CUDDLE ME CHARACTER BLANKETS
If your a kid at heart, or a grandma who wishes she could cuddle with her grand kids all winter long, this is a perfect project. These blankets are fun and simple and can be adapted to virtually any character you wish. I did garfield and granny just to show a few examples. The silly faces make them appealing to children and adults alike, but what I love best is how functional they are. Not only does the hood, booties, and mittens keep you warm but they make it easy to move from place to place with your blanket.
MATERIALS
The amount of materials for this project will change according to the character you wish to do, and the person who will be wearing the blanket. For the children size that I did you will need:
*1.5 yards of fleece (or a plush throw)
*scrap felt or fleece for the face/ hood (whatever you desire for your character)
*24"of 1/4in elastic (This is for the mittens/booties. If you are crunched for time or material you could use 2 pair of fuzzy house socks)
TOOLS
sewing machine w/ notions
scissors
MEASUREMENTS
NOTE: I am a self taught sewer so I apologize if these instructions are not "by the book."
*See the cutting diagram if your cutting everything from the same piece of fleece (like the garfield for example)
*If different pieces will be different colors then cut accordingly (like the granny)
For the body of the blanket you'll need to measure the lucky person who will be wearing the blanket. Measure their reach from finger tip to finger tip with outstretched arms, and measure their height from the base of their neck to the floor. Cut out the body of the blanket using these measurements as the width and length of the piece. (Mine ended up being 1 square yard)
For the head you'll want to measure their head circumference. Then cut a circle that is at least 1 inch wider then half of their head measurement. (My children's heads were 20" so I used an 11" bowl as a pattern.) NOTE: it helps to leave a little extra fabric on a portion of the circle to act as a "neck" and makes it easier to tuck the edges in later.
The hood will be the same size as the head piece but only about 3/4 of the fulness.
For the mittens and booties you can either use two pair of fuzzy house socks or if you prefer to make your own simply use the persons hands and feet as a guide then EXAGGERATE the size for seam allowance. NOTE: keep in mind that the booties are not just the length of the foot but need to extend up the leg a bit.
When you are done cutting you should have one large body piece & 2 layers of each:
*head piece
*hood piece
*2 mittens
*2 botties
*See the cutting diagram if your cutting everything from the same piece of fleece (like the garfield for example)
*If different pieces will be different colors then cut accordingly (like the granny)
For the body of the blanket you'll need to measure the lucky person who will be wearing the blanket. Measure their reach from finger tip to finger tip with outstretched arms, and measure their height from the base of their neck to the floor. Cut out the body of the blanket using these measurements as the width and length of the piece. (Mine ended up being 1 square yard)
For the head you'll want to measure their head circumference. Then cut a circle that is at least 1 inch wider then half of their head measurement. (My children's heads were 20" so I used an 11" bowl as a pattern.) NOTE: it helps to leave a little extra fabric on a portion of the circle to act as a "neck" and makes it easier to tuck the edges in later.
The hood will be the same size as the head piece but only about 3/4 of the fulness.
For the mittens and booties you can either use two pair of fuzzy house socks or if you prefer to make your own simply use the persons hands and feet as a guide then EXAGGERATE the size for seam allowance. NOTE: keep in mind that the booties are not just the length of the foot but need to extend up the leg a bit.
When you are done cutting you should have one large body piece & 2 layers of each:
*head piece
*hood piece
*2 mittens
*2 botties
BODY, HEAD/HOOD
USE 3/8" SEAM THROUGHOUT
Starting with the body piece you'll want to sew a wide zigzag stitch around the border. This finishes the edges, and minimizes stretching.
Next you can layout your face using the scrap felt or fleece. You can choose to either have the face on the head piece (like granny) or on the hood piece (like garfield). Working on just one of the layers you'll attach the details of the face by simply stitching over the top of them with a straight stitch as close to the edge as you can. (It would be great to have an embroidery machine for this part ~ wink, wink)
Turning right sides together of both head layers, sew them together around the circle leaving the "neck" area open for turning. Do this with the hood pieces as well. Again leaving a small opening for turning. Then turn them both right side out.
Now working on the right sides of the piece you can top stitch some more details on. NOTE: These are done through both thicknesses so they will show up on both sides. (garfield's stripes, or granny's hair)
Starting with the body piece you'll want to sew a wide zigzag stitch around the border. This finishes the edges, and minimizes stretching.
