DIY Baby Blankets

If you have a new little one in your life you need these DIY Baby Blankets. They make great gifts and these are large enough to use as swaddle blankets and are the perfect sized receiving blankets!

Baby blankets made from snuggle flannel and a serger. One is embroidered with a letter applique and name.

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Something I have learned is that you can grab a pack of those adorable coordinating baby blankets from the stores but after you wash them once or your baby grows larger than 7 lbs they become burp cloths!

First off they are square. Not conducive to swaddling and then after you wash them they shrink so terribly they are too small to do anything with! Enter these baby blankets that I make myself and you can too!

These make excellent baby gifts for a new or expecting mom! I have made them for so many people that they now come to me to make them to give as gifts themselves because they are that good!

I used my serger to finish the edges however I also show you how to finish the edges when you don’t have a serger!

Baby blankets supplies

1 yard of snuggle flannel (in as many patterns as you want!)
Coordinating thread*
Serger or Sewing Machine
Iron or EasyPress

*If using a serger you will need 4 cones of coordinating thread.

I like to get my snuggle flannel at JOANN’s when it’s on sale or use a coupon! I have also had really good luck with ordering online and then picking up in the store! There are some coupons which are online only and it makes the trip so quick when I have to bring along my three boys!

Baby Blankets Using a Serger

These whip up in minutes using a serger! I have the Brother 1034D and I really like it!

Once your Serger machine is threaded, line up the edge of your fabric with the edge of the serger block platform and serge! You can do a 3 or 4 thread finish with these blankets! Your choice!

Using a Serger to finish the edges of a diy swaddle blanket.

The serger removes about a 1/4 inch of fabric in order to get a clean serged edge. You can remove more or less by repositioning your fabric going into the foot. I move mine over to the left to cut off the selvage as I go!

I also like to round the corners.

When you get back to where you started I just overlap about an inch and then pull the blanket out leaving a long serged tail. This will make your next project easier to start!

DIY Baby Blankets using a Sewing Machine

For this method, you will simply fold over a 1/2″ hem and iron the crease.

Fold over again and iron once more.

Using your sewing machine, stitch along the edge.

You now will have a blanket with finished edges!

How to Personalize Baby Blankets

For this blanket, I used my Sewing Machine that also doubles as an embroidery machine and I applied this letter applique as well as a name on it! You could also do a name only! Here I used some of the coordinating blanket material for the applique!

Interested in a detailed tutorial on using my Brother Sewing/Embroidery machine and how to make an applique like I did? Let me know in the comments!

You can also cut a letter applique using a cutting machine such as a Cricut or Silhouette and apply it like I did this letter on this cute sinch sack!

NOTE: The Cricut Maker + Rotary Blade will allow you to cut fabric without a backing. The Cricut Explore Series and Silhouette Cameos both require a fabric blade and your fabric to be lined!

You can also personalize these blankets by using iron-on vinyl. Cut a name or design and iron on using your EasyPress! You can find everything you need for using iron-on here.

Use my How to Create a Monogram post to add a sweet monogram to one of the blankets! You can do this with an embroidery machine or a cutting machine and iron on!

DIY Baby Blankets