We have a small series starting today called Teen Pretty Pack, three easy projects that would be perfect additions to a teen bedroom. Actually, we’ll let you put them in any bedroom you want. All three feature gorgeous fabrics and super soft Minky accents. To start things off is this easy big bound blanket. At nearly five feet square, there’s plenty of cuddle room for all. In fact, our Official Cushiness Tester, Big Ollie the orange cat, certified it as worthy of non-stop pushy-pulley paw kneading and a ten on the purr-o-meter.
We have a small series starting today called Teen Pretty Pack, three easy projects that would be perfect additions to a teen bedroom. Actually, we’ll let you put them in any bedroom you want. All three feature gorgeous fabrics and super soft Minky accents. To start things off is this easy big bound blanket. At nearly five feet square, there’s plenty of cuddle room for all. In fact, our Official Cushiness Tester, Big Ollie the orange cat, certified it as worthy of non-stop pushy-pulley paw kneading and a ten on the purr-o-meter.
I’ve outlined the basic steps of how to make faux mitered corners with your binding. If you are new to the technique, check out our tutorial.
The beautiful border fabric is from Bonnes Amies by Michael Miller Fabrics. It’s the same great collection we used for our holiday pajama pants project. Thanks, Michael Miller!
A BIG thanks to our brand new friends and supporters at Minky Delight! They provided the cushy soft, double-sided Minky Marshmallow fabric for all our Teen Pretty Pack projects. If you are looking for ‘soft, cuddly, melt-in-your-hand fabrics’… this is the place. Thanks, Dan and Lori!
Sewing Tools You Need
- Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome Memory Craft 6300)
- Walking foot (optional)
Fabric and Other Supplies
- 1¾ yard of 58-60″ wide double-sided, soft fleece: we used Minky Marshmallow in Turquoise from Minky Delight
- 2 yards of 44-45″ wide coordinating fabric for binding: we used Bonne Amies in Marseille Gaston by Michael Miller Fabrics
- All purpose thread in color to match fabrics
- See-through ruler
- Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
- Iron and ironing board
- Fabric pencil
- Straight pins
Getting Started
- Cut ONE 56″ x 56″ square from the fleece fabric. Make sure your square is straight and true so your corners will miter nicely.
- Cut SEVEN 10″ x width of fabric (WOF) strips from the binding fabric.
At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board
- Collect all seven 10″ x WOF binding strips.
- Pin and then seam the binding strips together end to end to create one long, continuous strip. To do this, match one to the next, right sides together along the 10″ sides. Pin in place, then stitch, using a ½” seam allowance. Seven strips, six seams.
- Press all the seams open.
- Fold the binding in half, lengthwise, wrong sides together and press.
- Open up your strip wrong side towards you.
- Fold each side towards the center crease and press.
- Fold again along your first crease, right sides together, so your two folded edges meet. Press.
- Starting in the middle of one side of the blanket, unfold your binding and slip it over the raw edge.
- Be very careful that your middle fold is right on the edge and your binding is even on both sides.
- Pin from your starting point to the first corner.
- Bring your project to your machine, and starting in the middle (where you started pining), stitch the binding to the project, staying as close to the edge of the binding as you can. Go slowly and make sure you catch both sides of the binding equally.
- Because I was dealing with two very different fabric types and a very wide binding, I opted to use my walking foot to keep all my layers from slipping and sliding. I also increased my stitch length and set my needle to its far left position to stay as close to the edge of the binding as possible.
- Sew to the corner and stop. Lock your seam.
- Remove the project from under the needle and clip your threads, but do not cut your binding.
- Fold a pleat in the corner to make a 45˚ angle. Pin. Encase the new side’s raw edge with the binding, working your way to the next corner.
- Pin in place.
- Return to your machine, and matching your first line of stitching, edgestitch around the corner and down the side to the next corner. Stop at the corner and lock your stitch.
NOTE: By ‘around the corner’ I mean you should drop your needle in at the end of your original line of stitching, stitch into the corner, pivot, and then stitch down the new edge. This way, your line of stitching around each corner will appear uninterrupted.
- Repeat these same steps at each corner.
- When you return to your starting point, tuck under the raw edge of the binding, match the bottom edges and match your stitching line to finish. Press.
IMPORTANT: DO NOT iron the Minky; just press the cotton binding.
- I went to the extra step of hand-stitching the diagonal corner folds in place on both the front and back. Using a slip stitch makes them extra tidy.
Project Design: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation: Liz Johnson
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