New but Old

I have a couple of old wool blankets in my stash. And everytime I go home to Hawkes Bay I have to go to my favourite traders to see what's new in the textile section. Calling it textiles really makes it sound a lot flasher than it is. It's not flash. It is just one over-flowing section in an over-flowing 'shed' with aisles about half a metre wide at the most. One shelf in the textile section is labelled 'Dog Blankets'. That's how flash it's not. My cousin, Kell, and I love it when the "old lady" is there because she gives great discounts - "just call it $20, dear" type discounts! We imagine buying it and charging Auckland prices for all the treasures to make our fortune ... which we would spend probably on travel.

Anyway ... I have been keen to experiment with using an old wool blanket for a baby blanket for a while. So I cut up one of my blankets, made some binding, and made some co-ordinating felt 'flowers' for it.

My inspiration for the flowers came from the stylishly wrapped thank you pressie I got from my cousin. Kell sent me a voucher from Fabricworm for making her Mum's birthday quilt - the wonky log cabin. Lucky me!

Ta da!

In terms of supplies, I used one quarter of a single bed blanket (I did mean to measure it before I gifted it! ), .3 metre of fabric for the binding which I cut 3" wide (I'd probably cut it maybe 1/4" skinnier next time), plus felt scraps. It's an economical, but still good-looking, project. I am not sure about the durability or safety of the flowers - but I figure the parents can worry about that and cut them off if they want to. It's got to look good at time of gifting.

This is a good 'weekend project'. And while the hand sewing down of the back of the binding takes a couple of hours, I think it achieves a nice tidy look compared to bindings that are totally machined.

I look forward to trying out some more blanket fabric combos. Oh, and buying more blankets next time I am in HB of course.