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Dear Readers,
It’s National Sewing Month! To celebrate, AllFreeSewing.com is hosting a special blog series throughout the entire month. Check back daily for posts featuring our favorite projects, new sewing videos and tutorials, guest blogs from talented designers and more. We’re also giving away a HUGE sewing prize at the end of the month. You won’t believe how EASY it is to WIN!
Leave a comment on any of the blog posts with the headline “National Sewing Month”. Your comment will count as an entry into the giveaway. You are free to comment as often as once per blog post (for a total of 30 chances to win!). At the end of the month, we’ll pool all of the comments together and pick one lucky winner to win the mystery grand prize. And trust us; you want to win this one!
Whether you’re already a sewing enthusiast or new to the craft, our hope is that this September will encourage you to create wonderful sewn projects.
Happy National Sewing Month!
Here’s today’s post:
Hello there!
I’m Dana from the sewing site: MADE–a place where I share DIY ideas, sewing tutorials and patterns, design inspiration, recipes, photography, and just a bunch of this and that.
I’m a mother of 2 kids living in Austin, TX with my husband and sewing is a big part of our lives. It’s infused through the clothing we wear, our home decor, items I find at the thrift store, even our toys.
In a nutshell, I love creating.
It’s what keeps me sane and alive–providing an outlet from my day-to-day duties as a mom. Plus there’s something magical about transforming a 2-dimensional textile into something new, useful, and 3D. Sewing breathes life into fabric. And blogging gives me an outlet to share what I love with others.
My grandma taught me to sew when I was ten years old. We started out sewing straight lines on a brown paper bag….no thread, just holes. I was immediately intrigued. By 13 my mom taught me to use store-bought patterns and I spent many summers sewing simple pants, dresses for church, and every type of scrunchie and big bow I could think of–afterall it was the 80s.
Fast-forward 15 years through high school, college, and a film career and I found myself back at the sewing machine. My creative spirit had been dormant for a while but I suddenly had an urge to make things for this little human….especially since sewing for kids takes half the time and half the fabric as it does for adults. My daughter is now 5 and my son has joined the sewing circle so the projects are a plenty. The flavors at our house are…
an entire Kid Pants series:
And many more. Just head to the Tutorials page for a complete grid of tutorial ideas and patterns.
Today I’m sharing a project that goes back when my daughter was born. Every baby needs that special “blankie” for holding and snuggling. I’m not a traditional quilter but this blanket combines a bit of quilting and traditional sewing.
It’s a faux chenille blanket.
4 to 5 different layers of cotton fabric are sewn together, cut into diagonal sections, bound with bias tape, and then comes the secret ingredient….
Throw the blanket in the washing machine and watch those lines ruffle up into little chenille strips. The layers of cotton begin to fray slightly and make the blanket oh-so-soft.
In this tutorial I’ll show you the detailed steps, taking you from fabric–to blanket. And I’ll even share my mistakes!–cause believe me, I’ve cut plenty of holes in these blankets. Nothing a simple patch job won’t fix.
Head over to MADE for the complete tutorial. Your babe will love you for it.
Happy Sewing!
– Dana
AllFreeSewing
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That is SO cute!
Too cute!
National Sewing Month!! How cute and inspiring some creative ideas!!
What a lovely concept! I’m going to have to make one of these!…. now to choose the fabric!
Thanks for sharing your story. I have the same creative bug. It doesn’t matter what outlet it is as long as it is a positive creative expression that is the result. I love the blanket. Great job!
What an original blanket. The strip idea is brilliant.
That blanket is so cute..I love it and will have to give it a try..Love your creativness!!
Really cute, love the fabric!
Need to do this for my two grandaughters, thanks!
I love the fabric in that blankie! I am working on chenille blankets for a friends’ kids right now, an I know they will love them! Thanks for sharing this technique!
Putting this adorable blanket on my project list! Thank you!
this is a cute idea wanting to sew for my grand daughter.
Love the blanket!
I had forgotten about making blankets this way. Looks like my grandson is getting one for Christmas. Thanks for the reminder and keep creating.
I love Dana from Made! this blanket had been on my to do list!
Blankie is too cute!
I’ve been wanting to try the faux chenille method – thank you for the tutorial!
Beautiful! Gonna give it a try for sure!
I agree ! Super cute!
sooo cute! I’ll have to try it
It looks expensive, what a great gift to give at a baby shower.
Adorable gift idea!
I love all of Dana’s projects! Her pictures are so wonderful, too!
I just made one last week and LOVE it! I’m sure my sister will love it too (it’s for her new baby).
Dana…I had somehow forgotten about that beautiful blanket. I can’t wait to make one for my new baby – once I find out the gender.
so cute. i love the top fabric!
Love the idea of combining sewing and quilting in one squishy blanket!
National Sewing Month
How cute! I’ll have to try this some day!
Such a cute blankie. If only I had a baby to make one for.
Dana, That is so beautiful and an idea that I hadn’t heard of before. I will have to try that for a blanket. Not a baby blanket but one for the couch maybe. I’m sure I would have to fight the dogs for it though.
Dana thanks for all the projects and ideas you give us.
I love these comfy blankets!
I love this blanket and so does my niece. It is time consuming but it’s a great project.
Wow! You’ve got some great tutes! I’m going to be browsing a bookmarking all day today … thanks! Or should I say, thanks a lot! ;p
Love it!
National Sewing Month! I love this blanket Dana! Thanks for sharing! I’m already a fan of your pants tutorials – I’ll check this one out as well
A new grandbaby is due–this looks like the perfect gift.
Love the colors and the mimicking of very small squares sewn together. You did a wonderful job! Other mothers will be jealous of this handiwork …. just sayin’!
Before this was posted I’d already planned out this same project for ME — to heck with the baby! Mine will be very “grown up” browns and beiges. The chenille layers will be stitched to a woven “backing” of the same fabric as one of the chenille layer fabrics. I’ll probably use a 3/8″ channel pattern because I want a really low-loft, velvety chenille “surface” when I’m done. I’ll cut between the channels with a specialty Olfa rotary-type cutter that puts “foot” of solid plastic between the blade and the bottom layer that you don’t want cut. Then I’ll “quilt” that chenille surface layer to a super soft, non-pill fleece before binding the edges.
Love all the great ideas for kids clothes and blanket! I wish I would have learned to sew when I was younger. But I am learning now and hope to teach my kids when they get older!
Beautiful! It always amazes me to think of how much can be done with fabric. Great tutorial and very cute blanket!
Oh my gosh! This is the cutest, cuddliest thing ever!
I love baby blankets !! This looks cute and soft !!
Love it!