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You can never have enough blankets. My 8 year old even asked Santa for TWO blankets this year… Not one. TWO. We have a blanket addiction at our house apparently! We recently made a no sew blanket to add to our plethora of blankets and I wanted to share the way we do it.
Fleece was 70% off at Joann’s and my little boy wanted a basketball themed blanket. So I picked up a pretty cool basketball print and a black solid background for the backing. Since the fabric was on sale, I went ahead and purchased 2 yards of fabric. 2 yards is typically the size I would use for an adult, 1-1/2 yards is a good size for a kid and a 1 yard is great for a smaller child. But since it was already on a pretty good sale, I ended up just going with the 2 yards. This makes a decent sized no sew blanket.
Step 1 – laying out the fabric & cutting off ends
So first thing you’ll want to do is lay out your fabric on top of each other. I laid the black backing on top, because my fleece was two sided so it really didn’t matter. You’ll want to smooth the fabrics out, but don’t stretch the fabric. Once the fabric is sandwiched on top of one another you’ll want to cut off the sides with the manufacturers mark (the sides that “roll”.
Step 2 – Use a template to cut corners
Make a 4″ x 4″ template out of paper and place in the corners to cut all 4 corners this size. This makes your quilt have a rounded-type edge on the corners. This also helps you throughout the process to keep your cuts straight.
Step 3 – Cut your strips
This is probably the most time-consuming step to this project. It’s easy, but it is lengthy. Starting in one corner, cut a 4″ strip, about 1-1/4 – 1-1/2″ wide. Remember, your fabric is sandwiched on top of one another, so you’ll actually be cutting two pieces at once. Some people use a rotary cutter for this step, but I find it easier to use a typical pair of scissors. Use whatever works best for you.
Step 4 – Tying your strips
There are several ways to do this and I’ll explain two of the most popular. The method I used is just a simple tie method, but some people do not like it because it tends to be “bulky”. But I love the bulkiness of it, so I usually always use this method. Make a simple tie, just like you would in the first step of tying your shoe, and do it again. So basically you’re tying each set of strands twice. This method is simple and effected and holds up fine over time. When you tie, make sure you’re not tying too tight, but not too loose either.
The second way you can do it, is make a small slit at the bottom of strand (in the fold of the strand), pull the two fabric strands through the hole. That’s it. No tying involved.
And viola – you’re done with your no sew blanket!! These would make amazing Christmas gifts and they’re super easy. I even had my 8 year old help me make his. He LOVED it!
