Handmade Fleece Blankets - The Perfect Gift for the One Who Has it All

It is never too soon to start thinking about Christmas gifts so I am here to share a great project with you that makes a great gift, whether it be for Christmas, a birthday, or any other holiday, a homemade fleece blanket is the perfect gift. Fleece blankets are so soft and comfortable, there are very few people who wouldn't enjoy receiving one and just curling up on the couch with a good movie and their new blanket. Fleece is often more expensive in the winter so it is a smart idea to stock up now before the weather changes even if you aren't ready to make the presents yet.

For this project you will need:

Two pieces of fleece - each 2.5 to 3 yards long (if you're making a fleece blanket for a child I would suggest about 2 yards)

Straight pins

Rotary cutter

Cutting mat

Metal ruler

When choosing the material for your fleece blanket you have several options, remember your blanket will essentially be reversible so you can use two solid colors, a print and a solid, or two prints that compliment each other. Check out your local craft stores to find a large assortment of fleece.

The first thing you will need to do to make your fleece blanket is put the two pieces of material together, back to back, and make sure all your edges are even, if they aren't, just trim them. Once all your edges are straight, lay your pieces of fleece onto your cutting mat; you will want to make sure you move the fleece or mat as you work to make sure you don't cut your work surface. I suggest using some straight pins about five inches into the material to keep everything intact and straight while you're cutting.

You will need to cut out a four inch square from each corner to make sure that your fleece blanket will lay flat once you have finished. If your cutting mat has a ruler built in just follow those measurements but if not, I suggest using a metal ruler to make sure your cuts are straight and to ensure that you don't accidentally cut the ruler itself.

Now measure one inch across the base of the fabric and cut four inches deep to create a frayed look on your fleece blanket. You can use the four inch square you cut out of each corner as a guide in addition to your ruler. Continue this process along all four sides of the material.

After you have cut all the fringes you may want to take a seat on your couch and get comfortable because the next step will take awhile, it is easy but time consuming. You will need to tie the two layers of each strip together to create a knot along the base of the fabric. This will give your fleece blanket a tassel look along all four edges.