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National Sewing Month: Faux Chenille Blanket by Dana of MADE

September 19, 2011 by AllFreeSewing 44 Comments

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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…

Simple Skirts:
an entire Kid Pants series:
Ruffled Party Streamers:
Goodnight Moon jammies:

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

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AllFreeSewing

Editor at AllFreeSewing at AllFreeSewing.com
AllFreeSewing is the ultimate resource for quick and easy sewing patterns, tutorials, and charts. You'll find dress and bag patters, alteration guides, even instructions to help you with that pesky sewing machine. The best part? It's all absolutely free. Come and join our community!

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Filed Under: National Sewing Month Tagged With: DIY, National Sewing Month, Sewing, Sewing for Baby

Comments

  1. Nancy B from Many LA says

    September 19, 2011 at 11:03 am

    That is SO cute!

  2. lela m says

    September 19, 2011 at 11:08 am

    Too cute!

  3. Randi says

    September 19, 2011 at 11:09 am

    National Sewing Month!! How cute and inspiring some creative ideas!!

  4. Panda says

    September 19, 2011 at 11:38 am

    What a lovely concept! I’m going to have to make one of these!…. now to choose the fabric!

  5. Crystal Carawan says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    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!

  6. Kitten With A Whiplash says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:08 pm

    What an original blanket. The strip idea is brilliant.

  7. Becky says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    That blanket is so cute..I love it and will have to give it a try..Love your creativness!!

  8. Tina says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:30 pm

    Really cute, love the fabric!

  9. Terri says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    Need to do this for my two grandaughters, thanks!

  10. Laurie says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:36 pm

    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!

  11. Bobbie Wraight says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    Putting this adorable blanket on my project list! Thank you!

  12. marcia winnie says

    September 19, 2011 at 12:52 pm

    this is a cute idea wanting to sew for my grand daughter.

  13. nikki says

    September 19, 2011 at 1:12 pm

    Love the blanket!

  14. Sarah R. says

    September 19, 2011 at 1:25 pm

    I had forgotten about making blankets this way. Looks like my grandson is getting one for Christmas. Thanks for the reminder and keep creating.

  15. Shelley says

    September 19, 2011 at 1:26 pm

    I love Dana from Made! this blanket had been on my to do list!

  16. Patty Chambers says

    September 19, 2011 at 3:04 pm

    Blankie is too cute!

  17. Roberta says

    September 19, 2011 at 3:49 pm

    I’ve been wanting to try the faux chenille method – thank you for the tutorial!

  18. JacLynn Klahn says

    September 19, 2011 at 4:08 pm

    Beautiful! Gonna give it a try for sure!

  19. gina sandoval says

    September 19, 2011 at 4:26 pm

    I agree ! Super cute!

  20. iris says

    September 19, 2011 at 4:42 pm

    sooo cute! I’ll have to try it

  21. Tammy says

    September 19, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    It looks expensive, what a great gift to give at a baby shower.

  22. Laura says

    September 19, 2011 at 5:48 pm

    Adorable gift idea!

  23. jennifer says

    September 19, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    I love all of Dana’s projects! Her pictures are so wonderful, too!

  24. Emily says

    September 19, 2011 at 8:38 pm

    I just made one last week and LOVE it! I’m sure my sister will love it too (it’s for her new baby).

  25. delia says

    September 19, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    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.

  26. shanna says

    September 19, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    so cute. i love the top fabric!

  27. CrochetBlogger says

    September 19, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Love the idea of combining sewing and quilting in one squishy blanket!

  28. LoriE says

    September 20, 2011 at 12:54 am

    National Sewing Month

    How cute! I’ll have to try this some day!

  29. Nicole says

    September 20, 2011 at 4:58 am

    Such a cute blankie. If only I had a baby to make one for.

  30. Beth says

    September 20, 2011 at 6:06 am

    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.

  31. Correne says

    September 20, 2011 at 7:03 am

    I love these comfy blankets!

  32. Stephanie says

    September 20, 2011 at 7:36 am

    I love this blanket and so does my niece. It is time consuming but it’s a great project.

  33. Jennifer says

    September 20, 2011 at 8:56 am

    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

  34. Brenda says

    September 20, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    Love it!

  35. Amy says

    September 20, 2011 at 1:16 pm

    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

  36. Sue D says

    September 20, 2011 at 7:48 pm

    A new grandbaby is due–this looks like the perfect gift.

  37. Risa Culpepper says

    September 21, 2011 at 11:22 pm

    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’!

  38. Cheryl says

    September 22, 2011 at 11:19 am

    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.

  39. Stacie Sawicki says

    September 23, 2011 at 1:51 pm

    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!

  40. Teresa says

    September 23, 2011 at 5:53 pm

    Beautiful! It always amazes me to think of how much can be done with fabric. Great tutorial and very cute blanket!

  41. Kim says

    September 25, 2011 at 8:25 pm

    Oh my gosh! This is the cutest, cuddliest thing ever!

  42. cassandra says

    September 27, 2011 at 12:19 pm

    I love baby blankets !! This looks cute and soft !!

  43. Terry Schultz says

    September 30, 2011 at 2:45 pm

    Love it!

Trackbacks

  1. National Sewing Month: Highlights on the Final Day of our Blog Series | FaveCraftsBlog says:
    January 29, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    […] Sept 19: ‘Faux Chenielle Blanket by Dana of MADE‘ […]

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