How to Personalize No-Sew Flannel Blankets

Taking Needle and Thread to a 'No-Sew' Project

Aug 30, 2009

No-sew blankets are popular as an easy-to-make gift. Still, going the extra yard by taking a needle and thread to the fabric can make an inexpensive gift priceless.

No-sew flannel blankets are simple to make, which makes them a widespread gift choice. Typically requiring only two pieces of flannel, a pair of scissors, and a half hour’s worth of patience for tying the fringe together, they are quick and affordable.

Most no-sew flannel blankets consist of one printed piece of flannel and one solid color, such as a print of Chicago Bears football helmets and footballs on a navy background for the top of the blanket and solid orange for the bottom. However, for a more personal touch, adding a few stitches to a no-sew blanket can give it an added personal touch.

Materials Needed

Selecting Fleece

The first step in personalizing a no-sew flannel blanket is buying four yards of fleece. Two pieces are required for the project, and each one should be two yards.

Frequently, it is best to select two different colors, giving the blanket a clear top and bottom. Different colors could include different shades of the same color, such as dark yellow for the top and pale yellow for the bottom, or analogous/complementary colors on the color wheel, such as a forest green for the top and maroon for the bottom.

One yard of fleece generally has a price within the four-to-five-dollar range. Four yards usually costs anywhere from fifteen to twenty dollars.

Choosing a Counted Cross-Stitch Pattern

Counted cross-stitch patterns are available at nearly all craft stores and in the crafts section of many retail stores. Many additional patterns can be found for free online.

They are easy to learn and come in a variety of styles. Find a pattern that matches the colors of the fleece and that would be appropriate for the intended recipient of the blanket. Most patterns bought in stores come with the embroidery thread as part of the package. Free online patterns that can be downloaded to a computer require separate purchase of embroidery thread.

Some patterns are more complex and time-consuming than others, especially patterns that create large images like people and animals. Other patterns are extremely simple, such as monogram patterns.

Counted cross-stitch patterns for monograms are available for free online, such as the two sets of monograms available through Carrie’s Creations. Monograms are particularly simple because they require only one thread color instead of multiple colors and are not generally large or time-consuming.

Stitching the Pattern to the Fleece

After selecting the fleece and the cross-stitch pattern, tack waste canvas to the piece of flannel intended to be the top of the blanket.

If the counted cross-stitch pattern includes a piece of canvas, only use it if it is waste canvas that can be removed from the fleece after the pattern is complete. Otherwise, purchase waste canvas at a craft store.

Make sure that the fleece is pulled taut and there are no wrinkles when tacking the canvas to it. Tack the canvas down on all four sides using pins.

The canvas should be tacked at least five inches away from edges of the flannel to allow adequate room for cutting the fringe at the end of the project.

Once the canvas is tacked, begin stitching the cross-stitch pattern. This is the most time-consuming part of the project. As soon as the pattern is complete, remove the waste canvas by pulling out all of the canvas strands. This leaves the pattern on the fleece alone.

Tying the Blanket Together

When the stitching is finished, place the top piece of fleece on top of the second piece of fleece with the cross-stitch pattern facing upwards. Tack the two pieces of fleece together, with the sewing pins at least four and a quarter inches away from all edges.

Cut a four-inch square from all four corners of the fleece. Then measure at one-inch intervals around the perimeter of the blanket and cut four inches deep. Once all cuts have been made, tie each corresponding fringe of the top and bottom pieces of fleece. Be gentle in tying the fringe. The fabric has a tendency to stretch, and tugging or tying too tightly can stretch the fabric out of shape.

Once the fringe has been tied, the blanket is complete, ready to be gift-wrapped and given to a friend.

The copyright of the article How to Personalize No-Sew Flannel Blankets in Crafts is owned by Julie Stroebel. Permission to republish How to Personalize No-Sew Flannel Blankets in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.