To keep this post from being so long the tutorial for the pieced border is in the next post.  You Can See It HERE.

After the pieced border unit is made attach it to the wedge matching centers.  Place the 60 degree line along one of the straight seams and trim the angle through the borders.

You could stop and finish it at this point if you like the size.  I added one more 4 1/2" border of the center fabric.  Then all that was left was to sew the wedges together matching seams at the borders.  Leave one side open for a Tree Skirt or stitch them all shut for a tablecloth. 

Tip:  You may find quilting easier if you stitch all the wedges together, quilt it then split one seam open.  It is easier to baste and handle that way.

Quilt as desired and bind.  Make ties or use Velcro squares for closures along the open edge.

Simple stippling around the squares make them pop.  I did a larger meandering on the center print since it was so busy nothing fancier would show up anyway. 

Final size is about 70" across and 80" point to point.  I know that sounds huge but I have seen many live and artificial trees that it would barely be showing out from under the branches.  A tall tree stand takes a lot of it up vertically.

To use this as a Tablecloth seam up the last two wedges and applique a circle or hexagon in the center.  

Fabric Yardage
Main Print:  2 yards for the Center and 1 yard for the Outer Border Green Print:  1 1/4 yards for Accent Borders and Pieced Border Red Print:  1 yard for Pieced Border and Binding White Print:  1 1/2 yards for Pieced Border Background  
Let me know if you think a large Tree Skirt like this would work for anyone you know.  I'm planning a Christmas Linky Party in December featuring Tree Skirts.  I'd love to have you link up then.  You have a few months to get one made if you haven't made one before.  This really was a fast piecing project.  I hope you will try it!
Linking with:  Crazy Mom Quilts and My Quilt Infatuation and Richard and Tanya Quilts

Simple Patchwork Border

Anyone who works on a quilt, who devotes her time, energy, creativity, and passion to that art, learns to value the work of her hands.  And as any quilter will tell you, a quilter's quilting friends are some of the dearest, most generous, and most supportive people she knows.  

Jennifer Chiaverini

Adding a pieced border to any quilting project always sets it off and shows that you put more effort and thought into your project.  This is a simple but stunning way to make a pieced border.  There are a number of ways to create one like this. You can make them with quarter square triangles on the outer edges so that they will be on grain, but for this project I just went with simple strip construction.  The only down side to doing it this way is that you end up with bias along the edge of the border but I will give a few hints on how to deal with that.  

Note:  These instructions were written for the Hexagonal Tree Skirt in my Christmas in July Post.  This border could be added to any quilt project but you probably would be working with 4 sides not 6 so adjust the number of strips accordingly.

I decided that I wanted the squares on point and that I didn't want them to touch the edges of the strips or wedges.  That way the squares would not be chopped up when the wedges were joined together and the squares would be floating on the background in each section.

Here is what I used for the pieced border unit:

2 - 2 1/2" strips of green

2 - 2 1/2" strips of red

4 - 3 1/2" strips of white

6 - 8 1/2" squares cut diagonally for 12 half square triangles

12 - 2 1/2" strips of green for the edges of the pieced border unit

You can change any of these measurements just keep the background strips 1" larger if you want the squares to float.  If you want the points of the squares to touch the edging strips the background strip only has to be 1/2" larger than the strip for the center squares.

The size of the squares for the half square triangle is determined by the width of the strip set when it is sewn together.  2" + 3 1/4" + 3 1/4" = 8 1/2"  This makes the triangles over-sized for the ends which is what you want to be able to cut the angle of the wedge easily.

Construction is easy.

Tip:  It's a good idea to spray starch these sets while pressing them.  

This will help keep the bias from stretching.

Time Saving Tip:  Layer the units and cut all four at once.  This is a big time saver and works great!  Just lay the strip sets down along one of the horizontal lines on the cutting mat.  Each one is layered a little lower than the one under it so the seams don't overlap.

You don't have to alternate two colors like I did.  You can use more colors or all one color.  Sew units together off-setting the center squares.

How many to sew together?  Depends on how you want it to look.  You can lay it out below the center wedge as you sew it and see if it is as big as you need.  You can do the math.  Multiply the finished size of the square by 1.41.  Mine were 2" finished so 2 x 1.41 = 2.82

Now add the large triangles to each end of the unit.  Attach them with the bias edge of the triangle being the one sewn on.  Since they are slightly over sized sew them on so that you are getting the maximum width possible if you will be cutting an angle like I did for this project. 

To stabilize the bias edge you will have decide where you want to trim the edge.  I left an inch of background on each side.  Using a marking pencil draw a faint line where you will be cutting.

Tip:  I measured from the tip of the squares.  You could also measure from the center line of the squares where they touch tips.  That way you could cut the width of the border unit to be an even 1/4" or 1/2" measurement.  Mine turned out about 4 5/8".  In this project it didn't matter but on a quilt border the math for additional borders would be easier without figuring in 1/8" inches.  ;-)

Tip:  When marking lines for reference in piecing or quilting only make the marks as dark as you need to see them.  The lighter they are the easier they are to get rid of.  In this case they are in the seam allowance and should not be a problem.

Stitch about 1/16" or 1/8" inside this line with a long stitch (4.0) or 6 stitches per inch.  Use a walking foot if your machine wants to gather up the fabric while doing this.  The fabric should remain flat or easily press flat after stitching.

Note:  If you want to add this in the middle of a quilt border and need longer ends just cut a background strip the same width as the pieced unit.  Trim the pieced section as shown below first.  Cut a 45 degree angle at the end of the background strip where you will join it making sure it points in the right direction and attach.  Measure the total length needed for your project and trim ends to size.

Press unit flat and trim to size along the line drawn previously.  Attach the plain strips to each side of the pieced unit before adding it to your project.  Match the centers and pin in place.  Sew with the bias edge of the pieced unit down against the feed dogs.  Do not trim until after it is attached to the wedge, then trim at the 60 degree angle as shown in the previous post.

That's all you need to do for the pieced border.  Do you think you will add one to something you will make?  I'd love to see it if you do.

Linking with: Freemotion by the River and Sew Many Ways

Now You See It

Here is my secret. It is very simple: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Part of the quote above was used on one of my favorite TV shows, NCIS, this week.  When I decided to post the following pictures today I thought is fit well.

The tutorial I did on How to be Visually Seamless had a few comments about not being able to see where the seam really was.  I had tried to figure out how to photograph it for the tutorial and did the best I could.  A few weeks ago (before my travels) I managed to capture the seams with an alternate light source.  Here are the pictures.  It may look like they are all the same border but they are of all four borders and the four seams I made.

Side One

Side One

Side Two

Side Two

Side Three

Side Three

Side Four

Side Four

I used my light table for the photos.  While I was taking them I accidentally took one with the light in my lap.  I thought it would be a wasted one but it turned out to be the best shot of the seam because it only showed halfway up the border.  Nothing like serendipity.  LOL

Now You Can See It!

I hope this brings a little light to the topic.  ;-)  I'll have to show you my light table sometimes.

If you haven't read the original post the link is at the top.  If you have tried to do this let me know how it went.