It’s officially October!!! Who else is so excited for the weather to cool down and to actually experience fall? With cooler weather comes cuddles under cozy blankets. That’s why I decided now would be a perfect time to create a tutorial on my favorite DIY no sew blanket that I have been making lately.
I learned to make these blankets yeeaaarrrrrsssss ago when my mom made one for me for Christmas, I still have the blanket and it’s in perfect condition. Just goes to show how great the quality of these things really are. I love them so much I made myself another one last year as well as a giant one for Austin’s Christmas gift. Recently, I even started making these blankets to sell and for every one sold, I donate one to someone in need. Anywayyys… enough about how much I love these DIY no sew blankets, let me just teach ya how to make ’em.
Supplies For Your DIY No Sew Blanket
- Fleece Fabric – I use 2 yards of a plain fabric and a patterned fabric
- Ruler
- Scissors – I use Fiskars Fabric Scissors (affiliate link)
- Sharpie/ Fabric Marker
First Thing’s First
You have to pick your fabric. If you go to JoAnn’s Fabric the choices are literally endless. You want to go for a fleece fabric but you can choose your favorite pattern and desired softness. For this blanket, I decided with more of a neutral blanket since it was being made for someone in need. You’ll want your fabric to be at least a yard and a half (good for a throw blanket). Two yards is a good size for a full size blanket (what I usually make). You could even go as big as 2 1/2 – 3 yards for much taller people.
Step 2: Line Them Up
For this step you will need a large space. I usually use my bedroom floor but if you have a huge table that will work too.I place the solid fabric on the bottom and the pattern on top. Make sure that you have the right sides facing the right way. Feel which side is softer for the solid fabric and have that side against the ground (it will end up being the bottom side of your blanket). The brighter side of the patterned fabric is the side that needs to be facing upward. Once you have them laid out in the area of your choice, start lining them up. My OCD kicks in here and I take a while doing this to make sure they are perfect.
Step 3: Trim Fabric If Necessary
Odds are you might have to trim a little bit of one or both fabrics. I like to trim the extra part off that rolls up on one end but other than that I don’t trim anything. If the part that is rolled up doesn’t bother you and the two fabrics are lined up good enough for you, you can skip this step.
Step 4: Cut The Corners
Use the ruler to measure out 4 inches on each side. Make a small mark where each of the lines should start and stop, then draw them. The two lines should meet and create a 4in. x 4in. square. Then cut along the lines so that you have a square piece of fabric in your hand. You can throw these out. Repeat for each corner.
Step 5: Cut The Strips
I like to lay a ruler across the bottom of the fabric and put a dot every inch, so I know where to cut. This usually only lasts about halfway through one side before I give up and just eyeball it. Do whatever makes you most comfortable. Cutting through both pieces of fabric, make strips that are anywhere from an inch to an inch and a half wide. Make each strip 4 inches in length. You can lay the ruler across the top, even with the square you cut out to make sure they are the same length. Cut the strips for all four sides.
Step 6: Tie The Knots
There are a few ways you can do this. I love the look of both but one is much more time consuming. Make sure to leave your fabric laying flat so that all the strips are lined up.
For the basic knot:
Starting at the end of one side, take the first strip you cut (with both pieces of fabric). Separate the two pieces of fabric and tie the knot as you would tie two shoe laces before the bow part. Repeat the same step. Each strip will be tied two times to create a knot that will stay. Continue around the entire blanket This knot takes less time and is easier on the hands!
For the more advanced knot (What I did):
This method reminds me of when you tie a balloon. Take the the strip of fabric (both pieces together this time) and put two fingers on one side of the fabric while your other hand holds the end of the fabric.
With the hand that is holding the end of the strip, start moving toward the other two fingers, with the strip of fabric folding over the base of the strip.
Once you have wrapped the end of the strip around to the back side, tuck it into the hole. With the hand that was originally holding the end of the strip, pull the fabric through the hole.
Continue doing this around the entire blanket. This style takes a bit longer and might be more tough on your hands but it makes for a beautiful blanket!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to make a DIY no sew blanket! If you would like to see more DIY posts please let me know in the comments or drop me an email here. Also, making a blanket seems like too much for you to handle, you can always order one from me and I will donate a second one to someone in need! Enjoy the fall weather and talk to you soon!
