The basic steps to sew a blanket

Sewing a blanket means cutting two pieces of fabric to the same size, placing them with the right sides facing each other, stitching around three sides, turning it right-side-out through the opening, and then closing that opening with a final seam. The whole process takes a few hours for a small blanket and a full day or two for a large one, depending on your sewing speed and the fabric you choose.

You do not need an expensive sewing machine—a basic model that does a straight stitch works perfectly. Hand sewing is possible but takes much longer, especially on larger blankets. Most people find a machine worth the time saved.

Key Takeaways

  • A blanket is two fabric pieces sewn together with a quarter-inch seam allowance, turned right-side-out, and closed with a final stitch.
  • Prewash your fabric before cutting so the finished blanket does not shrink unevenly after washing.
  • Mark your cutting lines with chalk or a fabric pen, not pen or pencil, which can bleed into the fabric.
  • Backstitch at the start and end of each seam to lock the thread and prevent unraveling.
  • A turning tool—a chopstick, wooden spoon handle, or store-bought turner—makes pushing corners right-side-out much easier and faster.

Choosing and preparing your fabric

Pick two pieces of fabric that feel good against skin and wash well. Cotton flannel, cotton quilting fabric, minky, and fleece are all common blanket choices. Avoid stretchy fabrics like jersey knit unless you have a serger or are comfortable with a stretch needle, because they can curl at the edges and are harder to control on a regular machine.

Buy the same yardage of both fabrics. For a baby blanket, 1 to 1.5 yards of each is typical. For a throw blanket, 2 to 2.5 yards. For a bed blanket, 3 to 4 yards or more. Check the width of the fabric bolt—most are 42 to 60 inches wide, which affects how much yardage you need.

Prewash both fabrics in warm water and dry them on medium heat before you cut. This prevents the finished blanket from shrinking unevenly later. Fold each piece in half lengthwise and trim any selvage (the finished edge) with scissors, because selvage shrinks differently than the rest of the fabric and can pucker your seams.

Cutting your fabric pieces to size

Lay one piece of fabric flat on a clean table or cutting mat. Use a measuring tape or ruler to mark the dimensions you want. A baby blanket is often 30 by 40 inches. A throw is often 50 by 60 inches. A bed blanket can be 60 by 80 inches or larger. Mark your lines with tailor's chalk or a fabric pen—never regular pen or pencil, which can bleed into the fabric or be hard to wash out.

Cut along your marked lines with sharp fabric scissors or a rotary cutter and ruler. Lay the first piece on top of the second and use it as a template, cutting the second piece to match exactly. If the pieces are different sizes, your seams will not line up and the blanket will be lopsided.

Pinning and sewing the three sides

Place the two fabric pieces with the right sides facing each other—the pretty sides touching, the back sides facing out. This is the most common mistake: beginners sometimes sew with the wrong sides together and end up with seams on the outside of the finished blanket.

Pin around all four sides, placing pins every 4 to 6 inches. Start at one corner and work your way around. Leave one side completely unpinned—this is your turning opening, usually 12 to 18 inches long. The opening is where you will turn the blanket right-side-out later, so pick a side that is straightforward to reach.

Set your sewing machine to a straight stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 to 3 millimeters. Thread the machine and test it on scrap fabric first. Sew along the pinned sides with a quarter-inch seam allowance—that is the distance from the edge of the fabric to your stitching line. Most machines have a quarter-inch mark on the presser foot or throat plate to guide you.

Start sewing at one corner, backstitch three or four stitches to lock the thread, then sew forward along the edge. When you reach a corner, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot, turn the fabric 90 degrees, lower the presser foot, and continue. Backstitch again at the end of the last seam to lock it.

Turning the blanket right-side-out and closing the opening

Trim the corners of the sewn blanket diagonally, cutting away about a quarter inch of fabric at each corner. This removes bulk so the corners lie flat when you turn the blanket. Be careful not to cut into your stitching.

Reach through the turning opening and grab the fabric on the opposite side. Pull gently and steadily until the blanket starts to turn inside-out. Keep pulling until the entire blanket is right-side-out and the seams are on the inside. Use a turning tool—a chopstick, wooden spoon handle, or a store-bought fabric turner—to push the corners out from the inside so they are sharp and square.

Press the blanket flat with an iron on medium heat, paying special attention to the edges and the turning opening. Fold the raw edges of the opening inward by a quarter inch and press them flat. Pin the opening closed.

Sew the opening shut with a ladder stitch (also called an invisible stitch) or a straightforward straight stitch a quarter inch from the edge. A ladder stitch is harder to see in the finished blanket, but a straight stitch is faster and still looks fine, especially if your thread matches the fabric. Backstitch at the start and end to lock the thread.

Finishing touches and care

Press the entire blanket again with an iron to flatten all seams. If you want extra durability, you can topstitch around the perimeter—sew a straight line a quarter inch from the edge all the way around the blanket. This is optional but makes the blanket more durable and gives it a finished, professional look.

Wash the blanket in warm water with mild detergent and dry it on medium heat. The first wash may cause some shrinkage, which is normal. Avoid bleach and fabric softener, which can damage the fibers over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I do not have a sewing machine?

You can hand sew a blanket using a needle and thread, but it takes much longer—often 8 to 12 hours for a throw blanket. Use a running stitch or a backstitch, and make your stitches as small and even as possible. A basic sewing machine costs $100 to $300 and saves you many hours of work.

Can I use different fabrics on each side?

Yes. Many blankets have flannel on one side and minky or fleece on the other. Just make sure both fabrics have similar weight and stretch, or one side will pull and pucker. Prewash both fabrics separately before cutting.

What do I do if my seams are crooked or uneven?

Crooked seams are common when learning. If they are only slightly off, the blanket will still work fine and the imperfection will be less noticeable once it is washed and used. If a seam is badly off, you can carefully cut the stitches with a seam ripper and resew that section.

How do I prevent the blanket from fraying at the edges?

Since your seams are on the inside of the finished blanket, fraying is not usually a problem. If you want extra protection, you can use pinking shears (scissors with a zigzag edge) to cut the raw edges before sewing, or explore a thin line of fabric glue along the raw edges before turning the blanket right-side-out.

Can I add batting to make a quilted blanket?

Yes. Cut a piece of batting the same size as your fabric pieces, layer it between the two fabrics before pinning, and sew all three layers together. This makes the blanket thicker and warmer. You may need to use a walking foot on your machine to keep the layers from shifting.