Flannel Baby Blankets

For part of the Quilters' Embrace program for the Gateway Quilt Guild, I make four flannel baby blankets for newborns--two on Saturday and two today. I understand they like to have about 2 dozen to give to the local hospital.

Basically, they are two pieces of flannel sewn together and are about the same size as a receiving blanket.

I personally like pastels for newborns. Save the bold colors and patterns until they are older and can focus their eyes better. That said, my blanket on the right is bold and bright, but I like it.

In addition to a decorative stitch around the edge, we sew across the middle, usually in an "X" pattern. This is to keep the baby from getting twisted up inside the two halves or, worse yet, to keep the baby from falling if the layers shift while the baby is held.

I mostly root around the remnant bin looking for pieces that are at least 30" long. One was slightly less than that, so I paired it up with a larger piece to make a border to widen it.

 Some of our quilters do a beautiful job with the border and mitered corners. I didn't miter mine.

These little blankies are not as easy to make as one might think. Cotton flannel is soft and cuddly for little ones, but it is a loose weave. The two layers of fabric kept shifting while I tried to sew it. It was hard to keep the corners squared up and the top fabric from stretching and puckering. But, I got through it. Hopefully, once they are washed, they will look okay.

I didn't like the idea of putting on one of the big clunky pre-printed Quilters' Embrace labels, so I made my own. I decorated them with a fancy little stitch just for grins.

Frankly, I prefer sewing woven muslin or calico over flannel any day of the week.