I don't know what's happening in your little corner of the world, but right now it's pouring over here, which is great, because we were suffering from serious drought conditions this summer. The pouring rain makes this blanket look all the more welcoming, and I'm happy to say that I made everyone in the family a blanket like this (I just realized I forgot myself!) for Chanukah last year and it was such a fun gift. Each person got a different color/pattern combination that I chose just for them, and I made them all over the course of two evenings after the children were asleep!
Since then I've also made some smaller versions as baby blankets, a really nice gift that will pair nicely with the hat that I'll post in a few days! As you can probably see by the photo, the blanket consists of two layers of fleece quite simply tied together. You can make these any size you like, the only limits being the size of fleece you choose to work with. If you'd like to make a very large blanket, so rather than buy fleece yardage, try to find a source for inexpensive fleece blankets, which is what I've used. Or, you could join panels with a row of tied ruffles running down the middle as well as on the sides, which would look great too! If you want to get really adventurous you could tie together a number of panels for a textured quilt-like look. Whatever you choose to do, give it a try, it's so simple and such a satisfying gift! Of course some members of the family might like to try something new, like large weighted blankets, and last year I gifted my husband a weighted blanket, for which of course you could make a fleece cover using this same technique and more panels.
You'll Need:
- fleece, 2 large blankets,afghan or baby blanket sized pieces
- masking tape
- good scissors
- a ruler or tape measure
How To:
- Prepare each piece of (identically sized) fleece according to steps 1 and steps 2 in the diagram
- Pin two pieces together, right sides facing out
- Starting at one corner, tie together matching fringe pieces with a double knot. Be sure to tie the knot the same way each time, and don't pull too tight or it will cause puckers in the blanket.
- Work all the way around the blanket, carefully knotting matching pieces.
- To wrap the blanket as a gift, roll and make a nice band from heavy paper to hold the roll in place.
I hope you'll enjoy this simple project as much as I have! And when you see fleece blankets on sale for a great price, so snatch them up to have on hand for easy to make gifts when the occasion arises.
