How to Make a Planket

First things first. Let me explain to you all what exactly a planket is. It is the next best thing than a steaming cup of hot chocolate with tiny baby marshmallows on a cold winter’s day. A planket is a blanket with a pillow pouch attached to it.

When the planket is unfolded, it is a warm blanket with a pouch for your feet or a hoodie. And when you are done with it, it can be folded up to resemble a pillow.

The following pattern is suitable for children. The dimensions are 115cmx150cm.

However, these dimensions worked out perfectly for me as a knee blanket for when I am sewing. And it folds away neatly as a pillow when I am finished.

When it comes to making your planket, the best advice I have to give is to use your creativity. You can choose fabric that matches on both sides, or you can mix up the patterns and types of fabric for the top and bottom. Your planket can even have its own theme. It is can be covered in paw prints for a dog/cat lover or flowers to brighten up your day.

Your options of warm cozy fabric include fleece, flannel or 100% cotton. For this tutorial, I will be using 100% cotton.

115cmx150cm fabric for the top

115cmx150cm fabric for the back

Batting (size 115cmx150cm)

46cm square for pillow top

46cm square for pillow back

46cm square batting

Scissors or a rotary cutter

Cutting mat

Cotton (Colour matching your fabric)

Pins

• It would be best to use a dense polyester batting as this will avoid any shifting between the two fabrics.
• Ensure to use a walking foot on your sewing machine
• You can adjust the dimensions of this pattern to make it bigger or smaller. Just use the basic instructions as a guide.
• Use chalk to mark your pattern pieces (identify the top and bottom)
• Seam allowance is 5mm
• At the start and end of the stitching, ensure to do a lock stitch. This is when you stitch 3 stitches forward and then do 3 stitches backwards. This will ensure that your stitching does not unravel.

1. Place the blanket top and bottom right sides together

2. Place the batting on top of the blanket fabric and pin together

3. Ensure that all edges around the blanket are even

4. Stitch around the outside edges (remember the 5mm seam allowance) and leave an opening of 15cm to 20cm for turning. I have attached a picture of the stitch settings I used (stitch length 4)

5. Clip the corners of the square

6. Carefully turn the blanket right side out and push out the corners and edges (you can use the corner pusher)

7. Turn in the seam allowance for the opening and pin it together

8. You can either hand stitch the opening closed or machine stitch it closed (Helpful tip: You can stitch along all four sides of the blanket to form a hem. It can distract from a single 15cm to 20cm stitch line on your blanket)

1. Place the pillow top and bottom right sides together

2. Place the batting on top of the pillow fabric squares and pin together

3. Ensure that all edges around the pillow are even

4. Stitch around the outside edges (remember the 5mm seam allowance) and leave an opening of 15cm to 20cm for turning

5. Clip the corners of the square

6. Carefully turn the pillow right side out and push out the corners and edges

7. Turn in the seam allowance for the opening and pin it together

8. You can either hand stitch the opening closed or machine stitch it closed (Helpful tip: You can stitch along all four sides of the pillow to form a hem. It can distract from a single 15cm to 20cm stitch line on your pillow)

1. Place the blanket on a table with the bottom side facing up

2. Find and mark the centre of the blanket’s width

3. Now find and mark the centre of half of the blanket’s width. Do this on both halves. This will be your guide as to where the pillow will be placed

4. Place the pillow against the edge of the blanket and between your guide points

5. Pin the pillow to the blanket to keep it from shifting

6. Stitch the 5mm seam allowance from the bottom left edge corner of the pillow, up and across the top and down the right side of the pillow.

7. Leave the bottom of the pillow unstitched, as this will form an opening to fold the blanket into.

1. Place the planket on a flat surface with the pillow facing down

2. Using the edge of the pillow as a guide line, fold the sides of the blanket towards the centre

3. After folding the sides, the blanket should now be the same width as the pillow

4. Now fold the bottom of the blanket up into sections until the very last fold will be tucked up into the pillow opening

5. Ensure that the blanket is placed smoothly in the pillow

6. Ta-dah, you now have a planket to enjoy on those cold days

• The tutorial will create a flatter pillow. However, if you want your pillow to be fuller, then make your pillow section smaller
• Straps can be added to make it easier to carry
• More pockets can be added
• You can even make the blanket a patchwork quilted blanket with all your different small offcut fabric leftovers
• Decorative trimmings can be used on the edges of the planket