Two yards of flannel and an evening at the sewing machine is all it takes to make one of the most loved baby shower gifts out there, and these 25 DIY baby blankets prove it. Some really do finish in 10 or 15 minutes, like a double flannel receiving blanket and a minky blanket, and gauze swaddles need nothing more than a simple hem. Others take a little longer and show it, like a chevron chenille blanket, a ruffle minky blanket, a rag quilt and a beginner patchwork quilt. Crocheters and knitters get a bulky baby bean blanket, a chevron crochet blanket and a cloverleaf eyelet knit. And for pure cuteness there’s a heart taggie blanket and a sleepy sloth lovey. Tuck one in a gift bag and you’ll be the favorite guest, then browse more things to sew for baby.
1. Sleepy Sloth Snuggler
This sleepy sloth snuggler is an oversized lovey that’s small enough to carry and big enough to wrap around little shoulders. Cut the face from light tan wool blend felt, add tan eye ovals and a brown nose, and embroider the eyes and smile with floss. A 24 by 18 inch piece of anti pill fleece, folded and cut from the template, makes the body. Prewash everything first, since felt and fleece shrink differently.
Get the full tutorial at Hellobee.
2. Baby Bean Baby Blanket
The baby bean stitch gives this crochet baby blanket loads of squishy texture, and it works up fast in bulky yarn with a 7 mm hook. The stitch needs an even foundation chain, so it’s easy to make the blanket any size, starting from a chain of 92 for about 36 inches square. Every row after the first is worked the same way, with random stripes in mint, charcoal and gray. A video on the page shows the stitch step by step.
Get the full tutorial at Left in Knots.
3. Summer Boardwalk Baby Blanket
This summer boardwalk baby blanket is made entirely of single crochet, which gives it a clean, modern look. It uses about 1,200 yards of DK weight yarn in five colors and a 4.5 mm hook, finishing around 29 by 37 inches. A self striping yarn forms the boardwalk sections, three coordinating solids fill in between, and a white ribbed edge runs along both sides instead of a full border. Check that your striping yarn has long color changes and isn’t variegated before buying.
Get the full tutorial at Yarn + Chai.
4. Gauzey Swaddle Blankets
Cotton gauze is soft, light, breathable and a little stretchy, which is why these gauze swaddle blankets wrap a baby so nicely. Each one is just a 45 inch square, about 1 1/4 yards of fabric. Fold the raw edges under 1/4 inch by hand, fold again and pin every so often, then sew the hem. At the corners, simply fold one edge over the other. Fabric stores carry white gauze, and it dyes beautifully if you want brighter colors.
Get the full tutorial at MADE EVERYDAY.
5. 15 Minute Baby Minky Blanket
Two yards of fabric and about 15 minutes make this baby minky blanket, one yard of rosebud minky and one of flannel. Lay them right sides together and pin a lot, because minky slides anywhere it isn’t pinned. Trim any edge that runs long, sew around the outside, turn it right side out and topstitch. A walking foot makes slippery minky much easier to sew. Use it for tummy time or supervised snuggles, since minky is warm and doesn’t breathe much.
Get the full tutorial at Sew What, Alicia?.
6. DIY Stamped Muslin Swaddling Blankets
Plain white gauze and a few woodland stamps make these stamped muslin swaddling blankets. Wash the fabric first, iron it a little, then cut squares around 45 inches, though a yard works fine too. Hem every side by rolling the edge about 1/2 inch twice as it feeds through the machine, or serge the edges. Stamp with fabric ink or fabric paint, putting something underneath to protect the table. Ink stays softer than paint, and a coupon helps at the fabric store.
Get the full tutorial at Cutesy Crafts.
7. Chevron Chenille Baby Blanket
Stitching along the zigzag lines of a chevron print turns this blanket into a chevron chenille baby blanket with a fluffy surprise on the back. Start with a 45 inch square of patterned cotton and three layers of cotton flannel, then sew along the chevrons through every layer. Because the zigzags run on the bias, the flannel frays into soft chenille instead of a stringy mess after you cut between the rows and toss it in the dryer.
Get the full tutorial at Aesthetic Nest.
