How to Make a Tied Fleece Blanket
Homemade Fleece Baby Blanket Without Sewing
I can barely sew on a button, but I do like crafty stuff. This fleece blanket was easy to create and has a homemade touch without sewing. I made two of them as baby gifts for good friends. Fleece fabric is soft—perfect for baby gifts—and you can adjust the size to fit a crib or bed. Another plus about this project: It's very forgiving of minor mistakes!
Below is a complete "how to" guide. Read on and find comments from others who have made this blanket. Feel free to leave your own comment with any questions or tips!
What You Will Need
- Two pieces of fleece fabric
- Sharp scissors (they get really dull after this project)
- Tape
- Paper clips
Bed or Crib: How Long to Make Your Tied-Fleece Blanket
One of the most common questions I am asked about this project is how long to cut the fabric. My recommendation is to go to the fabric store and ask the attendant to cut the fleece to the dimensions you want.
- A normal twin blanket is 66 x 90 inches.
- A typical crib blanket is 45 by 60 inches.
Note: There are 36 inches in a yard.
Making the Tie-Fleece Blanket: Eight Easy Steps
Step 1
Buy your fabric. You can buy it on Amazon (they have some great fabrics) or go to a fabric store like JoAnn's Fabric. Choose two for each blanket, one for each side. I prefer a pattern and a solid. The two fleeces should have the texture and thickness. Make sure neither is too thick, or it will be really difficult to cut.
Step 2
If you go to a fabric store, ask the attendant to cut both pieces the same size. I chose to have each piece of fleece cut to one yard in the blankets pictured above. If you want a larger or smaller blanket, cut accordingly. I found the one-yard size was perfect.
Step 3
At home, lay the fleece pieces down evenly on top of each other, and clip them together so they don't move.
Step 4
Choose an edge to start with and fold the two layers up about an inch and a half. Use four or five pieces of tape to secure the fold. Make sure that your fold is even.
Step 5
Begin cutting along the folded edge. Make your cuts about an inch apart and just past the end of the fold. Continue until you finish the entire side. Be sure to cut evenly.
Step 6
Remove the tape and begin tying the two layers of fabric together. It's easy to miss a tie, so pay attention so you don't have to go back and re-tie.
Step 7
Repeat these steps for the remaining three sides. The corners can be a bit tricky. Cut as you did the first side and cut off any corner ties that look awkward so that you have a right angle.
Step 8
Tie a bow around the blanket and you have a great homemade baby gift!
Do you feel confident that you can make a tie blanket now? If not, leave a question in the comments.
Questions & Answers
Can this be washed without ruining it?
Absolutely! You can wash the tie blanket, but you may want to wash on cold if the colors are vibrant.
Questions or Comments?
My mother made me one of these blankets. I love it! Now I can make some for gifts also. Thank you.
Robin, no wonder this hub is popular with comments. I love this crafty idea from you. It's so easy to do without having to sew for beginners. It can be used for any kind of blanket to fit your needs, indoors and outside.
I just finished making two of these blankets for my new great grandchildren who are due just any time! One of my children made a throw for my couch using this method. I just love the warmth of the blanket on a chilly evening. I make mine just like your instructions except I cut out a three inch square on each corner. Fleece now comes in so many beautiful designs now.
Voted UP, etc. Will also Pin to my Crafts board.
I Have been trying to Print instructions for making a " NO SEW FLEECE BLANKET " I want to start my Xmas Presents soon. But I can not find a site that lets me print the instructions. Please Help !!!! _ - I live in Canada and I want to find instructions for free to print.
I use an index card cut the size for corners and strips as a guide and it seems to be quicker and esier.
Brilliant hub! Love what you've created here!
Wow this is amazing, can't believe you made that! I wish I had a more artistic side to me.
making a fleece blanket is a fun and simple activity. I once made one for my mom. thanks for the hub. very informative. voted up and pinned.
Kailey- You knot two strips together twice
I own a small sewing shop and can confirm, fleece indeed does dull scissors. I have one pair for cutting fleece, and my expensive pair I use for cutting other fabrics. Also, just in case anyone isn't aware - the quickest way to ruin your scissors is to use them to cut paper!
:)
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the things you need to make is scissors,ruler and just the fleece
Actually... the scissors don't become dull if you use fabric scissors. If you use regular scissors then yeah, and if you use fabric scissors on anything besides fabric, they'll become dull and won't be able to cut fabric anymore. I have some and they are zebra:3
Here is an interesting idea I can up with for using the salvage edges that are cut off on both pieces- I tie 3 strips together on top-braid the strips together, when you get down to the bottom,make a knot. When the blankets aren't used-fold and roll the blanket up like a sleeping bag, wrap the braid around it and tie it in a bow-easy for storing the blanket-it looks like a sleeping bag!
How long doe it take? i want to make one today
Hi Stacie, I made my first no sew blanket tonight for my great niece she 6 weeks old. my mom said I did a great job. I will tried to make one for her brother he is 10 years old. Thanks for all of the tips .
I like this idea but what if u don't have the same type of fabric
How do I tie the ends together? Is it just a regular knot?
