How to Make a Personalized Baby Blanket

Did you know making a personalized appliqué blanket is really quite easy? Can you hear the ooohs and ahhhs at the shower? :) I whipped one up the other day for my soon-to-be niece, Juliana. A couple years ago I made a similar blanket for her big brother Blake (check it out here). This time I made things even simpler, and used pre-made receiving blankets rather than hemming a blanket from raw fabric. Easy peasy. This technique can also be used on almost anything you want to add something personalized to... doesn't just have to be blankets. Matching windbreakers for you and the hubs perhaps? :)

Here's an example picture of some things you could use to make some personalized baby awesomeness. Receiving blankets and burp cloths on the left, fabric scraps from my stash on the right.

Supplies:

• Blanket
• Contrasting fabric (Could even be scraps - I used fabric leftover from the grommet top curtains I made, Michael Miller Moroccan Lattice Pink Fabric from OnlineFabricStore.net) 
• Heat N Bond (pictured below)
• Iron
• Sewing Machine

Step1:

Print out whatever name (or shape) you will be adding to the blanket. Print it out the exact size you want it to be when it's sewn on the blanket. I'd also suggest using a very simple bold font. Doesn't matter how many letters fit on a page, you'll be cutting them apart in a sec.

Step 2:
Iron a sheet of Heat N Bond to the back side of your fabric (not your blanket). You just need enough to fit all of the letters you just printed out. Follow the directions on the package of Heat N Bond for this. It's pretty easy.

Step 3:

Cut out the letters fairly close to the edges (doesn't have to be perfect) and make sure they fit on the fabric/Heat N Bond combo piece you just ironed.

Now, flip the letters over. If you can see through your paper to your printed letters, you're good to go. If you can't, you're going to need to cut the letters out precisely. I could see though just fine.

Step 4.

Tape your letters down and cut them out. Remember, your letters should be facing down so you see the backs. The front will the the fabric.

Step 5

After all of the letters are cut out, peel off the white backing from the Heat N Bond. Then arrange the letters how you'd like them on your blanket.

Step 6

Iron those suckers in place. The directions say to hold the iron on for about 20 seconds. Now, you could be done at this point since Ultra Hold Heat N Bond is technically "no sew". However, I know how often baby blankets get washed. They might hold up great, but there's only so much baby puke and Tide anything can tolerate. I'd keep going and add a stitch. Plus, it looks fancy.

Step 7

Add a decorative stitch around each letter. Letters with holes in them (like this A) are a bit tricky. Just make sure you sew the center edges too.

I chose a blanket stitch.

And that's it, you're done. You could probably have one of these done in an hour.

I'm kinda sad I never made anything personalized for my kids. haha At 6 and 4, you think they'd still like a name blankie from mom? Might have to whip a couple up. :)

Here's a few other's I did using the same technique. Click on the pics. :)