Easy DIY Winter Blanket

Every month I join in our Monthly Creative Blog Hop. This month we are all posting about blankets and throws, such a perfect topic as it has been so very cold here.   A special welcome to anyone dropping by from Michelle’s Our Crafty Mom blog.    You will find the other bloggers links located at the end of my post.

It’s Canadian winter cold here right now.  Those gorgeous luscious faux fur comforters are great for on the couch and I have several of them but for nighttime its nice to have something warmer with a little extra cuddly weight.  This DIY winter blanket is just what I needed.

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You can easily make one of these in a day.  It has a slight quilted pattern to it, but none of that is hand done.  This quilt is made with two Ikea “Lill” throws.  The Lill throws are all cotton alleviating the horrible static you get from nylon bedding.

The quilt has a removable wool batting insert and is extra wide because of the flannel frills.  This way it hangs right to the floor on both sides.

Tutorial

Supplies

The Flannel Frills

Depending on your decor you can use any kind of flannel pattern you like.  I had a bolt of soft grey flannel in my stash so I used it., but almost any flannel you like would work well.

Wash and dry your flannel.  Fold in half crosswise and press.  Cut the fabric in half crosswise.  You will end up with two long strips 21″ by 120″ long.

Hint:  I was able to snip my flannel in the middle and tear it in a straight line.  See if your material will allow you to do this.  It’s not only faster it gives you a perfectly straight cut.

Sew around all the edges of the flannel with a Serger or a zig-zag stitch to finish the seams and prevent the flannel from fraying.

Start by creating the hems on the two sides of the frill.  With good side down, start at one short side, fold and press your material over at 1/2 inch, and again at 1 inch.  Sew along the edge with a straight seam creating a side hem.  Repeat this for the other short side.

After you have the two side seams sewn.  Create a large hem along one long side of the fabric.  Fold the material over 1/2 inch and press.   Fold over 1 1/2 inches and press again.  Sew creating the bottom hem.   Your flannel now has a top zig-zag edge, two one inch side seams and a large 1 1/2 inch hem at bottom.

Repeat this for the second flannel frill.

To gather the flannel, thread a needle with an extremely long length of thread (9 feet).

With the good side of the fabric facing up,   Sew the top edge (no hem) of the flannel in long stitches about an inch or so in length.  Do this along the entire length of the fabric gathering the flannel as you go along.  When finished set aside and repeat for the other length of flannel. Set aside.

Sew the Cover

Place one Lill throw good side up.  Attach the flannel to the short side of the throw.

Place the flannel good side up on top of the throw.   Starting at one end pin the flannel in one corner and work along to the other end.  Make sure your ruffles are as even as you can get them and pin in place every six inches or so to hold them that way.

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Once pinned in place, put the second Lill throw good side down.  Look at the pattern of the throw, you should be able to line the pattern up on both throws.  The two I purchased were identical.  If you skip doing this step it doesn’t really matter, but if you can make it match it just takes a few minutes.  Sew a one inch seam along the short side attaching the ruffle and the two throws together.

Sew one inch seams along the two long sides, making sure you don’t catch any of the frills into the side seams.

Now you need to attach the ruffle to the other short side.   This is done a bit differently because your going to leave a gap in the seam to turn the cover right side out and insert the quilt batting,

Make sure that the flannel is face up (matching the other ruffle).    Pin in place spreading the ruffles out exactly like the other end.

Sew the ruffle to the one throw with a one inch seam.    Then sew a  second zigzag seam along the very edge of the ruffle.  Remove the pins.

1 Edge of Illes throw.

2.  Zigzag stitch making edge of frill neat on unseamed opening.

3. Seam showing where the frill was attached.

To finish the last seam sew about two feet in from both corners.  This will leave a large gap in the middle for inserting the batting.

Attach the Shoelaces

Cut two shoelaces in half and sew one half in each corner.   Sew them in the seam allowance so it doesn’t show.

Make the Cotton Batting Liner

Cut two pieces of batting the same size as the Lill throw (110″ by 98″)

Sew the two layers together, by sewing along all four sides.

Once sewn together sew a second zig-zag seam sealing in the edges of all four sides.

Again cut two shoelaces in half, and sew one shoelace in each of the four corners.
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Insert the Quilt Batting

Place the throw down with the batting on top.

Tie all four corners together using the shoelaces.

Starting at the short closed end, roll the throw into a long tube.

Place one end into the opening and flip over.  Repeat with the other side.

Unroll.

If you need a video I learned how to do a California roll for duvets a couple of years ago from this awesome video from Crane & Canopy.

Enjoy your week.

Leanna