Plush Baby Blanket Fit for a Princess

Talk about a great 4th of July present, well really a few days

before - we had another grandbaby. Baby Goldie Jacqueline.

Don't you just love that middle name?

 I made this blanket

for her and we had to do a photo shoot in the hospital

with her new blanket. 
Her mommie brought the headband.

She just seems happy to be here.

She entered the world with her eyes wide open and

looking all over the place, just like her daddy had done.

Here's Grandma Jackie wrapping her up

so we can start taking photos.

(That's what most of the grandkids call me.)

I am going to give you a tutorial on making these

plush blankets. 

They may seem really easy, but

the plush fabrics stretch and the satin is slippery

so after a little trial and error (and one I was

embarrassed to give away), here is how I did it.

I chose a plush animal print fur, a pink Minky fabric

and a dark pink crepe-backed satin.

Decide on how big you want your blanket to be.

Mine ended up about 36 x 40 inches.

Purchase the appropriate fabrics, about a yard of

all three fabrics.

Place the two main fabrics right sides together

and pin.  I placed pins along the edge, another two or three

inches in from the edge and all through the

center of the fabric.  You don't want the fabric

to be able to move and stretch as both fabrics

have their own amount of stretch.

 Trim off any excess so they are

exactly the same size.  Keep the pins in.

Cut the satin into 5 inch strips, planning about twice the

outside measurement of the blanket.  I used between

6 and 7 strips as my fabric was 60 inches wide.

Sew the strips together, ironing the seams flat.  Pin the

wrong sides together and stitch with a gathering stitch.

When I reach a seam, I overlap the gathering stitch

and start over so that you are not trying to pull up

the gathering stitches on sections that are so long.

Fold the raw edge of the ruffle under about 1/2 inch.

This will end up being your finished edge by tucking

the other end inside of this and hand sewing it closed.

Pull pins back that are holding the two pieces together

to allow yourself to pin the ruffle onto one of the

right sides.  Keep the rest of the pins in place so that

the blanket does not stretch and move, only moving

pins as necessary.  This was the big trick to keep the

blanket from stretching. 

Sew the ruffle down.

Then sew the two plush fabrics together with the ruffle

sandwiched in between.  Be careful to not catch the

ruffle in your seam.  Leave about 8 to 10 inch opening

so you can turn the blanket right side out.

When you reach the beginning end of the ruffle, tuck the

end of the ruffle fabric inside to create a finished edge.

Hand sew the two ends of the ruffle together.

Trim the seam and the corners.

Remove all pins

Turn the blanket right side out and sew it closed.

 Even my grown up friends said they would like to snuggle

in a blanket like this.

I didn't even wrap it, it is so pretty with the ruffled

edges.  I just rolled it up and put a sheer ribbon

on it.

All set for a little princess to use.

This is in "Grandma's Studio".  It used to be my

daughter's bedroom but as she grew up and moved

into another more grown-up room, we kept the castle

and fairies and other fairy tale paintings I had done

on the wall and made it into a place for

scrap-booking, and playing with a little TV and sitting

area for the little ones.

It is right next to my sewing room so that we can be

sewing and they can be playing and we are within

reach.

There are few more beautiful words in the

English language than "Grandma".

I will be posting this on 504 Main's

Tickled Pink,

Flaunt it Friday,

and

Just Something I Whipped Up Monday.

Be sure to enter my giveaway

for a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker.