Buttons & Booties: Ruffle Blanket Tutorial

This is one of my favourite baby blankets to make. It isn't a full size blanket, but rather the perfect size for the car seat, pram or for your little one to snuggle up with. They only take a couple of hours to make and looks very effective for how simple it is to make. The biggest bonus is that you can use up any scrap material you have lying around!

1. Choose your fabrics. Cut 8 strips that measure 30" x 3" and 1 strip that measures 120" x 5" for the ruffled edge. It is completely up to you how many different fabrics you use but remember, you can always piece together scrap bits of material.

**Tip: It is very easy to alter the size of this blanket, simply add more strips!

2. Ruffle each of the 30" x 3" strips.

**Hint: It is simple to ruffle with your sewing machine. You can do this by setting both the tension and stitch length on your machine to the highest setting. Then sew down the middle of the strip. Machine ruffles look fantastic, they are quick and the ruffles are more uniform.

3. Iron the ruffles flat and lay in the desired order.

4. Sew each strip together, by placing right sides together and sewing with a 1/4" seam. Iron the seam flat.

**Hint: Pinning the strips together before you sew them will ensure everything lines up perfect.

5. Once all the pieces are joined, iron the blanket flat, straighten the edges and round the corners.

6. Cut and remove the centre (ruffle) thread with scissors or seam ripper. Top stitch if desired.

7. Take the longer strip and fold wrong sides together. Sew down the open edge, using a 1/4" seam, to make a ruffled piece (don't forget to have the tension and stitch length to the highest setting on your machine).