My gift to you today, a free pattern to make your own chenille baby blanket. (This size blanket can also make a nice couch throw.)
If you have not seen my basic instructions and tips for making your own chenille, please read this post.
Flannel Chenille Baby Blanket – finished size approximately 36” X 42”
Blanket Fabric: Approximately 5 yards of baby flannel
Binding: 1/3 yd Fabric or 175” pre-made binding
Olfa Chenille Cutter
- Cut the flannel into 5 pieces, 36” X 42” each
- Lay first layer facing down – Layer the next 4 pieces facing up. (In my finished baby blanket I layered the same flower directly on top of each other in the top three layers so after I did the chenille work the flowers would still show. If I had not done this you would only see the colors in the finished piece, not the flower design.)
- Pin the layers together, if you feel like your fabrics are going to move around for you.
- (Optional) Use a walking foot on your machine.
- Channels should be 1/2” – 5/8” wide, so make your stitches that far apart. (For the best finished project, you want all the channels to be the same width, so once you have selected a channel width stay with it.)
- Use the chenille cutter and cut through the top 3 layers of the fabrics.
- Add the binding
- Wash and Dry
- ENJOY!
Below are some pictures to illustrate the process a bit better.
This is what the flannel will look like after you have stitched your channels
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Olfa Chenille Cutter
in action (this image is from a different blanket I am making, not the final one pictured in this post)space
The look of the fabric after it “blooms”
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A closer look at the “bloomed” fabric
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Finished Project!
Just imagine what else you could make with your own, personally designed chenille fabric! Feel free to share any pictures of projects you have made from your own chenille! For more ideas on making and sewing your own chenille fabric, check out these posts:
- DYK Olfa Chenille Cutter – all you need to know about this great tool
- Make Your Own Chenille – a step-by-step guide to making your own chenille fabric
- Chenille Baby Blanket – a free pattern, and so very cute!
- Chenille Rug – need something for a country kitchen?
- Chenille Placemats – another free pattern
- Chenille Jackets – not a pattern this time, but a great idea!
- Chenille Heart Table Toppers – you’ll “love” making this sweet project
Sheila Reinke, Heart of Sewing
Sheila
Sheila Reinke 
I have not done any cheilling before and I am going to have a go at this little blanket. Wish me luck
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Good Luck and have fun!
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I am trying this for the first time. Question1: Do the layers of flannel need to be a solid color? Question2: If the flannel is a print how will it effect the chennille look?
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Karen,
No, the flannel doesn’t need to be a solid color. You can even combine prints with solids if you want. If you don’t cut on pattern repeat you will just see the colors in the print not the print itself. I like to line the design in the print exactly on top of the same design so that when I cut through the layers you still see the design.
Have fun!
Sheila
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Looks so great. I have tried to do this one time before but it didn’t turn out right. You have 5 layers of fabric in your description but you only cut the first 3 layers? Is that correct?
I have all these baby blankets that I would love to use for this project but I do want to make sure I do it right. Those I can’t replace and they are of sentimental value to me.
Thank you for your help and God Bless.
Sabrina
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Sabrina, your understanding of the instructions is correct – however, I suggest using something of less sentimental value to try this project out on first. Also, this project is about making a baby blanket – Sheila did not use any blankets to make the chenille. She used a basic flannel fabric – if you use anything that has a pattern, you will lose the look of the pattern when you make the chenille, unless you have 3 pieces of the exact same pattern to stack when making the chenille.
Please, feel free to contact us again if you have any further questions – neither Sheila nor myself wants you to lose a treasured memory through misunderstanding of the project.
~Heather
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Hi, thank you for sharing. I use to make this blanket and wanted a refresher on the directions. Everytime I give this blanket as a gift it is the favorite blanket. I usually back it with the new chenille baby fabric. It is so soft and warm. Thanks again.
Noeleen
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Thank you so much for your information on how to make and what to do with chenille.
I would like to make a chenille quilt that is constructed from my own handmade chenille squares.
Do you have any ideas on joining the squares other than in an exposed seam “rag” style?
Kind regards
Donna
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Donna,
You can join the chenille squares with any style seam you like – you don’t need to do a rag style blanket. My only suggestion is that you join the squares BEFORE you ‘bloom’ the chenille – this will make the sewing much easier on you.
~Sheila
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I love this look, but am uncertain as to how to find the right floral pattern to layer. Can you tell before you buy the fabric that it will layer with the flowers on top of each other, rather than randomly? Do you need to buy more fabric to allow for that?
Thanks!
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Linda – the trick for this is that you have to find out what the ‘repeat’ of the fabric is, and buy enough so that you can layer the fabrics on top of one another with the exact same flower all stacked together. Any floral fabric will work, but if this is your first attempt, I suggest a simple pattern so you can layer the flowers correctly.
~Sheila
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I would suggest not worrying so much about the perfect layering of patterned cloth. Why not just get the hang of the chenille technique on solids and tiny patterned flanel. Then, when you do your next blanket, try to layer fabric with a pattern on it. Just my suggestion to keep it low stress.
I received a chenille baby blanket several years ago and it was random colors and small patterns in the layers. It was so beautiful and really made the stripes stand out! It was a perfect weight and warmth for a winter baby, too…the only one I wanted to use.
Can’t wait to get started! Thanks
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will a jersey knit fabric work in one layer or does it have to be flannel?
Thanks
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You will want flannel. The more cotton fabrics the thicker the chenille will look. A knit fabric will not fray.
Hope you enjoy the project
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How do you get straight 1/2 inch lines? – I am having trouble keeping it straight
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I draw the first line. I used a wide foot on my sewing machine. By moving my needle over, I can use the edge of the foot as my guide.
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Great information. I have enjoyed making chenille baby blankets. What I have started doing is putting the patterned flannel on the back side and using two colours on the chenille side. Like blue/pink/blue and it comes out wonderfully. Hope your readers enjoy this suggestion.
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I tried a sample of flannel and it ended up stringy any thoughts or is it suppose to be stringy?
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Did you sew the channels on the bias? If you did that it should “bloom”.
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Hi I want to make this blanket a little longer for a twin bed size .So do I have to adjust the stitching to get the look .?????
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