A wonderful and easy homemade gift! PICS ADDED :)

[PurpleButterfly]

Hand-tied, no-sew blankets! :grin

They are SO easy and beautiful, you won't believe you made it in less than an hour! The softest, most cuddly blankie ever! :scarf

My five yo and I have been making these for family and friends, having such a fun time picking out fabric and seeing the finished product in the blink of an eye. :tu

I'll post a directions/pictures link below, but basically:

All you need:
Fleece
Scissors

1. Put two pieces of fleece back to back.

2. Trim w/scissors to make them exact size (I place pins in the fabric to hold it in place while cutting/tying)

3. Cut out 4" squares from each corner (this will give you rounded corners in your blankie).

4. Cut out 1" to 3" wide (& about 4" long) strips all the way around the blanket.

5. Simply tie your strips together (one from each side of the fabric) into knots all the way around the blanket.

6. Cuddle up and enjoy your work!


If you happen to have pinking sheers, you can use those to cut the fleece to exact size, and it will give a nice little scalloped edge to the ties. But these are adorable either way, trust me!

***To make a baby blanket:
1 yard solid color fleece
1 yard print fleece
pair of scissors

***To make an adult throw or child's size blanket:
1 and 2/3 yards solid color fleece
1 and 2/3 yards print fleece
pair of scissors

When choosing your fleece, remember that you're picking out the solid fleece for one side of your blanket, the print for the other.
So make sure they compliment each other, since you will be able to see both fabrics together in the fringe from either side. :grin

http://www.womenbygrace.com/home006.html

[Iansmama]

What a great idea! I am going to try these!!!

Glad to see you online!

[Punkie]

How cute!

[gamomof2]

What a neat idea! I think we'll try it. Thanks for sharing this idea! :grin

[erinee]

Zach & I made these last year as a project with his school. I've been thinking about making some and donating them somewhere, like a crisis pregnancy shelter, as a homeschool project. He really enjoyed making them, and you're right, they're super easy!

[ArmsOfLove]

we were given two for the twins and they are wonderful :highfive

[Grover]

Hey great idea thanks

[Jennifer]

Our MOPS group is going to make them in February for Linus project. It is a charity that gives blankets to the babies in the NICUs at the hospitals. :)

[snlmama]

My mom made those for my kids a couple of years ago and they love them. She's planning to make new ones this year! :grin

[Chris3jam]

What a neat thing to do! And you could tie a toy onto each corner (or just one) for an older baby. . .like something to teeth on.

[gamomof2]

I have a question after reading the instructions on the link that you gave; did you do the 2 different knots, one so the knot is on the inside and then another one so it lays flat? I am a little confused about that. I might get some fleece and make a practice blanket to try it out first. I'd really like to make a few of these for gifts, though! :tu

[Chris3jam]

I am a little confused about that. I might get some fleece and make a practice blanket to try it out first. I'd really like to make a few of these for gifts, though!

I need some help, as well! Um. . . .*one* hour project?! I must be . . .incredibly. . . .stupid and slow, because I have one side left, and I've been at one blanket for 3 hours! And I really don't think I'm knotting them properly. I just tied each one once. That's not enough, is it? Please help! I bought enough fleece to try and make a lap blanket for grandma and grandpa and my dd. . . . .and I can't get the first one made!!!

I'm running out tomorrow and trying to find something else for grandma and grandpa for Christmas. :( I thought it would have been so nice for the kids to have helped me with something for them. I guess it's just not to be. . . .

Heeeeelllllpppp!

[Marzipan]

I don't know about those particular instructions, but when I made some last year, I just double tied each set of fringes. (Fringes?) Just like you do to start your shoes, only twice. :shrug I don't guess they lay super flat but they're cozy and disheveled looking. :)

[Chris3jam]

Well, I didn't get perfect corners, either, like in the instructions. I got a smallish maybe lap blanket out of 2X 2 yards of fleece. I guess I'm material-ly challenged. :( I've never had a problem with any other craft-y thing. And I've just finished, and I'd been working on it since 8 pm (with about an hour break). And it's 1:31 AM now. :( *sigh*

[PurpleButterfly]

:hugheart I'm sorry that was so frustrating. :hug I don't do any kind of special knot, just tie them twice into the only kind of knot my fingers know how to tie. :shrug They don't lay flat but I think it looks great anyway. When buying fleece, you want two yards (length) of fleece, with no specified width - that will give you the standard material width which is perfect for blankies and enough to trim the edges if needed.

