Print this page   Add to Favorites

Making a Baby Blanket

Sew this gorgeous two-in-one baby blanket as a special gift. This blanket folds away as a pillow (see picture on this page), which makes it easy to take away with you.

. . . And in years to come children put their feet in the pocket when they go to sleep. Children will become inseparable with a soft and snugly baby blanket like this one.

Get ready to sew this real gem for your child, grandchild or to give away as a present for a new born baby.   

Size of finished baby blanket 90 x 120 cm 

Materials for baby blanket:   

• Fabric with a design suitable for babies or toddlers:  
• • 170 cm with a fabric width of 90 cm   
  • 125 cm with a fabric width of 140 cm   
• Plain matching fabric same amount as  

o        170 cm of fabric width 120 or 140 cm   

• Wadding  

o        Twice the size of the blanket of medium thickness plus an extra 45 cm for the pocket. (Very difficult to determine the exact measurement as the width of wadding varies dramatically. I have bought wadding with a width of 170 cm and other shops only had a width of 70 cm)   

• Good sewing cotton – Preferably Gutermann and if not available a good quality quilting cotton. (Children get attached to their blankets and as a result they often carry them around and of course are washed to death, hence a good cotton is essential.)  

Cutting the fabric:

·        Fabric with design:  

o       for front of blanket 90 x 120 plus seam allowance 

o       for pocket 40 x 40 plus seam allowance 

·        Plain fabric:  

o       for the back of blanket 90 x 120 plus seam allowance 

o       for pocket 40 x 40 plus seam allowance 

o       2 strips of 10 x 125 cm 

o       2 strips of 10 x 95 cm 

·        Wadding:  

o       Two pieces - the size of blanket 90 x 120 plus seam allowance 

o       For pocket once 40 x 40 plus seam allowance 

Sewing instructions for baby blanket :   

• Wadding may have to be joined depending of the width of the wadding. Place pieces against each other and join with a catch stitch – see flannel fell seem in Seams 1.
• Pin one piece of wadding on front panel and one piece of wadding on the back panel.

Back panel: 

• Divide the long side of the back panel in 4 equal parts – taking off 5 cm in total first for rolled edging on both sides. Baste fabric to wadding according to these measurements.
• Divide the short side of the back panel in 3 equal parts – taking off 5 cm in total first for rolled edging on both sides. Baste fabric to wadding according to these measurements.
• Machine stitch these squares as indicated. This will make sure that the wadding does not move.

 Pillow pocket: 

• Place pattern and plain fabric together – right sides facing. Pin wadding to the back of the plain fabric.
• Machine stitch three sides. Turn inside out. Make sure corners are straight.
• Baste the edges and press.
• Top stitch 1.5 cm from the edge around the three stitched sides.
• Pin pocket in the middle of the bottom back panel with the open seam to the bottom – plain colour on top.
• Join the pocket to the back panel – machine stitch right on the edge of the pocket.

Front panel:

• Choose a pattern that you like to highlight. Cut extra wadding to match this pattern. Slide this extra wadding between the front panel and the pinned on wadding panel and pin this to secure it in between.
• Half back stitch (or machine stitch) around this pattern – through both layers of wadding.
• Repeat this on a number of selected patterns on the front panel. This will give the extra embossing effect and at the same time secures the wadding.   

Finishing the baby blanket :

• Pin front and back panel together – wadding from both panels on the inside, fabric on the outside.
• Take the long strips and place it face down on the front panel with seams even (approx. 2.5 cm from the edge) and machine stitch strips and panel together.
• Whip both edges – (roll both edges over and fold in the hem on the back panel, slip stitch). This will give a nice full edge of approx. 2.5 cm.  
• Repeat technique for the two shorter strips.   

This beautiful, warm and snugly baby blanket is a great home sewing project that will be a child’s favourite for many years to come and . . . you made it!