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Fringed Fleece Blankets
- Alayna
- Jan 6, 2022
- 3 min read
These cute and fuzzy blankets can be made out of fleece scraps! I wrap them up with a stuffy and a bedtime book and donate to a local domestic violence shelter to be given to kids who have to leave violent situations. They also make a very great gift!
Time Required:
3-4 hours
You will need:
1 3/4 yards (1.6 meters) total of polyester fleece (anti-pill, Arctic, or Blizzard-type). This is a great project for fleece scraps, so long as they are at least 10" x 10".
Coordinating Thread
Sewing Machine
Scissors
Rotary Cutter & Mat (optional, but helpful) or chalk & ruler
Stitch Ripper
Directions:
Before you start: Cut your 10" x 10" squares - you'll need 30 of them.
The easiest way to do this is with a rotary cutter (kind of like a pizza cutter for fabric!), but you can also use a long ruler and chalk to make your squares and then cut them with scissors.
If you are using a rotary cutter, cut your fabric into 10" strips, and then cut the strips into 10" squares.
1. Lay out your blanket.
On a table or on the floor, lay your squares out into 6 rows of 5 squares. You can do a pattern or just place them randomly. Rearrange until you like how it looks. Make sure to have the right side (this is the side that is fuzzier) is up on each square.
2. Stack each row
This step is important as it will make it so much easier when you are sewing. Starting at the bottom right corner, you will pick up the row right to left, placing each new square on top of the square before it. At the end of the row, you'll have a stack of 6 squares. Set this aside. Repeat for the next row.
3. Stack your rows together.
When you are done, you can stack each of the row piles on top of each other. Alternate between stacking straight and stacking at a 45 degree angle. This way you can easily see where one row ends and the other begins. Repeat for remaining rows.
4. Pinning
Take your first row, and lay the first two squares wrong side together. Pin with three pins down the side that you are going to sew.
5. Sewing your rows
Sew a 1" seam down the pinned side of your squares, removing each pin as it approaches the needle. I use a piece of painter's tape to mark the 1" line. This makes it easier for me to sew straight!
Lay your two squares upside down on your table, and pin the next square (remember, wrong sides together) and sew. Repeat pinning and sewing until you have completed your first row of six squares. Set aside and repeat for the other rows.
6. Sewing your rows together
Lay your first row out, with the seams towards the table, and then lay your second row on top. Line up all edges and seams (this may take some stretching). Pin them together along the one entire side. At the seams, open the flaps up like a book front and back, and pin through all four layers of fleece. Double check that you've pinned the correct sides of your rows together.
Sew a 1" seam along the pinned side. As you approach a seam, you may need to lift up your presser foot to neatly sew over the flaps.
Repeat with remaining rows.
7. Finishing your seams
This step is optional, but makes your blanket look so much better, as there won't be "clumps" of fringe where squares meet up. Using your stitch ripper, unstitch the flaps at the intersection of squares, tying the two threads together in a knot when you get almost to the main blanket. Trim loose threads.
Otherwise, you can just trim loose ends.
8. Cutting the fringe
Using sharp sewing scissors, cut the flap every 1/2" or so. It's not important to measure them exactly - I use my thumb to measure. Be very careful not to cut the seam.
It's easier to do all of the fringe in one direction, and then rotate the blanket and do all of the fringe in the other direction.
And you are done! We'd love for you to share what you did with your fringed fleece blanket in the comments below!
This tutorial is also available as a video!
Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to throw kindness around like confetti!
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