I don't think I tie particularly fast, but maybe you need new scissors for easier cutting? :scratch I helped a friend with a blankie (also for her grandma!) a few weeks ago and her scissors were so dull...it took much longer for the project. :/

Here are the blankets another friend and I made together this month - she made a smaller one (pink/purple) for her very wee 4 yo dd to use in the car on wintery days:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Gentleoceanwind/IMG_0541.jpg


And I made this one for Nemo with fabric he picked out:


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/Gentleoceanwind/IMG_0545.jpg

Don't give up, mama! I wish I could come over and work on your blankies with you! :hug2

[Chris3jam]

Thanks for the pics! I think it may get better with practice. I have sharp scissors. . they're brand new. But I had to constantly refer back to the measuring tape as I did it, to make sure I was making the cuts nice and even. I just have to figure out what I'm doing wrong with the corners! Oh, I wish for a friend to be able to come over and do this together! This is the kind of thing I really would like having friends for -- fun fellowship! A blanket for you, a blanket for me, a cup of tea, a little conversation, kids playing in the background. . . . . sigh.

[arwen_tiw]

Aw I hate being so far away from everyone too, especially when I read a post like that where I know you just need a :grouphug

I bet your blankets look fab though, and I think I'll have a go at these too (when I've done with the four or five projects I already started and abandonned :giggle). :( I will share a virtual cup of tea with you :cup that's the best I can do from all the way over here. :hug2

[Chris3jam]

Well, since it took me so long to do the no-sew blanket. . .and I had a really, really nice 'panel' for grandma's blanket. . .I decided to go a different way. I took 'no-stitch', glued the edges of the fleece together, got some blanket edging (?) and 'no-stitch' glued that on to cover the edges. :grin I can post pics. . . . . . .if you want. :grin

[PurpleButterfly]

What a great idea!! :tu Oh please do post some pics!!! :grin

:grouphug :cup :gcmhi :hugs :gcmhi :jump2

(That's us having a GCM crafting party with tea for everyone and the kiddos playing in the background! :hug)

[Chris3jam]

This is Grandma's blanket. . . Grandpa's blanket is a hunter green and dark blue plaid, with a bright yellow on the other side, with a dark hunter green "blanket trim" (or whatever it is). I, hopefully, will get his done tonight. Grandma's has a dark blue fleece on the other side, with a dark blue trim (in case you can't tell :grin).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Chris3jam/Pic653.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v465/Chris3jam/Pic652.jpg

[Chris3jam]

Let me just say that is is totally far from perfect. . . the kids wanted to help. :grin I hope Grandma can accept it for what it is, and not expect a really, really serious 'good' gift for Christmas! It's definitely from the heart, though!

[PurpleButterfly]

It sure looks perfect to me! :heart That is so beautiful and much prettier than the hand-tied! :tu What a loving and precious gift - I can't imagine Grandma being anything but touched and thrilled with it. :hug

[Chris3jam]

Well, I *was* going to tie it. . . but the panel didn't have enough of a border (only 2"), and I really didn't want to cut into the 'picture'. I really think it would have been a little prettier with the ties. And Grandpa's blanket I want to be as big as possible, so I thought I'd do the same with his, too. Plus, I already had the trim, and it's such a pretty green!

[Piper2]

Oh, yeah, I love those! Kevin's...I guess she's his step-grandmother, even though none of us (including DH) have ever met her...made one for Kevin for Christmas last year. It has a train pattern (since my FIL has always been into trains, and his father used to work for the railroad) and is SO warm! :scarf

I think it's the best blanket (but Kevin always tells me I'm the "best blanket" ;)).

[boonpnutsmom]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/boonpnutsmom/Shaylanewbalnket.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v109/boonpnutsmom/Shaylabackside.jpg

I just made one for Boo, need to finish Peanut's and Lilman's.

[ArmsOfLove]

so cute!
& look at your beautiful belly!!! :hug

[PurpleButterfly]

so cute!
& look at your beautiful belly!!! :hug


Whose belly? :scratch I wanna see, too!!! :jump

All these blankies are so adorable!!! :tu

[ArmsOfLove]

Your belly silly :hug

[boonpnutsmom]

I just finished Peanut's Batman one, and made Lilman's Elmo one, even made him a pillow. I have more material to make another one for Peanut but my hands hurt for now so I am stopping.

[PurpleButterfly]

Oh that's not me!!! :giggle It's a non-pg friend! :eek I better post some belly pics.... :grin

[chelsea]

Awesome!! Too bad I didn't get here in time for Christmas! Oh well, now I've got next year's presents decided upon!! :tu :tu