easy baby blanket [tutorial]

I've wanted to make something with minky fabric forever.  For one thing it's so soft-- something like  bunny fur crossed with the lining of a new sweatshirt, and I love those little bumpies on the fabric.
But it seems a little more suited for a baby blanket than for an adult throw.

Lucky me, one of my cousins is having a baby boy this spring. I know that she loves minky fabric, so when Joann's was having a sale (50% off? Yes please) I ran down and got a few yards to make her baby blanket.

This project only takes a few hours and even with basic sewing skills, (ahem, me), it turns out pretty well.

 I bought 1 yard and 1/2 of flannel and 1 and 1/2 yard of minky fabric.

I prewashed and ironed the flannel (not the minky!!) before I laid it out, flannel to minky, undersides up and pinned all the way around the edges.

 

someone always gets in the way. good thing he's cute

I then sewed all the way around, leaving a few inches open so I could turn the blanket inside out. (What was great was that the flannel had a grid pattern-- it's always easier to stitch following a straight line.)

I turned the blanket inside out and reironed it, paying close attention to the edges.

Rather than just stitch the few inches left open, I chose to stitch all the way around the edges, about 1/2 an inch in to give it a finished look. If I had time, I would have done a double stitch, or perhaps a binding. (But I'm flying to California tomorrow-- so no time for that.)

like my sewing machine? $40 on Craigslist! I'll tell you that story another time

 It turned out pretty well and I'm thinking about making another blanket this way. There's always adorable vintage flat sheets at Goodwill-- I think it would be great sewn with a fleece underside.