How to Make a Fleece Blanket? Easiest Tutorial

Learn how to make a DIY fleece blanket in different ways. A tutorial for either sewing or no sewing is provided for each variation of the side finish.

Fleece blankets are the best combination of being warm and easy to take care of. Nothing can replace the comfort of warm and cozy fleece blankets during cold winter days. There are many of these available in stores, but making them to your specifications and tastes is a completely different experience. So, let’s learn how to make a fleece blanket in this easy tutorial with both sewing and no-sew options.

You can learn how to make a fleece blanket in this article with or without ties. You can complete this project without a sewing machine and it’s cheap and simple. You may be interested in How to Make a Fleece Tie Blanket.

How to Make a Fleece Blanket?

Nothing beats a cozy and warm throw to ward off the chill when it’s chilly outside. And while you could always buy a warm blanket, making one is easy and quick, so you can start sewing in the afternoon and have it ready for that night’s movie. To see a fleece blanket, continue reading.

The amount of fabric you need depends on the size of your blanket. Here are some standard dimensions to cut to:

• Crib blanket: 45″ x 60″
• Twin bed: 66″ x 90″
• Full/double bed: 80″-85″ x 90″
• Queen bed: 90″ x 90″
• King bed: 90-100″ x 108″

Right sides together, stack the fleece and quilting fabric on top of one another. Pin them in place.

If you want your blanket to have square corners, you can skip this step.

Place a rounded object (such as a plate) on top of one corner so that the object’s sides touch the fabric’s edges to create rounded corners. Using your fabric marker, trace the rounded shape onto the quilting cotton. Cut alongside that line utilizing a rotary cutter. To round another corner, repeat the process.

Backstitch from the center of one of the long sides outward. Then, sew around the perimeter of the blanket with a ½” seam allowance. To keep the stitches straight, use the throat plate on your machine.

When you approach a square corner, stop with the needle down at ½” before you reach the end of the fabric. Toss the fabric around the needle, raise the foot. Lower the foot and begin stitching the next side of the blanket with a ½” seam allowance.

When you approach a rounded corner, slow down your sewing speed and keep a consistent seam allowance. As you reach the point where you began sewing, stop about 5-10″ before the beginning of your stitching and backstitch.

To cut down on bulk, trim the seam allowance and notch the corners. Aim to clip as close to the seam as you can, but never go through the stitching, for the best results. Press the seams open.

The entire blanket should be turned inside out. Use a point-turner to help square corners so the blanket will lay flat. For rounded corners, use your fingers to get the seam right in the fold, so it doesn’t show on either side.

Fold in the seam allowances into the gap and secure the two edges together with pins to make sure they’re perfectly aligned. Topstitch the blanket all around, ⅛”-¼” from the edge, closing the gap. Make a small cross right in the middle of the blanket to help the two layers stay together. Multiple times in each direction, sew back and forth.

Finishing the Edges

One method to finish your blanket’s edges is topstitching. Depending on your personal style, you can finish the blanket in any of these ways.

1. Use a Serger: Finishing the edges with a serger is one of the quickest and simplest methods available. A 4-thread or 3-thread overlock stitch will both work well. Before completing your blanket, set the width and length to the widest settings and test the tension settings on a scrap of fabric.
2. Decorate With Machine Stitches: Beautiful stitch work can be produced by your sewing machine. From the simple zigzag stitch to a more decorative feather stitch, your edges could have a seriously impressive finish.
3. Hand Stitch: The throw has a distinctive overall look thanks to hand stitching. Even though it will take more time, the outcome is worthwhile, especially if you are giving the throw as a gift. Despite the longer duration, many hand stitches, such as the blanket stitch, are simple to perform and look particularly lovely on materials like fleece.
4. Use Embroidery Thread: It’s a great idea to embellish the edges of a colorful fleece blanket with coordinating embroidery thread. Your edges will have a more defined finish as a result.
5. Crochet the Edges: With a crochet finish, crafters of all stripes can showcase their yarn prowess. Once you prepare your fabric, it’s a quick finish and a quirky detail.
6. Add Bias Tape: Bias tape has a variety of uses, including finishing your blanket. You may be familiar with it from the quilting community. This is a good way to add color to complement your fabric, but if you don’t have any bias tape on hand ribbon works just as well.

How to Make a No-sew Fleece Blanket?

Here’s the great thing about fleece fabric. Along with being incredibly cozy. Fleece doesn’t fray or shrink. Meaning – you can cut the fabric and not sew it and it won’t unravel on you. Furthermore, there is no need to wash the fleece blanket first.

Step 1: Even Up Your Blanket, If Necessary

Since you can use the actual pattern as a guide to making your fringe cuts, patterned fabrics may be simpler to work with. However, I noticed that my edge appeared uneven and that the pattern did not extend all the way across. To ensure I had a straight line all the way across, I simply cut off the excess portion of the pattern.

Step 2: Cut Fringe

Starting from the bottom outer edge, start cutting thin strips/fringe/little lines in your fabric. Make sure your strips are level from top to bottom. I followed my plan of action. I ended up with a fringe that was about an inch long. They could, however, definitely be extended. In fact, I think a longer fringe looks really cool.

I repeated these two steps for the blanket’s other side. I only needed two sides of the fringe. The fringe would fall over each side of the bed if I were to drape it over the end of the bed like a bed runner in that case.

I finished trimming the fringe and then I put the blanket in the washer and dryer. No fraying (as I previously stated) and extremely soft, it turned out perfectly. To make it even softer, I’ll try a fabric softener or vinegar rinse the following time.

How Many Yards of Fabric Do I Need to Make a Throw Blanket?

You must perform some math at this point. Actually, no, because I completed everything for you.

First, let’s determine what size of throw you want to make. These are rough measurements; actual sizes will vary slightly from one product to the next. However, these are generally accurate estimates, along with the amount of fabric you will need.

• Standard Throw: 50 inches x 60 inches = 2 yards of fabric
• Oversized Throw: 55 inches x 80 inches = 3 yards of fabric

Look at the size of your yard of fabric after deciding on the blanket’s size. One yard of fabric is always 36 inches long (along the selvage side of the fabric), but the width of the fabric can range from 44 to 60 inches wide, usually.

Caring for Your Diy Fleece Blanket

Fleece is easy to clean and can be thrown into your washing machine on a cold cycle with a small amount of gentle detergent. In addition to making your blanket stiffer, too much detergent can be difficult to rinse out. In case some of the fluff comes off on your other items, it is best to wash it separately on a gentle cycle. Fleece blankets should not be bleached as they can cause damage to the polyester fibers.

Do not be alarmed if your blanket does experience static after washing. For some fantastic removal tips, read my article on How to Get Rid of Static in Fleece Blankets.

Read More: How to Get Gum Out of Fleece Blankets?

Conclusion: Make a Fleece Blanket Now

You might also be considering whether you can make a flannel blanket on your own. And yes, of course, you can! But flannel will fray so you will either have to purposely fray it or serge the edges all the way around to keep it from fraying too much into a mess.

We appreciate you reading our guide on how to make a fleece blanket. Warm, cozy, and incredibly simple to make, fleece blankets keep you warm and cozy.

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