Tutorial--Mitred Edge Receiving Blanket

We always seem to need a quick and easy gift for new babies, don't we?  My mother showed me how to make these simple receiving blankets when I was having my children.  They're great.  While normally they are sewn using  two pieces of flannel, it is easy and luxurious to substitute a piece of flannel-backed satin or minkee for the center fabric panel.  As I needed one for a baby shower last week, and yet another for this week, I thought I would make a tutorial for you.  After all, the completed blanket took less than 30 minutes to complete.

FABRIC REQUIREMENTS:

1 Yard of two coordinating prints.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut the outer fabric square to measure 36 inches square.
Cut the inner fabric to measure 32 inches square.

Fold the outer fabric in half diagonally.

Measure down two inches from the outer corner, and pin perpendicular to the fold.  This creates a mitered corner.  Repeat with the other side.

Sew down both pinned corners, perpendicular to the fold.  Trim seam to measure 1/4 inch.  Repeat with the other side.  Unfold the outer fabric and repeat for the remaining two corners.

Open the outer fabric and place right-side down.  Turn the mitered corners out.  These will naturally turn the outer blanket to the front.  Set in the other fabric.  Turn the outer fabric under 1/4 inch and pin it so it overlaps the inner fabric about 1 1/2 inch (there is some "fudge" room here).  Pin it in place.

Top stitch  adjacent to the ditch and on the outer border, all the way around the border.

Cute blanket, eh?  These are so fun and so fast--multiples can be created at once by chain-piecing the mitered corners.

As an alternate version, I considered bringing the outer border to the front without rolling it under 1/4 inch.  Instead, it would be fun to leave it raw and snip with the scissors every 1/4 inch to make it a rag blanket border.  When I get that done, I'll have to show pictures of it as well.



I also thought the readers over at Crazy Mom Quilts would love this idea, so I'm sharing it with them too!

Until next time,

Happy Quilting!