The softness of a fleece blanket can bring comfort to people of all ages.
If you want to do something creative for a charity project, consider making fleece blankets. You can make and donate fleece blankets to a variety of organizations, including hospitals, children's service organizations and even animal shelters. Make fleece blankets in several sizes regardless of your sewing skills; many blankets even have no-sew instructions.
Instructions
1. Determine your blanket size. For a baby blanket, cut your fleece approximately 30 inches by 36 inches; this is equivalent to one yard of fleece fabric cut in half (fleece usually comes in 60-inch widths). For adults, keep the yard whole and make the blanket 36 inches by 60 inches. For animals, a small blanket approximately 14 to 36 inches square is appropriate. This is the basic fleece blanket.
2. Make a fringed blanket. Cut fringe along all four sides of the blanket; each cut you make should be one to two inches deep and 1/2 to one inch apart. Leave the fringe as it is or knot it gently for decoration; just remember that a knotted blanket is not overly comfortable for a person to sleep on.
3. Make a double-layered blanket. Cut two identical pieces of fleece in your desired dimensions and lay them on top of one another. Pin them together to hold them in place. Cut fringe as before and use it to tie the two layers together. If you can sew, sew the two layers together and then cut the fringe for added security.
4. Make a ribbon edging. Cut one-inch slits all along the edges of your blanket; each slit should be three inches in from the edge and they should be two inches apart. Weave a length of ribbon in and out of the slits on each side of the blanket and tie bows in the corners where the ribbon ends meet. You can make this pattern with one layer of fleece or two layers; just be sure to cut the slits in both layers and weave the ribbon through both layers.
5. Add a stitched border to a blanket. Cut your fleece and round off the corners. Sew a decorative stitch pattern, such as a zigzag stitch, around the edges approximately one inch in toward the center. For hand sewing, make a blanket stitch around the edge of the blanket using embroidery thread or cotton crochet thread.
6. Choose an organization for your blanket donations. Project Linus has chapters all across the United States; they donate blankets to children and teens who have experienced traumatic situations, such as being placed in foster care or the death of a loved one. The Snuggles Project works with Hugs for Homeless Animals and provides snuggle blankets to animals living in shelters. Local hospitals accept blankets for patients in a variety of situations as well.
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