Hey everybody this is a special post so listen up!!
Ever since Hurricane Sandy my family has been trying to figure out a way to help all of those people who've lost homes, family, power, or belongings. I'm always scared to send money off to random charities and since it's really hard to fly back east and physically help out we've come up with a BRILLIANT plan. So if you are in the same boat as me, LISTEN UP because this is for you!!!
So here are some tutorials to help you as you help others!
We made our own plus found a bunch of links to other quilting and crafty blogs in case you want to get really crazy.
Remember, we would love all kinds of blankets, including big ones, small ones, quilted, tied, or fleece. Anything to help our fellow americans stay warm and feel your love. *But please no used blankets or beanies, only homemade or newly purchased.
Blankets range from 54x60 for the fleece and 54x36 for
cotton
Blankets can cost from $10 - $20 depending on where you get
your fabric.
The fleece I just bought at JoAnn’s fabrics was 50% off @
12.99/yd. so I paid just at $10 per blanket.
My cotton blankets are made from fabric purchased at
Wal-Mart they have lots of
cute fun prints at very reasonable prices.
Fleece Blankets
1½ yds. Fleece
Make sure your edges are all nice and straight. Cutting off all rough edges and salvages.
Now you can choose a couple ways to tie your sides. You can cut and tie all
4 sides of your
blanket, or you can choose to only cut and tie 2 ends.
Begin by cutting 4 inch fringe about 1 inch thick on each side you plan
on tying.
Options: tie each individual fringe by itself like in this picture.
Or: tie two pieces of fringe together in a square knot.
(right over left and left over right –
so that when it is washed the knot will stay.)
We like both ways. You can also find great tutorials on how
to
sew 2 pieces of fleece together to make a thicker blanket.
Super Easy Cotton Tied Blankets
1 ½ yd. cotton print
1 ½ yd. cotton solid
crib size batting
yarn
Quilting needle
Wash and dry fabric (to prevent shrinking after blanket is
made.)
On a flat surface, lay down the fabric you chose for the back of the blanket with the right
side up.
Next layer on top of that your
top layer of fabric with right side down.
On top of that, lay out your batting,
pin all three layers together (see picture above).
Trim all three layers so your edges are all straight and
even.
You can use a straight edge and rotary
blade if you have one.
Sew all three layers together leaving a 5 inch opening on
one side. Remove pins.
Turn blanket inside out.
Your batting should be in between your fabric now with the right sides
of your fabric facing out.
Be sure to
push out each corner from inside so you have nice defined corners.
Press with an iron.
Sew up your 5 inch opening carefully on the machine or by
hand.
Be sure your fabric is tucked inside along that seam.
Time to tie your quilt!
Begin by marking your quilt with a 5x5 template. (I cheat
and usually just stitch according to the pattern on the print.) The purposes of
the ties are to keep the fabric together and the batting in place.
In the blanket shown, we tied in the middle of
every other fish, skipped two rows of fish and started again. Use your best judgment and just make if fun, cute and consistent.
Thread your quilting needle with about a yard of yarn,
pulling your yarn through until both ends of the yarn are even. Make a small stitch at your first marking,
making sure you go all the way through both fabrics. Pull your yarn completely through until you
have 3 inches left on the end.
Next there are several ways you can tie your yarn.
The most important part is that you make a
square knot at each mark.
Here are two ways to tie:
1) Continue
on stitching your yarn through each mark, making sure your 3 inch end stays
secure and doesn’t get pulled through.
When you get to the end of your yarn, cut in between each mark, and tie
at each stich point the yarn in a square knot.
2) Tie
as you go: after each stitch cut your yarn, tie your square knot and continue
on.
3) There
is also a method to tie before you cut your yarn, but it is hard to
explain. If you would like to know how,
send us an email and we’ll help walk you through it! J
Finish up: look at each tie and make sure it looks nice and
clean.
Check the back side of the fabric to make sure it also looks nice and
clean leaving no
crazy yarn pieces back there.
Trim each tie to about 1 inch long.
Voila! – you have a fun and warm blanket to send to a Sandy
family
and everyone gets to be warm inside!
Go to these great links to get some more ideas and inspiration!
For blankets
If you want to make beanies go here.
Info. about us: In 2001 we started Comfort the Kids, and with the help of several hundreds of amazing people delivered over 2500 handmade red white and blue blankets to children who lost family members in the twin towers on 9/11. To keep the fun going, we delivered over 500 blankets to victims of some of the California wildfires in 2003, and in 2006 sent over 500 blankets to Houston, Texas to a children's burn unit affected by hurricane Katrina. As a family we are grateful for the blessings in our lives and feel it a privilege to share those blessings with those suffering. Please join us and share your warmth and love with the families that are bracing for a very cold winter on the east coast. Please give a blanket, so you AND those who bundle up in your blanket will feel some comfort, warmth and peace this cold winter season.
