Frayed Edges Swaddling Blankets

Close up of the stitching and frayed edges

My newest nephew (born the end of last summer) still loves to be swaddled when he naps or goes to sleep for the night. Unfortunately,  most swaddling blankets you can buy in the store are meant for younger babies and my nephew is also big for his age. So his mum asked me to whip him up a few new blankets so she could return to using her sheets on her own bed!

I knew I wanted to use soft, warm flannel since our weather won’t be warm until mid-May but I didn’t want to spend a lot of time with fancy edges since these blankets would be washed nearly every day.

After some online searching, I decided the easiest and most long term solution would be to let the edges fray naturally with some control. I started with the instructions at Sew Much Ado: Rag Edge Receiving Blanket and modified them so suit my needs.

I created the biggest square the fabric would allow (so each was about 42 inches square once complete) and decided not to worry about rounding the corners. I used the zig zag stitch to create a limiting border about one-quarter inch in from the edge (eyeballed it, really). Then I snipped every half-inch or so with the scissors and decided to do most of the initial fraying by hand because it made the blanket look so cute and I didn’t want the baby or mum to have to deal with too many little strings showing up in the wash for the next several months.

And the best news…mum and baby loved the new swaddling blankets!

Hooded Baby Blanket

Modeling the Blanket

I finally finished the hooded baby blanket I was crocheting for my youngest nephew (who is now over six months old). The project was not difficult; in fact, it worked up quite quickly. I was simply distracted by other craft projects (and life, of course).

I followed the pattern included on the Pound o’ Love yarn sleeve (if you are interested, the pattern is also available on the Lion brand yarn site but you have to be a member to view it–it’s free to join). The yarn is a worsted weight 100% acrylic that is machine washable and stays soft. I chose the soft pastel green color.

The puffy pattern stitch was not difficult to learn and the end result was soft and squishy with an interesting texture. The blanket portion worked up quickly and I was able to keep it square by regularly folding it diagonally and counting the stitches every 10 rows or so. I ran into some trouble with the attached hood and had to adjust the pattern a bit to make everything fit and keep the blanket square.

The best news is that mama and baby loved the final result and the blanket is perfect to keep in the car for quick covering. The blanket is still a bit too large but it will certainly last him through the winter.

Crocheted Baby Hat with Butterfly

This small blue and white baby hat is crocheted with extra soft terrycloth yarn and features a fold-up brim. The little butterfly accent is crocheted with #10 thread. Very sweet!

Changing Pad

This cute changing pad was a gift for a friend’s new baby. The basic construction is an extra-soft hand towel backed with colorful cotton fabric. Mom sewed in some pockets for the little necessities (and included some samples!). It all wraps up into a tidy bundle with a white ribbon. The changing pad easily slips into a backpack or diaper bag and can be washed.