Simple sewing. When you have a desire to sew but don't have the oomph for anything requiring brain power.
That happens here. More often then not.
As children, when mum started to teach us the basics of sewing, we got to cut up old sheets to approx 30cm square. We had to iron in hems, measured, straight and even, with out burning our fingers. Folded over again, and straight stitched. No overlocker/serger for us.
We made dust rags. And lots of them! Her cupboard was well stocked.
During the past holidays I purchased some flannelette (100% cotton). Buy 2, get 1 free. I like those specials. I made big
dust rags baby swaddle blankets or bunny rugs or receiving blankets, as they are also known. This material came at 112cm/42inch wide, so I ordered enough to make square ones. On the larger side, but at least you can swaddle the baby with out it coming undone.
I enjoy making these up, and putting in the cupboard. They make good baby gifts for the celebration of a new birth or babyshowers.
There are many tutorials online how to make a really easy and quick receiving blankets, that just have the edges overlocked/serged. I like the edges finished, but the corners can get quite bulky when you are folding all the fabric over each other. I found to mitre the corners gave a neat, non-bulky finish to the blanket.
Here is how I made mine.
Tip: I like to have numerous cut ready to go, and do them all at the same time.
1. Square up the edges
2. Overlock/serge* all the edges esepcially removing the fluff from the selvedge
3. Iron/press your seam allowance.
Place pins through the top fabric only, where they meet together.
4. Open up your corner and fold backwards, right sides together, matching pins together.
Place a new pin where the two pins are meeting back to the ironed corner mark.
5. Stitch where pin is and trim corner.
6. Turn out the right way. Use a pointed object eg knitting needle, to push out the corner if need be. Press.
Repeat steps 3 to 6 for all the corners.
Straight stitch evenly all the way around the blanket.
Another quick iron/press to smarten up the edges and corners and your blanket is done.
* Before owning a overlocker/serger I have zigzagged the edges or just double folded the edges.
Next Monday, some more simple straight sewing.
L.