Flashback Friday: Taggie Blanket

Here's this week's Flashback Friday where I dig up an old post. If you haven't seen it before, then it's new to you! This is one of my more popular posts that instructs you how to make a simple sewing project. These small blankets make great baby gifts!

Skill Level: Beginner

Skills Attained: Piecing Fabric (beginning step of a quilt), Slip Stitch

Supplies:

• Sewing Machine
• Scissors (or rotary cutter and mat)
• Pins
• (4) 7" squares of fabric (for top of taggie blanket)
• (1) 13 1/2" square of fabric (for backside of taggie blanket)
• (16) 6" pieces of ribbon (varying types and colors)

Supplies needed for the Taggie Blanket

If you are someone who has always wanted to sew a quilt but does not know where to begin, this week's Taggie Blanket project is for you! You will learn the basic steps of piecing together fabric, which is the building block of making a quilt. The final product will be an adorable little blanket any baby is sure to enjoy.

I first saw a Taggie Blanket at one of my friend's baby showers nearly two years ago. Many babies love different textures, and the assortment of fabrics and ribbons of this small blanket provides various textures for little ones to play with. Be creative and have fun with selecting the fabrics and ribbons for this project!

1. To begin, lay out the four 7" squares in the pattern you would like it sewn together. If you have a patterned fabric such as stripes, make sure you place the fabric in the direction you would like it to be sewn together.

Lay out the 7" squares in the desired design.

2. Pin one square to another square -- right sides together -- along one edge. Do this to the other set of squares. Sew a straight stitch using a 1/4" seam allowance. (Refer to Mom's Tip #2.) View the video below for a more detailed explanation.

3. After sewing the two sets of squares together, press the seams open. You now have two rectangular pieces.  Next, pin the two rectangular pieces together -- right sides together -- making sure that your seams are aligned. View the video below for a more detailed explanation.

Pin the pressed seam open to ensure
the fabric does not bunch. 

Make sure the seams are aligned before
you pin the pieces together. 

The back side of the top panel will look like this
after you have pressed open both seams. 

4. Now that the top side of your Taggie Blanket is complete, sew the top side to the 13 1/2" square backside of the Taggie Blanket. Lay the right sides of the fabric together and begin pinning all four sides of the square. As you pin, fold each of the 6" ribbons in half creating a loop, and place the loop toward the inside of the fabric between the two pieces of fabric; secure the ribbons in place with pins. Once the blanket is pinned, sew a 1/4" seam allowance around all four sides leaving a 3" - 4" opening on one side. The opening allows you to turn the blanket right-side out. For a more detailed explanation, watch the video below.

You will sew around all four sides of the square except one
3" - 4" opening so that you can turn the blanket inside out.

5. Once you have sewn all four sides (except the 3" - 4" opening), you will need to turn the blanket right side out. The final step is to sew the small opening shut. For that, we will use a slip stitch.

Snip a small piece of the corner before turning the project inside out.
This prevents the corner from bunching.

The final step is to sew the small opening shut using a slip stitch.

Follow the pictures and their respective captions below for instructions on how to perform a slip stitch. 

Slip Stitch

Take a threaded needle with a knot at the end of the thread and slide the
needle up through the pressed edge of the fabric; pull the thread tight so
that the knot is hidden on the under-side of the fabric. 

Insert your needle on the other side of the opening directly across from where
you brought the needle up.  Pull the needle through. Slip the needle through the
same side of the fabric about 1/4". Then, insert your needle on the other side
of the fabric directly across from the previous stitch. Continue to "slip" the
needle 1/4" and insert the needle across the stitch until you reach
the end of the opening.  

To knot the thread at the end of the opening, do not pull the thread tight
at the end of the last stitch but rather leave a loop. Place your needle through
the loop and pull the thread tight. Over the same stitch, do this step 2 or 3
more times to ensure the thread is knotted. 

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