Grab-n-Go Fat Quarter Blanket: A Tutorial

Happy Monday! I wanted to pull together a fun, quick and easy tutorial to share with some fresh fall fabrics designed by one of my very favorite designers~ Ann Kelle. Today I’m sharing a step-by-step of how to whip up this fun blanket to take along to football games, the pumpkin patch or to snag for those chilly mornings in the car or bus to school. My eight-year-old son has already pilfered this one so I guess it’s a hit at the Smith house. Before I get on to the nuts-and-bolts, here’s a little heads up that you need to come back tomorrow ready to meet the designer of these fabrics AND enter for a chance to win the pictured fat quarters! Yeah! {See you again tomorrow, right?!}

Supplies: 4 fat quarters, 1 yard of minky and cuddle fabric, 1 inch wide coordinating elastic

Step 1: Arrange the 4 fat quarters in the desired layout, creating a 2×2 rectangle. Pin two FQs together and stitch. Pin the other two FQs and stitch. Pin both pieces together to stitch.

Step 2: Create an applique- optional {it just jazzes things up a bit} I printed out an “S” in a font that I liked, cut it out, traced it on some red felt backwards so no ink showed on the front of the felt and cut out the “S.” Then I traced and cut a brown felt circle. I stitched the “S” on the circle and added very simple line of embroidery before machine stitching the applique to the top of the blanket. Feel free to email me at kirsten@lovespunstudio.com if you need any help with this part.

Step 3: Lay your minky/cuddle fabric out on the floor right side up. Then lay your FQ piece right side down on top of it. Your minky should be a little bit larger than your top piece– that’s ok. Go ahead and cut two strips of elastic 13″ each. Fold them in half and sandwich them along the outside edge spaced approximately 12″ apart. The loops should be INSIDE the blanket sandwich and the ends should extend just past the edge of the sandwich. You can see a bit in the picture below. Pin around leaving an 8-10″ opening for turning right-side out and stitch around the blanket with a 1/2 or 5/8 inch seam. Trim your corners and turn.

Step 4: I like to press everything nice and smooth at this point. It just gives your blanket a more polished appearance. To finish off, topstitch around the entire blanket 1/4-3/8 inch around the entire blanket. I used a green bobbin thread and a brown top thread so that everything coordinated well. Be sure to pin your opening closed first so that you have a nice even seam where you topstitch it together.