8. 10 Minute Simple Baby Receiving Blanket
Most store bought receiving blankets are thin, but this 10 minute baby receiving blanket uses two layers of flannel for real warmth. Wash, dry and iron 2 yards of flannel, then trim the pieces to the same size, roughly 31 by 36 inches. Sew around all four edges with right sides together, leaving an opening of several inches. Turn it right side out, press and whip stitch the opening closed. A decorative machine stitch around the edge makes it extra cute.
Get the full tutorial at Little House Living.
9. Knit Baby Blanket with Cloverleaf Eyelet Stitch
The cloverleaf eyelet stitch gives this knit baby blanket a pretty, open texture that still feels cozy. Seed stitch rows frame the body, and a crocheted cloverleaf edging finishes the border. The free pattern on the page includes an instructional video for both the eyelet stitch and the crochet edge. To make it smaller, cast on fewer stitches, about half for a half size blanket. Knit a gauge swatch first, then keep an eye on the stitch count at the end of every row.
Get the full tutorial at Nourish and Nestle.
10. Quick and Easy Baby Blanket
This quick and easy baby blanket is two squares of flannel sewn together into a big, thin, lightweight blanket about 42 to 44 inches square. Buy 1 1/4 yards each of two flannel prints and trim each into the largest square the fabric allows, folding it into a triangle to cut. Sew around the edges with right sides together, leave an opening, then turn and topstitch. The generous size works for swaddling long after small receiving blankets are outgrown.
Get the full tutorial at 5 Little Monsters.
11. Simple Chevron Baby Blanket
Four colors of soft acrylic yarn and a 6 mm hook make this simple chevron baby blanket, a free crochet pattern that works up fast. It finishes around 21.5 by 19 inches, bassinet size, which makes it a great last minute baby shower gift. The pattern shows how to change the length and width so you can make it as big as you like. Pop on a movie and let the repeat do the work.
Get the full tutorial at sigoni macaroni.
12. DIY Milestone Blanket
A plain white swaddle becomes a DIY milestone blanket for monthly baby photos. Numbers 1 to 12, the word “months” and polka dots are cut from heat transfer vinyl and ironed on. Mirror the design before cutting, or the numbers come out backward. No cutting machine? Paint the numbers and letters with stencils and black fabric paint, add dots with a round sponge, or buy ready made iron on numbers. Lay the baby next to each month for a year of sweet pictures.
Get the full tutorial at The Chirping Moms.
13. Double Gauze Quilted Blanket
Double gauze crinkles up soft and light after washing, which makes this double gauze quilted blanket so cozy. It’s a whole cloth quilt with no piecing: 2 yards for the front, 2 yards for the back, half a yard for binding and a cotton batting sandwiched between. Don’t prewash, baste very well with spray baste and pins, then quilt small circles or simple X shapes. Expect some fraying and billowing, so skip this fabric if you love perfectly straight seams.
Get the full tutorial at The Polka Dot Chair.
14. Ruffle Edge Baby Blanket
A single layer of soft knit or flannel with a gathered flannel border makes this ruffle edge baby blanket light but still special. Cut about 1 1/4 yards into a 42 inch square and finish the edges with a serger, or fold and stitch them if you don’t have one. For the border, cut 3 inch strips that add up to about 1 1/2 times the blanket’s perimeter, then gather them and sew the ruffle all the way around.
Get the full tutorial at MADE EVERYDAY.
15. Oversized Baby Blanket
Soft, stretchy jersey knit makes an oversized baby blanket that’s handy for swaddling, nursing cover duty and spit up cleanup. You’ll need 1 to 1 1/2 yards of jersey, trimmed to around 36 by 42 inches. Set the machine to a zigzag stitch, length 3 and width 7, and practice a narrow 1/8 inch seam along a scrap first. Then stitch around all four raw edges. There’s also a no sew option, since jersey knit doesn’t fray.
Get the full tutorial at Rae Ann Kelly.
16. Baby Rag Quilt
This baby rag quilt is built from long strips instead of squares, so it goes together fast and ends up around 48 by 42 inches. You’ll need 2 yards of solid flannel cut into twelve 6 inch strips, 1 1/2 yards of white fabric cut into fourteen 3 inch strips, and half a yard for 2 inch binding strips. Each strip is two layers, and a binding video on the page helps with the edge. It’s perfect for picnics and beach days.
Get the full tutorial at Do It Yourself Divas.
