This special keepsake can be made in a weekend. I have made these in multi-colored fabrics as well as this graphic red/black/white combination. They are sized to be bigger than the average baby blanket, to last through toddler-hood. Instructions are very general; adjust sizing to your liking. Obviously, if you make this for an older child, you will adjust your fabric amounts accordingly.
Amounts of fabric will vary according to your choices. I like to make my blankets about 44 x 44 inches, so I plan on a total of about 2 yards for the front (gives me extra to play with in pattern selection) and 1½ yards for the backing.
Making the blanket
Pre-wash fabrics (if you use prints, be sure to include some solids on which to write the verses). Use rotary cutter to cut 4-inch wide strips. Sew strips together along the lengths, using ¼ inch seams – seaming as many as you need to make the width you want for your blanket. Use the rotary cutter to cut this crosswise in 4-inch strips. Arrange them into a pleasing checkerboard-style pattern and sew together.
I like to put a contrasting color strip (a few inches wide) around the edges. Then I add the verses to the blank squares using a thin permanent marker. (Warning: I used an indelible ink felt-tip laundry marker last time and it bled later, so I’ll stick to a Sharpie unless you have another suggestion!
ADDED 10/20/11: Sharpie now has a fine point fabric marker that works just like a regular Sharpie. Haven't tried yet, but bought a few to try!)
The Blessing Blanket
Make a Blessing Blanket for a special child in your life!
Adding the verses
To do the verses, I put the fabric in an embroidery hoop (about 6-8”) to stretch the fabric taut while I write. When I finish them all, I heat set them with a warm iron.
My five-year-old granddaughter always enjoyed her colorful Blessing Blanket by having Mom or Dad read the verses. Now she is getting old enough to read them herself! The verses are selected for them, adapting Bible verses to be personal blessings or promises. See the list at the end of this article for some suggestions.
Quilting
I like to put a substantial batting in this because my grandbabies tend to lie on these on the floor. So I use a traditional style batting sandwiched between the top and the backing.
Then I hand-quilt with little running stitches in a diagonal pattern, or in the ditch of the squares – whatever looks appropriate for the particular quilt.
When finished quilting, I bind by bringing the backing up over the batting and the top and folding over to make a clean edge, then hand sew it down with a whipstitch and then quilt in that “ditch.” If you prefer, you could make or buy a bias binding to stitch over the edges, sandwiching all three layers. And be sure to sign it or sew a “made with love” label on it!
TAG BLANKET
Also, Ariel was partial to tags as an infant, so I made her a tag blanket as a “lovey” to take in the car and take to bed (of course I made two, one to carry while the other is in the wash!). It’s small enough to lug around in the diaper bag, but large enough for her to drape across herself to comfort herself, and to have lots of tag areas to grab – we are all familiar with the mattress tag in the close-up photo (haha). These tags were all donated to me by friends in my homeschool support group who cut them out of their new clothing for me. The squares and backing were made from her granddad’s old shirts, soft from wear. You can see the striped oxford cloth shirt fabric folded over, with tags sewn into the back binding also.
All fabric is from Granddad's old shirts.
Right: Notice the mattress tag!
Far right: Striped material is backing fabric.
Suggested “blessings” with verse references.
I used about half of these for Ariel’s and Sophia’s blankets and I printed this whole sheet out for their parents to keep in their baby books.
Blessings and Promises from God’s Word:
- When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Proverbs 3:24
- God’s presence goes with you always. Exodus 33:14
- God created all the world. Isaiah 40:28
- The Lord will guide and watch over you. Psalms 32:8
- Clap your hands, all ye people! Shout unto God with a voice of triumph. Psalms 47:1
- The word of the Lord is upright. Psalms 33:4
- By the word of the Lord the heavens were made. Psalms 33:6
- The wonders of God are too numerous to count. Psalms 40:5
- Jesus is with you always. Matthew 28:20
- The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalms 121:8
- Children are a gift of the Lord. Psalms 127:3
- The Lord will protect you. Psalms 121:7
- He gives his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalms 91:11
- Hide God’s Word in your heart. Psalms 119:11
- Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17
- He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
- Trust in the Lord forever. Isaiah 26:4
- Jesus is your peace. Ephesians 2:14
- You will lie down in peace and sleep, for the Lord keeps you safe. Psalms 4:8
- You will have peace with God through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
- God will establish and guard you. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
- The Lord will make you wise. Psalms 32:8
- God loves you. Romans 5:8
- Come before His presence with singing. Psalms 100:2
- May you prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2
- God will strengthen you according to His word. Psalms 119:28
- God will strengthen your heart. Psalms 27:14
- God has a plan for you, to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
- God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
- May you have a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1:5
- The Lord is your helper – don’t be afraid. Hebrews 13:6
- God rejoices over you with gladness and singing. Zephaniah 3:17
- God will uphold you with His righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Click photos to enlarge
These blankets also make precious gifts for others needing to be enveloped in God's word, such as those under physical attack, bedridden, hospitalized, etc. or for a student leaving home for the first time, missionaries, and others.
These began as 5.5 inch strips. The turquoise/elephant quilt began as 4.5 inch strips.
