Make Your Own Chenille


Following are the very basic instructions on how to make your own Chenille using the Olfa Chenille Cutter. Are there other options for making your own chenille? Yes, but I much prefer the Olfa cutter for it’s simplicity and ease of use.

If you would like more detail on the Olfa Chenille Cutter, please check out this post.

Fabrics – I find that homespun cottons, flannels, and denim all work very well when making chenille. These fabrics are loosely woven and tend to “bloom” very nicely. I also use challis (rayon) and cotton calicos, for these fabrics I make my channel stitching closer together because it doesn’t “bloom” quite as thick as the other fabrics. Another fabric that is fun to chenille is fleece – when you are working

with fleece you only use two layers of fabric, the channels are cut only into the top fabric.

Layers of Fabric — the number of layers used to make the chenille depends on the final project. If both sides of the project will be visible when finished, I leave two fabrics not cut through. The number of layers that I cut through varies based on use of the project, and the fabrics thickness. Some examples are:

  • Flannel Baby Blanket – 5 layers, cut through 3
  • Homespun fabric if rug, hot pads, place mats, etc – 6 layers, cut through 4.
  • Homespun pillow – 5 layers, cut through 4 (because the back of the chenille would be inside the pillow and no one would see)
  • You will need to make variations depending on your projects.

Suggestion – If working with different colors of fabrics, or a patterned fabric to make your chenille, I suggest taking some 6” squares of the fabric you are planning to use. Stitch your channels, cut the top layers, wash, and dry completely – this will give you a test sample of what the finished fabric will look like. It’s always nicer to make adjustments in the test sample then to spend time making a full project and then be disappointed in the final look.

Layering – When layering fabrics, you lay the first fabric facing down and the rest facing up. If the fabric has a pattern you want to be able to notice when the project is chenilled that you will have to layer the fabrics you will cut through so that pattern in the fabric lay exactly on top of each other. If you don’t care about that than you can layer the fabrics at random (but then the sample piece suggested above is almost a must bef

ore creating chenille for the entire project).

Diagram Stitiching – Channels are stitched on the bias. It doesn’t need to be a true bias but it should be close (see image on the right – channels are shown with dotted lines). What I do is draw a line from one corner to the opposite corner and stitch that line. From that point, I usually move my needle on my machine all the way to the left and just use my right edge of my presser foot as a guide to sew the next ch

annel. Continue all the way across the whole project till the whole thing is channel stitched.

Cutting – Find the foot on the Chenille cutter that fits the best (tightest) in the channels you have sewn. Put the foot over the one or two bottom layers you don’t want to cut through. Slide the Chenille cutter through the channel cutting the fabrics above the foot. Continue across your whole project.

Note: Sometimes I find it helpful to take a scissor and snip in 1” through the top layers I will chenille – then when I use the Chenille tool it is easy to get the foot between the right layers. Better safe than sorry! Grin 5

Squaring the Project – After I cut through the layers to chenille I usually square up or trim up the edges. If the project is going to be cut to a shape such as a oval or a jacket front, this is the time to do that.

Binding – If the project is going to have binding I add that at this point. It is much easier to add when the project is still flat. If I am making a jacket, I would now sew it together, again it is easier to work with before you wash and dry to “bloom” the chenille.

“Blooming” – This is where your project comes to life! If you have sewn your channels on the bias you should simply just need to wash and dry your project. I hav

e found that some fabrics need you to do this step twice depending on how tight the weave of the fabric is. When it come out of the dryer your project is ready to enjoy!

You will have so much fun sewing your own chenille. Here are more posts in this series to enjoy:

Sheila Reinke, Heart of Sewing
Sheila

24 thoughts on “Make Your Own Chenille”

  1. MamaU says:
    Reply

    I am looking at making chenille blankets for gifts, and I am trying to figure out some things. First, do you HAVE to sew the channels on the bias? What about those patterns for baby blankets that are circular, shapes, etc? Not all blankets I’ve seen are straight lines, and not diagonally. Is there something special to know when wanting to do wavy, horizontal or vertical lines instead of always diagonal? Am I not reading the instructions right? Thank you for your help.

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  2. sheilareinke says:
    Reply

    MamaU,

    If you would sew your channels on the straight of grain what will happen is you will shed the threads – the fabric will fray. When you sew your channels on the bias you don’t loose the threads and the chenille is thicker and looks richer. You probably could do circular because you are sewing bias when you are sewing in a circle. After you make a chenille blanket and you wash and dry it you would be able to see the difference. If you sew straight of grain – in the dryer you would have to empty your lint trap 3 or 4 times because the lint and threads would build up so much. When you sew on the bias and wash and dry you would not have to empty the lint trap but once at the end of the drying.

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  6. Nelda Elliott says:
    Reply

    Thanks for instructions on making chenille. I am new at this and have been quilting for 2 years. Will look great to add on some quilts.

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    • sheilareinke says:
      Reply

      I very seldom have used the chenille brush. I usually just wash and dry the project, that will “bloom” the chenille. If you can’t wash and dry your project and want to use the brush I don’t think there is any secrets about using it. Just brush it tell it starts to look “bloomed” You could spray alittle water on it if the fabric is being stubburn. Make sure your fabric is on the bias.

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      • Kathy says:

        Thanks so much for your very prompt answer Sheila. I did do it on the bias…saw the idea on Aesthetic Nest blog. I would prefer not to wash the blanket as it is a baby shower gift. I was afraid it might look used rather than new.

        Thanks for the great job you do on this website. I always enjoy reading your comments and ideas.

        Kathy

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  9. Mary says:
    Reply

    So you cut all the way across from end to end once you have sewn all the channels. And the binding still goes overtop of what you have cut? Just learning and help would be appreciated!

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  12. charlene says:
    Reply

    Question – I tried making chenille with a high quality quilting cotton, on the 45 degree bias, and I’ve washed and dried it twice, with very little blooming. Could the weave be too tight, or did I possibly sew the seams too far apart? Any help for the newbie??

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    • sheilareinke says:
      Reply

      Charlene,

      The best fabrics to chenille with are homespun, denim, or challis. Cottons will not “bloom” much at all. Actually the cheeper the cotton the better luck you will have with a “bloom”. They are woven less tight. The better cotton has more thread count and it tighter woven and won’t “bloom” very well.

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  13. Teresa Rogers says:
    Reply

    found your Blog while searching the internet…so pleased that I did.have just finished a 12×12 inch test before starting cushion….
    your instructions wwere so easy to follow..Just wanted to thankyou verymuch…. THANKYOU

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  14. Donna says:
    Reply

    I sewed 4 layers of flannel together on the bias. Now, should I cut the channels, as such, one layer on one side and two layers on the other, or cut one layer on each side and leave the two layers in the middle alone?
    The item I’m making is lap throw for my granddaughter. Thanks

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