17. Baby Lovey Blanket
Two squares of minky wrapped in satin blanket binding make this baby lovey blanket, with little pleats at each corner instead of a ruffle. Cut two 12 inch squares for the lovey or two 36 inch squares for a matching blanket. Stack them wrong sides together, baste 1/2 inch from the edge, then sandwich satin binding around the edges with a zigzag stitch. Contrasting thread looks fun. One package of binding makes two loveys, and the corner pleats give babies one more texture to explore.
Get the full tutorial at Aesthetic Nest.
18. Minky and Satin Baby Blankets
These minky and satin baby blankets hide a clever secret: a layer of double napped flannel between the two minky sides. It keeps the slippery layers from shifting without any quilting stitches and adds a bit of extra warmth. Each blanket uses 1 yard of minky for the front, 1 yard for the back, 1 yard of flannel and 1 1/2 yards of satin for a full ruffle. Prewash the flannel so it doesn’t shrink and twist the finished blanket.
Get the full tutorial at Sew4Home.
19. 1 Hour Handmade Baby Blanket
This 1 hour handmade baby blanket pairs a printed cotton front with soft minky and a satin binding. Buy 1 yard of fabric (it uses about 3/4 yard, and the leftovers make a matching gift), one package of satin blanket binding and a 28 by 34 inch piece of minky. Flat white minky without dots is easiest to work with. If you can sew a straight line and iron well, you can make one start to finish in about an hour.
Get the full tutorial at Shan Made.
20. Self Binding Minke Baby Blanket
This self binding minky baby blanket has a twist: the front is a patchwork of nine 14 inch squares cut from fat quarters, sewn in three rows of three with a 1/4 inch seam. Cut the dimple minky backing to 32 inches square, or 36 inches with 15 1/2 inch squares if you use the whole yard. Match the centers of each side, pin right sides together, sew and turn. The extra minky folds to the front as a soft binding, finishing about 39 inches square.
Get the full tutorial at The Polka Dot Chair.
21. Baby Blanket with Mitered Corners
A flannel top centered on a larger flannel back makes this baby blanket with mitered corners, where the back folds over to form a neat 5 inch border. You’ll need 1 yard of flannel for the top and 1 1/4 yards for the back. Prewash both, then cut the back to 41 inches square and the top to 31 inches. Mark the center of each side, pin right sides together and sew. Read every step once before starting, and cut precisely.
Get the full tutorial at TheMamasGirls.
22. Ric Rac Receiving Blanket
Ric rac peeking out of the seam gives this double layer flannel receiving blanket a playful scalloped edge. Prewash 1 1/2 yards each of two flannels and cut both to 39 inches square, then round the corners using a bowl as a guide. Sew 5 yards of ric rac to one piece with its middle 1/4 inch from the edge. Pin the second flannel on top, stitch around with a 1/4 inch seam, leave a gap, turn and topstitch. It takes under an hour.
Get the full tutorial at Sew Much Ado.
23. Ruffle Minky Blanket
Ruffle fabric on one side and minky on the other make this ruffle minky blanket a generous 40 inches square. You’ll need 40 inches of each fabric, one package of satin blanket binding, temporary spray adhesive, pins and a rotary cutter. Square up the cut edges first, line up the layers with spray adhesive, then bind the edges in satin. Both fabrics are polyester and wash well, just never use fabric softener on minky, which gums up the fibers.
Get the full tutorial at Fabric Mill.
24. Heart Taggie Blanket
A heart shaped taggie blanket made from minky and soft flannel, edged with loops of ribbon for little fingers to grab. Print the half heart template, trace it on both fabrics along a center line and cut about 1/2 inch outside the line for seam allowance. Fold ribbons in half and tuck them between the layers, then sew along the traced line, leave a gap, turn and topstitch. It makes a sweet Valentine’s baby gift.
Get the full tutorial at Lindi & Russ.
25. Simple Baby Quilt
Never made a quilt? This simple baby quilt is proof it can be done. It uses 5 inch squares cut with a rotary cutter from scraps, mixing knit, minky and even a ruffled pillow sham for extra texture, which makes it a great tummy time mat. Lay out the squares, sew them into rows, press the seams and join the rows. The page links a beginner quilting series that covers every step through binding.
Get the full tutorial at The Fickle Pickle.
