Today I am excited to share my first tutorial. As I venture into the world of tutorials I thought I would start with one of my favorite baby gifts: taggy blankets. Taggy blankets are cuddly and offer sensory benefits for babies.
As an added bonus taggy blankets can often be made completely from fabric scraps and may not even require a trip to the fabric tore to our chase supplies.
Supply List
Here’s the list of needed supplies:
- Top fabric 11” x 11”
- Bottom fabric 11” x 11”
- Crinkly material for inside (I used a plastic diaper package, but you could also use a plastic bag, plastic wipe packaging, empty cereal bag, etc)
- Ribbon in a variety of widths, textures, colors, and patterns.
- Coordinating thread
Step 1: Prepare the Top Fabric
The top and bottom fabrics need to measure 11”x11”. Either use one solid piece of fabric or piece squares together smaller squares, similar to constructing a quilt top. This gives the opportunity to encorporate more textures and colors to increase the overall stimulation for the baby.
I pieced together 4x4 squares using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, which resulted in finished dimensions of 11” x 11”.
Step 2: Prepare the Tags
Cut the ribbons into 20 pieces that are each 3 1/2 inch long.
Step 3: Attach Ribbons to Top
Fold each ribbon in half with wrong sides together. Pin each folded ribbon to the right side of the quilt top. Aline the raw edges of the ribbon with the raw edge of the fabric. Arrange the ribbons so there are 5 ribbons evenly spaced along each side of the top.
Sew along each side of the quilt top with a 1/8” seam allowance. This will attach the ribbons to the top.
Step 4: Attach the Crinkly Plastic
Pin the plastic to the wrong side of the blanket top. I usually cut the plastic a little bigger so it overhangs the top fabric. This gives a little extra material in case the plastic shifts while sewing.
Sew around the entire top with a 1/8” seam allowance to attach the plastic to the top.
Step 5: Attach the Minky
Lay the backing over the the top with Wright aides together. Secure the top and backing with pins.
Tip: If using minky apply lots of pins because minky is slippery and shifts easily while sewing.
Sew around the blanket with a 1/4” seam allowance, leaving a 2” section open on one side to allow for turning the blanket right sides out. This opening is shown with the yellow arrrows in the below picture.
Tip: When sewing with minky, the minky should be on top. The feed dogs tend to cause the minky to slip and shift.
Step 6: Finish the Taggy Blanket
Trim the corners and turn the blanket right side out by pulling the fabric through the 2” opening. Lightly iron the quilt top, being careful to not touch the hot iron directly onto the ribbons and minky backing.
Using a ladder stitch, hand sew the opening closed. (Click
Sew a top stitch round the entire blanket.
Congradulations! You have completed a taggy Blanket!
