DIY CRIB/TODDLER BED SIZE BLANKET
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My son's room is finally finished! It has been transformed from a little boys' nursery into a little boys' room! All that I had left to do was find the comforter or blanket for his bed and I was finished. Well, that was easier said than done. I always have this idea of exactly what I am envisioning for a project, and often times I can never find it. I looked all over the web and in children's bedding stores and still could not find the bedding I was looking for, so as any Designer/Crafter/DIYer would do....I made my own.
I am not a great sewer. I had only used my sewing machine maybe two or three times since I received it! (Which was about 5 years ago!) My first attempt at a sewing project was trying to sew my son a baby bumper for his crib, it was a nightmare! I didn't exactly start out with the easiest project. So this time, I thought for sure it would be easier and it was.
However, I still had no idea what I was doing. I asked the lady at the fabric counter at Hobby Lobby how to make a baby blanket. At first she looked at me like........well, It was not a friendly look. Then I think she realized that sewing is not exactly my generations "thing" and at least I was trying. So she gave me step by step instructions. I used her advice and the blanket turned out wonderfully. If I can do it, anyone can do it!
Here is what you will need:
- Two coordinating fabrics to fit your crib size mattress. (A standard crib size mattress is 28" x 52", A standard toddler/crib blanket is 45" x 60")
- Batting
- Pins
- Thread
- Sewing Maching (or you can brave it by hand!)
- Embroidery Thread/Yarn
I chose a stripe and a harlequin pattern for my son's blanket!
- Step 1: Wash, Dry and Iron your fabrics. This will help to reduce shrinkage when you wash the blanket down the road after it has already been completed.
- Step 2: Place the stripe fabric wrong side down on the batting. Smooth out any creases or wrinkles by hand! (Note: The "right" side of the fabric is known as the colorful side!)
- Step 4: Using your sewing machine. Sew the batting to the stripe fabric using your pins as a guide. Make sure when this step is complete, you thoroughly check and remove all pins. You don't want to accidentally leave one in and risk poking your child!
- Step 5: Lay your harlequin fabric wrong side up on top of the right side of the stripe fabric. Line up the fabrics and use your hand to smooth out any creases.
- Step 6: Pin both fabrics and batting together.
- Step 7: Using your sewing machine, sew around 3 edges of the blanket and leave about two hand widths of space unsewn on one edge. Make sure this seam covers the first seam you did with the stripe and batting or when you turn it inside out, that is the seam that will show! When that is complete. Trim any excess batting from the edges.
- Step 8: Turn your blanket inside out using the hand width pocket you left unsewn. Be gentle when pulling through as not to rip any seams!
- Step 9: At this stage you can choose a contrast fabric or binding to sew that final edge closed. I chose to line up the fabric and close the seam by hand using small stitches.
- Step 10: To ensure that your batting does not shift around during use or washing. You will want to quilt the blanket. This can be done using your Embroidery Thread or Yarn. I chose an Embroidery Thread. It comes together in 5 or 6 strands. You can pull them apart and use them individually or use all of them together. I used all of them together. You start by deciding on a pattern and go in one side and out the other, leaving about 2" or 3" on either side. I did this by hand with a needle and Embroidery Thread.
- Step 11: Using a double knot, tie your ends together and trim to about 1/2" long.
That's it! 11 easy steps and you have your very own custom Crib/Toddler size blanket!
My son loves his! It is just the right amount of squeamishness (yep, that's a word) not too heavy and not too light.
My son loves his! It is just the right amount of squeamishness (yep, that's a word) not too heavy and not too light.
I hope you come back next week to see the entire room revealed!

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