Tutorial - Patchwork and minky baby blanket

I made this blanket last month and shared it over at icandy handmade as part of their DIY babies series.  In case you missed it over there, I am sharing it here today!

Blankets are my go-to handmade gifts for any baby shower.  A baby can never have too many blankets!  

This blanket is a quick sew with a great finished look.  The blanket measures just over 20" x 20" so it is a great size to roll up and throw in the diaper bag, it also makes a great blanket for the car seat or stroller.

The front of the blanket has a fun patchwork design and the back is a super soft minky that is extra cuddly for baby.  This is a great blanket to use up some fabric scraps, or you can use a charm pack of 5" x 5" squares.

I made this exact same blanket a few years back and it was a gift for a sweet baby boy.  He loved it! In fact, he loved it to pieces....literally.  His mom sent me a photo of his blanket that was all tattered and stained from the past few years of going with him everywhere.  So I sewed up another and mom replaced the new one with the tattered old one when he wasn't looking!

Want to make your own blanket? Here's how!...

Materials:

• 25 5"x5" squares for the front

• 2/3 yard of minky for the back

• Thread

• LOTS of pins

• Sewing machine

Place two squares right sides together and sew along one side with a ¼” seam allowance.  Continue adding squares to the row until you have a row of 5 squares.

 

Press the seams open. 

 

Repeat with your other squares to make 5 rows of 5 squares each.

 

Place two rows right sides together, line up the seams and pin in place.  Sew them with a ¼” seam allowance.

 

Continue adding rows until all 5 rows are sewn together, press the seams open.

Carefully cut your minky so it is the same size at your patchwork top.  Place your blanket top and minky right sides together and pin around the edges.  Use lots of pins to prevent the minky from slipping as you sew.

 

Sew around the edge with ¼” seam allowance, leaving a small opening about 2”-3” on one side.  A walking foot is helpful for sewing the two layers together, if you don’t have a walking foot, don’t worry!  Just take your time and sew slowly to make sure the fabrics stay lined up. 

 

Clip the corners close to the seam to reduce the bulk.

 

Turn your blanket right side out through the hole you left.  Press the blanket on the fabric side.  Tuck the raw edge of the hole in and pin in place.

 

Top stitch around the blanket close to the edge making sure to sew the opening closed.  Again, I find a walking foot helpful for this step, if you don't have one just take your time.

I added an extra row of topstitching about 3/8” from my first row. 

Now you can stop here, or you can quilt  along the seams of the patchwork if you would like.  

Then fold it up and it is ready for gifting!

This post is linked over at Make it & Love it