The Urban Baby Blanket Revisited

I was due for a good crafty project and this fit the bill perfectly. I love making baby blankets! I can't help it. Just strolling through the fabric store, there are so many great prints and textures that would make gorgeous blankets that make a statement. Now, don't get me wrong, I love sweet little prints and polka dots just as much as the next crafty mama ... but I like to do things my own way. This time I found a nice big floral print and paired it with a lightweight denim. I cut flowers from the extra fabric and appliqued the 'stack' to dress up the plain denim. Gorgeous! I love shaking it up a little, don't you?

Thank Heaven!

We co-hosted a baby shower at our house yesterday. It was beautiful. We were 3 lovely women short due to illness, but all in all I would count it a success. We chose a Sugar n' Spice theme and decked the house out in brown and pink polka dots. It looked just like a Baskin Robbins. The guests played "Name that Spice" (12 tiny champagne cups filled w/ different spices to see and smell). And the mother-to-be played "Name that Sugar". This one was really mean and I hope she won't hold it against me. I put different types of candy and 'sugars' into real baby diapers then rolled them up like a real dirty diaper and tied them with a bright bow. She had to identify all 3 items in each 'dirty diaper'. We had applesauce with Sugar Babies and yellow Sour Patch Kids, Tapioca pudding w/ sliced 100 Grand bars and Lemon Heads and such ... the worst ones had things like chocolate pudding, Tootsie Rolls and Milk Duds, raisins, Whoppers .... You get the idea. Eeeew! It was hilarious and she was a great sport! Thanks for all the giggles ladies.

Baby Blanket Goodness

Ooh .... I love this so much. The baby wale corduroy is just so deliciously soft and the colors are perfect for fall. This one is a bit smaller since I bought all the fabric on the bolt, but it is still plenty big enough for a little bundle of joy to get all kinds of use out of it.

New Fabric Lovelies!

I get to make another baby blanket! Yay! Gift giving is such a fun thing for me. I'm already turning over ideas for Christmas gifties too. I think I'll have a completely new project for everyone this year ... of course, I won't be able to post anything about it until after the holidays. Boo. Oh well. For now, I get to make a lovely baby blanket for a lovely girl. I love the fabrics too; a super baby-soft fine wale corduroy print and a great coordinating cotton print for the other side. The colors are deep and rich, perfect for a fall 'arrival'. This blanket is going to be a bit smaller than usual, since I bought all the fabric on the corduroy bolt. I'll post a better how-to this time with pictures for each super simple step. Keep an eye out in the next few days for it.

The Urban Baby Blanket

Today was a big project day around the house. The big one for me was to make 2 baby blankets for my nieces. I've found that that practical blankets get the most miles, so I've reinvented the blankets my great-grandma gave to me. I make mine 45" square, which is a lot for a wee bundle, but believe me you'll keep this size for years.

Here's a quick how-to:

Just find two coordinating, fabulous cotton woven fabrics that match the style of the recipient. Get creative. My favorites are corduroy or denim for the back paired up with a softer flannel or madras plaid. The options are endless, but don't just shop for baby prints. Wash up the fabrics to pre-shrink and remove any sizing. Iron them flat and smooth. Measure them out square and trim any excess. Sew them right sides together with 1/2" seam allowance leaving a 4-5" opening.

Trim the corners. Turn blanket right-side out. Press around the edges to get a nice sharp look and turn the edges under at the opening to match the seam. Stitch this closed as close to the edge as possible. Now stitch a square about 4" in from the edge to help hold the fabrics together.
Tada! Today's Urban Baby Blankets!