Tie blankets are a terrific no-sew project that look so great, it seems like they're just too easy!
Soft and fluffy fleece is warm yet lightweight, and comes in a rainbow of colors. Embroider a design of your choosing onto the blanket, and you have a special blanket to keep you warm throughout the entire year.
Read on for project instructions for creating an attractive reversible fleece tie blanket!
Supplies
Supplies Needed:
**Two pieces of fleece, two separate colors - 1 2/3 yards each (3 1/3 yards total)
**Medium weight cutaway stabilizer
**Temporary spray adhesive
**Air-erase pen
**Lightweight water-soluble stabilizer for topping, if embroidering light and airy designs like redwork or toile (I prefer Sulky Solvy)
Designs Used:
I used the medium size of the Inky Peacock design from the Intricate Ink Peacocks Design Pack. Any of the Northwoods Animals Silhouettes designs or the Damask English Rose designs would also be beautiful on the blanket.
Finished Size: About 50" by 50"
Designs Used
First, trim off the selvage edges of the fleece (the raw edges on two sides of the fabric).
Next, lay the first piece of fabric flat with the right side facing up. Then, align two of the sides together (adjacent sides) and finger press the fold (the crease from the fold will be used for aligning the embroidery design).
Unfold the fabric flat again and then create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software. Poke a hole in the center of the template and align it with the crease on the fabric.
Position the template with the bottom edge of the design about 8" from the corner of the fabric. Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, mark the center of the template and the horizontal and vertical axis points.
Remove the template and draw lines connecting the marks.
Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. If you are embroidering a light and airy design, like redwork or toile, lay a piece of lightweight water-soluble stabilizer on top of the fleece and hoop all three layers together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.
For more information on embroidering on fleece, read my free article: Fabrics 101: Embroidering on Fleece.
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.
When the design has finished, carefully trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery and tear away the water soluble stabilizer from the top. If any bits of the water soluble stabilizer are left behind, use a tweezers to remove it. Or, you may dab a small amount of water on top and brush the stabilizer away.
Repeat the embroidering process for the second piece of fleece. I embroidered the same design in the same corner of the second piece of fabric to make the blanket reversible.
Align the two fabric pieces together, wrong sides together, and pin in place about 5" inside the outer edge. Trim off any excess of the bottom piece of fabric if it extends out past the top piece.
Measure and mark a 4" by 4" square at each corner and trim the fabric along the lines. Doing this will even out the corners so that the tassels will be even.
On each side, flip the top layer of fabric up and fold it over to the wrong side using the top of the squares at the corners as a guide. Finger press the folds and then flip the fabric back over the top of the bottom fabric.
Measure and mark one inch intervals along each outer edge. Make 4" long cuts through both layers of fabric starting at each mark ending at the crease you just made.
To create the tassels, pair the top and bottom strips together and tie a knot. And your blanket is complete!
Laundering instructions: Machine wash on a gentle cycle using warm water and tumble dry on a low setting, or air dry. The knots may start to loosen after time. If this happens, simply tighten the knots.
Fleece tie blankets are a wonderful way to create a cozy feeling in your home, or to create something personal and useful for a friend!