Next you can layout your face using the scrap felt or fleece. You can choose to either have the face on the head piece (like granny) or on the hood piece (like garfield). Working on just one of the layers you'll attach the details of the face by simply stitching over the top of them with a straight stitch as close to the edge as you can. (It would be great to have an embroidery machine for this part ~ wink, wink)
Turning right sides together of both head layers, sew them together around the circle leaving the "neck" area open for turning. Do this with the hood pieces as well. Again leaving a small opening for turning. Then turn them both right side out.
Now working on the right sides of the piece you can top stitch some more details on. NOTE: These are done through both thicknesses so they will show up on both sides. (garfield's stripes, or granny's hair)
MITTENS & BOOTIES
NOTE: If you are using socks you can skip this step.
Take your mitten shapes and unfold them to layout flat. Cut a small piece of elastic that is about 1/2 the length of the unfolded mitten piece. Then working on the wrong side of the material tack the elastic to the straight edge of the mitten. Sew down the straight edge with a wide zigzag stitch working over the top of the elastic. STRETCH the elastic to be as long as the edge as you work. Doing this will gather the cuff of the mitten. Then turn right sides together and sew around the edges of the mitten leaving the cuff open. Then turn it right side out. Repeat this process with the second mitten
Take your bootie rectangles and sew one long edge together. Lay the joined pieces out flat. Then attach the elastic and finish them the same as you did the mittens.
Take your mitten shapes and unfold them to layout flat. Cut a small piece of elastic that is about 1/2 the length of the unfolded mitten piece. Then working on the wrong side of the material tack the elastic to the straight edge of the mitten. Sew down the straight edge with a wide zigzag stitch working over the top of the elastic. STRETCH the elastic to be as long as the edge as you work. Doing this will gather the cuff of the mitten. Then turn right sides together and sew around the edges of the mitten leaving the cuff open. Then turn it right side out. Repeat this process with the second mitten
Take your bootie rectangles and sew one long edge together. Lay the joined pieces out flat. Then attach the elastic and finish them the same as you did the mittens.
ASSEMBLY
Now that all the pieces are complete we can assemble the cuddle me blanket!
To attach the head to the body, and the hood to the head. First Stack and pin together the head and the hood piece. Tuck the "neck" area to the inside of the head piece and sandwich the center edge of the body between it. Starting at the "neck" sew around the entire head piece working over the top of the hood and back to your beginning stitch.
NOTE: If you don't like the border stitching being on the outside you can turn right sides together of the hood and head, sew around just the hood portion. Turn it right side out and then attach it to the body by sewing just the neck edge portion. (see granny hood)
To attach the mittens face the thumbs pointing up and line up your elastic stitching with the border stitching on the body at the top of the side edges of the body. Stitch over the top of the elastic on the inside of the mitten for a length of about 4" repeat on both sides.
To attach the booties find the center of the bottom edge of the body, and space each bootie about 6" from the center. This will create about 12" spacing between the feet. Once again line the elastic up with the border on the body and work over the top on the inside of the bootie for a length of about 4".
NOTE: If your using socks, simply line the cuff of the sock up with the border of the body & sew the sock on by working on the inside of the sock for a length of 4"
To attach the head to the body, and the hood to the head. First Stack and pin together the head and the hood piece. Tuck the "neck" area to the inside of the head piece and sandwich the center edge of the body between it. Starting at the "neck" sew around the entire head piece working over the top of the hood and back to your beginning stitch.
NOTE: If you don't like the border stitching being on the outside you can turn right sides together of the hood and head, sew around just the hood portion. Turn it right side out and then attach it to the body by sewing just the neck edge portion. (see granny hood)
To attach the mittens face the thumbs pointing up and line up your elastic stitching with the border stitching on the body at the top of the side edges of the body. Stitch over the top of the elastic on the inside of the mitten for a length of about 4" repeat on both sides.
To attach the booties find the center of the bottom edge of the body, and space each bootie about 6" from the center. This will create about 12" spacing between the feet. Once again line the elastic up with the border on the body and work over the top on the inside of the bootie for a length of about 4".
NOTE: If your using socks, simply line the cuff of the sock up with the border of the body & sew the sock on by working on the inside of the sock for a length of 4"
SWEET DREAMS
Your cuddle me blanket is now complete. All you need is a sleepy loved one to try it out. Hope you all have sweet dreams in your new cozy friend!