I'm planning on making a few of these for the blankets & bears project at my local police station. Thanks for the great instructions!
kaitie, that's a really good idea. im going to try that today. thanks!
My friends and I tried this and found out that it's best to use about 6 feet of fabric, and cut 7 inch squares off the corners. I'm about 6 feet tall, and it's a good sized blanket for me.
On the corners. If u cut out a square off each corner when u are making your strips, it make cleaner corners
I am making two for my nephews so exited to start them tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
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These are really easy to make and very useful Iam making 4 of them for gifts this Christmas..
Also a useful tip: cut 5-10 strips and tie them, then contiue cutting strips stopping every 5-10 to tie again.
This helped me tie the strips that belonged to each other. Hope this helped :]
I just bought the fabric and i was wondering if i should wash the fabric before i make the blanket or after and will it shrink?
Ashley-
When I make these for a twin bed I use at least 2.5 yards of fleece
Why do you need tape and paper clips??
I never use that stuff for mine...
can i iron [pictures onto the fleece and they stay
I have no little ones around so I use straight pins (5" above each length to hold the material together). I place the pins sideways along all sides 5" from edge, then I cut all sides in 4". I take pins out as I tie. This works great for me. I use approx. 36 pins and count them when the blanket is finished. If one is missing I search the blanket until it is found. I can not tie a blanket in 2 hours and I consider myself fast. I am also very picky about my knots!!! Ok, back to tying!!
I make these for my sons and make them 3 yards long! They are both well over 6 ft and this helps keep them toasty.
I was wondering if you needed to use an anti-pill fleece? I found a blizzard fleece that I was wanting to use. Will it affect my final product? Thank you for your time and help!
I'm making one for my boyfriend, who's 6'1", so I decided to go with 2.5 yards. I never made one before and I just have one question. I don't understand step 4. please help?
hi i was wondering if i could do one side fleece and one a silky fabric? or would it not tie right?
Ok so if anyone has done one for an adult about how much material would you need. I am making one for my mom and this is very important gift. Please write a comment ;)
Gracias amigos
Hi Robin,
I was thinking about making one of these for my self and I cant find the material i want. I want to find a cute pattern (i am 12) that has volleyballs on it....ive looked a lot of places. Plz help me find some. :) THANK U
I had trouble at first but then I got used to it
Me again,
since mine is for an adult about what size would you think it needs to be. I am a teen and really do not know the size it should be.
Hi, I am making this as a Christmas gift for my mom. She will love it.
what kind of knot is best to use for a tied blanket? Won't a regular square knot sort of "stick out" on either side?
How many yards should I get if I want it to be long enough for a twin size bed? 2 yards?
Im really looking for a great simple Christmas gift for my great grandmother! She loves homemade gifts because she thinks since its homemade she can hold thhe love with her! And I think this a great idea! Im not really sure how many yards to get for this she isn't real big but i want it to be a good size to cuddle with! Im just going to ask the atendent at Joanns or Michaels im sure they might know. GReat instructions on how to make them too! I saw a video on youtube of a lady making them but wasn't to specific. I haven't made mine yet but am pretty Christmas is right around the corner! I have made a sewn blanket already with my grandmom and my friend loved it! Im only 12 years old and really like this! Makes great birthday or holiday giftS! Thanks for the instruction!
Would 1 yard be enough for a toddler and 2 yards enough for kids and teens?
I am going to make some of the blankets for my sisters and brother for christmas, would 2 yards be enough for each blanket
Hi! I was wondering what length you would have the blanket be so that it would cover all of/a little bit more than a 5'3" person?
Thanks so much for your help! God bless!
I am thinking of making a tie blanket for my boyfriend for Christmas. I was thinking of putting a design of his favorite football team on one side and then mine on the other side. Do you think that this will be too "busy" and not look good?
what fabric do you recommend for a lighter blanket...I was thinking of making some for my nieces and nephews in Oklahoma but I don't want a heavy fabric...
I use a rotary cutter to make mine all the time. It works splendidly! Seems to make things move a lot faster than cutting! :)
I think a rotary cutter would work fine based on my experience using scissors when I have made them.
Can you use a rotory cutter for this project?
hey robbin, do you have a suggestion where to get the best fabric or the cheapest fabric?
Hi I'm eating to make many of these for Christmas I have to make them for a 10,13,12,20,18 how many yards should I do each oh and a baby Ive never did this but I heard there super easy and I have 2 so I don't know how many yards how many would you recommend?
These blankets are really fun to make and even better to use. They are so warm and wonderful for our Chicago winter nights when no matter what, there seems to be a chill in the air. My daughter and I have made quite a few of these tie blankets. And there are a lot of fun fabrics to choose from. For example my mother likes crossword puzzles so we made one with crossword puzzle fleece on one side and black on the other. I see people at high school football games with these no-sew fleece blankets made out of school colors all the time. If they are lucky they might even find a print on a fleece like their mascot (i.e. tiger stripes for the Tigers, or paw prints for the Bulldogs, etc.) Anyway, these are so fun and easy to make.
