What I've Been Up To + Chenille Baby Blanket Tutorial

 Well, obviously I have been a little absent lately. I've been busy with multiple projects the past few weeks that have taken up quite a bit of time. Projects like this one for a friend that just got married...

 

And this one for a newborn at my church. 

 

 

This blanket is great for any little ones that you might know, and it surprisingly simple. The one I made came out to be a 34" x 34" blanket after trimming.

Here's what you need for a 34" x 34" blanket:

1yd each of three different colors of flannel

1yd flannel for top of blanket

2 packs of 3yds extra wide double fold biased tape

Thread

 

Step 1: 

Layer all four layers of fabric together. using the picture above as a guide, I layed the green plaid flannel face down, and then the light blue face up, the gray face up and the cobalt on top face up. 

Step 2: 

Trace the first line from one corner to the opposite corner. The important thing is that the lines sewn on the flannel are done on the biased or else the fabric won't fray correctly. Once you have one line, sewing the rest is decently easy. It depends on how good you are at eyeballing the spaces but if you have a parallel spacing foot it would help, or you can draw each line but that would take a while. I opted to eyeball it and I think it came out fine. Your spaces should be about an inch apart. 

Now, sew your heart out! This may take a while to sew all the lines. It took me about an hour; maybe a touch more. I would suggest sewing the first time using the marking on the bottom layers, but, if possible, sew the rest of them on the top layer. The blanket comes out a lot smoother when you sew on the top.

 

Step 3: 

Once you have all the lines sewn, next thing to do is cut in between the seams. (Just a heads up, the edges will not be lined up perfectly, no matter how hard you tried while sewing the layers together. This will be fixed, though, so have no fear. That's why my blanket was 34" x 34" and not 36" x 36".)

Imperfections in the cutting are okay because once this part gets frayed, you won't even know they're there. This also took a little while, and I developed a hand cramp when I was only half way done. Fair warning.

  

Step 4: 

After cutting all the lines, you will want to even out the edges. You want to make sure that the blanket is square still when you do this, so I would cut the excess off the edges first, and then square it out.

 

Step 5:

Then you will want to corner off the edges.  I used an old cracked mug that I use for storing tools in my craft room, but this created a smaller curved edge. You can use anything round as a template, depending on how big of a curve you want.

 

Step 6:

Next thing is to apply the biased tape on the edges. As I mentioned, I used extra wide double fold biased tape that came in a pack of 3 yds. You will want to pin that down and sew it.

 

Step 7:

Next is to wash and dry the blanket. I used just a touch of laundry soup and then dried it with no static sheet. This is what creates the frayed look. 

 

 

Step 8: Add any last details. For me, I added a piece of fabric with a verse from Jeremiah 29:11 and the baby's name on it. I hand tacked this on so that it wouldn't create a seam on the back where it should fray. 

 

 

If you don't decide to add any details, then you're done! This blanket comes out so soft and comfortable: I want to make myself one now! But it's size and versitility, not to mention warmth, is perfect for a baby or toddler, and something that they can hold on to for years to come. 

 

 

Here's the final outcome one more time. I think this blanket is so unique and beautiful, and much more original than any other blanket I've seen.

So, again, my apologize for being sparse. At least I have a good excuse. :) 

Tata for now...

DIY: Bow Tie Onsies Tutorial, and My Epic Fail.

I have to say that this whole blog thing has been a complete failure to this point. For that, my sincerest apologies!! These last couple weeks I have had a lot on my plate and my blog, unfortunately, has taken a back burner in the infant stages. I hope and pray that it gets better as time goes on because I really like blogging and had about 5 projects lined up to show you all! Anyways...please be patient as I get my chaos in order.

With that said, I am SOOO excited about this tutorial! One of my close friends, Alexis, is preggers with a little baby boy, Noah, and we are just so happy for them! Alexis and her hubby, Tim, have been diligently praying and trying for a baby for about a long time (two years or so before getting preggers, if I'm remembering correctly) but because of some health things they were continually disappointed. But! I found out in the early fall that she was pregnant, and is now happily 7 months along and due March 17th. PTL! I cannot wait to meet little Noah :)


I have seen an idea for these on...Pinterest I believe...hm. Don't remember. Anyways, a lady sells them on Etsy and I saw them and knew that this would be a great thing to give Alexis and Tim. I knew they would appreciate them. Here is the finished product!

Adorable, right?!?

This is actually fairly simple, but just a touch time consuming. I guess it mainly depends how many bow ties you make and how fast you are with a needle and thread.

You'll Need:

Felt, your choice(s) of color(s)
Onsies
Snaps
Needle
Thread that matches felt

Approximate Time: 1.5 hrs

First off, figure out the size bow you want. I played around with sizes until I found one I liked and them made a template out of cardstock for both pieces. You'll need a rectangle for the bow and a skinny strip for the middle. Mine looked like this.

I will also give a quick disclaimer right now: I realize now that I should have photographed one of the lighter colored bows, but decided to do the brown. It's a little tough to see at points....sorry about that.

The larger rectangle is about 3" by 1.5" and the strip is about 2" by .5" but as I said, you will have to size them and play with them to find a ratio and size that works for you.

Next thing you want to do is fold the rectangle in half long ways, and then fold the sides down to create the bow shape. Then take your needle and thread of the matching color and tack the folds to make it easier.

Sorry, these pictures are super over-exposed. I'm batting zero with this blog so far, I guess...HA!

Once you have the folds tacked, take the strip and wrap it around the middle and tack that closed in the back, like so. Here's where I got smart and photographed a color that was easier to see...

Once you have that done, take the front of the snap and sew that on the bow, as centered as possible.

And that is it for the bows! Next thing you need is the onsies and white thread. Depending on how many bows and onsies you do, you will probably have extra backs to the snaps - I would hang on to those....because you just never know! But, you will need at least one for the front of the onsies. Center the snap a couple inches from the neckline (for comfort's sake) and sew that on. 

And then....you're done!

Can't you just imagine Noah with a little pair of slacks and a cardigan with this onsies! So handsome! I sewed six bows in various colors and two onsies with the back of the snaps so she had a couple...plus I have a plan for the other three that were in the pack! Will post that when I do them. :)

Of course, I had to capture me with the beautiful Mommy-to-be and her awesome onsies!!

And just a side note, is she not the cutest little pregnant woman you've ever seen?! She pulls of that bump so well. As an added plus, she was totally wearing a top that matched the bow she's holding. Come on......fate.

Well, I hope you like this one! I had an awesome time making these!! Please, send me your bow tie onsies at ariydesigns@gmail.com! I would love to see what you all do with it! Ta-ta for now...