Blanket Tutorial

1). The first step to making your blanket is gathering supplies.

What you'll need:

Two pieces of coordinating fleece

-1.5 yards each

-I typically do a print and a solid, but I let Mallory choose and she picked two different prints!

Sharp Scissors

-I use Fiskars

A ruler

2). Trim the edges of your fleece.

Get rid of the writing and "curled" edges

You should have four pieces of scrap sides

3). Lay out your fleece

Each piece will have a "top" side (it looks bolder than the "bottom" side)
Place one piece of fleece top side down on a large surface (I always make these on the floor)
Smooth it out with your hand
Lay the other piece top side up directly on top of the other piece
Smooth that piece out with your hand

Your fleece should now look like this

4). At this point you may need to trim the edges to make sure both pieces match

5). Cut a 4"x4" square off each corner of your "blanket"

6). Starting in one corner, cut strips roughly 4" long by 1.5" wide.  They don't have to be perfect!  This is what makes the fringe on your blanket.

7). I suggest tying every few strips as you're cutting using a simple knot.  This helps keep your fleece in place.

Especially if you have cuties who want to hang out where you're working!

8). Make your way around all four sides of the blanket until you're back to where you started.

9). Now go back and tie every strip using the same simple knot until your blanket is finished!

Voila!  You're done!

10). Send me a picture of you and/or your kids with your finished blanket to put on the blog!

You can e-mail your pictures to blanketbrigade2013@gmail.com

Thank you for your support!

11). Please wash and thoroughly dry your blanket & place it in a plastic garbage bag (see below).  If you are donating more than one blanket they don't each have to be in separate bags.

Please read this tip from my contact at the Children's Hospital.  We don't want to see your efforts go to waste! 
It is very important to stress to all members of Blanket Brigade to make sure their blankets are completely dry before they put them in plastic bags. Fleece has a tendency to retain moisture and sometimes it feels warm and dry fresh out of the dryer but it isn't completely dry. Then, occasionally, when we open donated plastic bags, we pull out soggy and foggy blankets that we have to dispose of. Just a tip!