Self Binding Minky Baby Blanket

*UPDATE:  Limited number of Behold Him full wood kits available in my Etsy shop.  Going on maternity leave soon.  Sold out!  That was fast.  Thank you for your support!

I can officially check off making a blanket for the baby!  I actually added this project. I was going to make a carseat canopy but found the perfect corally pink minky that was begging to be a soft blanket. I thought I'd try my hand at self binding. It took me a while, but I do like how it turned out.

instagram photo

I learned that this is a pretty fun technique for a cute result. It's not very hard to put together but I think that this technique would be much easier on flannel.

A few things that I learned along the way....

• I did customize the size since I wanted it to last longer. I made a rectangle, but feel it would be better both visually and when sewing, as a square.
• I found this tutorial helpful for measurements, watched this video  that was the best for me and this video to get an idea on how to sew it with minky.
• Since I didn't have the ruler to measure the angle of the corners, I folded them over to make the angle using these instructions. But be sure to check that it's the right way before you cut! I folded two right and two wrong. Nothing a little un-picking will fix if you haven't cut off the extra fabric.
• You can never pin enough with Minky.  I placed pins no more than an inch apart.  Pin, pin, pin away! 
• I bought too much minky.  Minky is usually 56"-60" wide.  I bought 1 1/4 yards to fit my 1 yard of fabric.    I easily fit the yard onto the blanket with the extra ten inches needed for the self binding leaving 1/2 yard of minky left over looking to be another project.  Minky is expensive!  I bought it on the spur of the moment because I fell in love with it.  My cost was roughly $14ish using a coupon. 
• And finally, don't start your project just before dinner.  If you're like me, you will become obsessed with finishing it making your family wait for a quick dinner of boxed mac n' cheese a couple of hours after dinnertime.  Good thing they are forgiving! 

My Baby Bucket List is looking better already.  Good thing, since I'm now 39 weeks! 

 

 Baby Bucket List

Home Organization: 

• find an arrangement for the girls room/nursery to accommodate the crib and extra baby things Done!
• decorate the girls room on a budget of "making what I have work for us"- making good progress!
• wash, sort and figure out storage for baby clothing   Done!
• paint girls closet
• organize girls closet - Done but would like to eventually add a closet organizer to closet
• re-arrange our bedroom to accommodate co-sleeper  Sort of done.  It's good enough for now.
• pack hospital bag
• clean house from head to toe (never endingly tricky to do)
• purge like I've never purged before!  I have been doing this like crazy.   It will never stop so I'm checking it off the list for now and keeping up the purging habit.

Sewing:

• sew a car seat canopy (where did I put that fabric?)
• sew a baby blanket
• sew burp cloths

Buy:

• nursing necessities - Done!
• postpartum necessities - Done!
• fresh, white onsies - Done!
• baby wash cloths - Done!
• stock up on diapers and wipes
• stock the freezer and pantry
• a coming home outfit for baby

To Primp:

• haircuts for the boys - Done!
• get a haircut myself
• treat myself to a pedicure - Done!
• wash all my comfy clothes to wear postpartum - Done!  It was easy since I've been wearing them all pregnancy anyway.  :)

To Do:

• send thank you notes
• finish kits for October - Done!
• list kits on Etsy - Done! Limited number of kits now available on Etsy!