I'm 12 and I'm going to make one of these for my one - year - old cousin for christmas :Dx
thanks for the help my grandme is going to love the blanket :)
The idea to make a fleece blanket out of material of the Colts was a great one. I love sports and am always trying to find new ideas to show my team spirit. I do not always have the time to do crafts like this though. I did come across a great website that provides fleece blankets for those of us that do not have the time or energy to make one. All-my-sports.com has a vast selection so you can find a fleece blanket for your favorite team. http://all-my-sports.com/
I was in the store getting material to make my first blanket and when I asked the difference between anti-pill and blizzard fleece a couple of customers recommended the blizzard as it wasn't as "stretchy". However, I noticed that on 2 sides as I was tying the knots the fabric stretched out more than on the other 2 sides. I assumed this was a "with/against the weave" issue. Is that common? Also, is there another type of fleece like fabric I can use? A friend has a blanket that someone made and gave to her mother and it seems different than the fleece we looked at? BTW - it was a very fast and easy project AND very forgiving if your measurements aren't exact.
How much does the fabric normally cost to make one 2x2 blanket? I plan to make 5 blankets, but want to make sure it's not too expensive.
I just recently made one out of Colts fabric as I'm a huge Colts fan. Several years ago, I made my first one with my Aunt; it was a Care Bears blanket and my cat loved it. He's now deceased and it was hard to see the blanket all the time so I decided to make another one and chose Colts. I'm getting ready to make two for my niece Audrey, who's due to be born in January.
These blankets are a great idea but there is one thing i am unsure of, or maybe i just missed it. How long should the slits be, I only know the width?
My 9yr old son and I are making one for my GF. The steps shown above made it simple enough for this bumbling BF to follow. ;) Great project!
My 11yr old niece made one for my 2yr old nephew as a B-day present, and used the same material to make a matching "lovie" (about the size of a hankerchief, with a stuffed animal head sewn on) Cute idea as he does NOTHING without his lovie. :)
Don't forget to buy anti-pill material. I also found that when you make your first tie, do not make it tight. Make the second knot tight and there will be no puckering in the blanket. Don't forget on the 2x2 yard blankets to cut out 4x4 on each corner and do the knots on the corners first or you can run into big trouble-I did. LOL! Isn't this fun. I finished # 10 because that's how many grandchildren and I have together. We have so much fun! So does Grandma!
Do you just use one knot to tie or a double knot. I found if i only tie once, it will come loose. Am i doing it incorrectly?
I received a blanket like this as a gift and I love it! I use it all the time to wrap up when I'm studying! I just purchased the materials to make the blanket as a gift too!
when making the blanket if you cut out about 3x3 inch squares of each corner it makes the corners perfectly rounded and a lot easier :)
hi i was just wondering if i make my blanket in white can i tie-dye it??
This will be awesome gift for my friend
lovely hub, my wife would love the idea..
can you wash it when you are done to get the marker off?
What a great idea! You have some lovely items on your blog, I have really enjoyed going through them. Thank you :)
I am 11 and I know how to do this! Thank you it show my parents how awesome I can be! :)
Hi Robin, I just watched the video on Youtube that you guys uploaded and used this Hub as an examples. I just wanted to reuse Simone's expression and say : OMG! OMGWTFBBQ!!!!! Well Great Video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaCmdOWNlMU good information! Awesome Hub!
I LOVE making these blankets! I think I might even be addicted to making them. Haha. Whenever I make one I always have extra fabric (the clippings/trimmings) that I feel guilty throwing away. Do you know any good ideas for what I could do with these extra little pieces?
hey im solange this is a great idea! where did you learn this craft?
Great directions,I made a decent sized one in 1 hour.A friend told me that fleece was expense in a fabric store so I saw some fleece blankets on sale for $5.00 each they made up beautifully,my nephews birthday is right around the corner and he will love his Winnie the Pooh tie blanket I'm sure. My 15 year old daughter can hardly wait to try one too.
Sarah if you want to put a photo on the blanket you could try printing one from your computer to iron-on paper and then ironing the paper to the blanket. I've made a quilt with iron on pictures and it came out great, I've never used fleece before but it should work the same.
i made four blankets in one week. i made them for my mother daughter husband and myself. I use fleese. they are wonderful and very easy and relaxing to make
Do you know of a company that could transfer a photo to the material and you can make the blanket?
Our Optimist Club makes these three times a year and we give them to a local hospital with a pediatric cancer center. When a child is admitted they are given one of our blankets. We have received many wonderful comments and it is such a "feel good" project. Could not be easier.
I may be picky but how do you tie he knots? Regular or square or what.It seems tome that that would make a big dif. I am working on one right now.
I like how u explained this project I can't sew so.... I'm going to try this.
Are these fleece blankets machine washable?
Thanks so much for these simple how to directions! :) I wanted to get something special for my boyfriend (for our one year), but thought about doing something crafty since I'm a crafty person but haven't used a sewing machine in like 4 years and this is perfect!
Thanks so much. I have fabric and I'm ready to go. I'm going to be an aunt shortly and can't wait to give my neice a blanket when she is born.
Great stuff, I was looking for tips on how to buy one and came across your hub.
:D they r so soft
I love making these. I am making one right now!! YAY
Do I tie a single or double knot?
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