I was contemplating  doing a little crafting during nap time today when I ran across this in Andrew’s closet.  

It is a Taggie brand toy that we recieved as a gift when Andrew was just a baby.  This was one of the first toys he ever played with.  I remember thinking this would be so easy to make, but the sleep deprivation and mommy brain got the better of me (again) and I completely forgot about it.  That is until now…this taggie retails on Amazon.com for $18.00 plus shipping.  I am going to show you guys today how to do it for MUCH cheaper.

This is a super-easy sewing project. If you know the basics about how to make a sewing machine work, then you can conquer this project.  It is so easy that I decided to make one for all of my friends who are pregnant!  Here is what my knock off looks like:

What you will need: (Sorry I didn’t get a picture)

• Two (12″x12″) fleece squares
• Pair of fabric scissors
• Sewing machine
• Coordinating color of thread
• Coordinating ribbon cut into 6-7″ lengths. (I used 3 lengths per side of the square. You can use more or less as you wish).
• Ruler. (I used a 12×12 inch quilting square but a regular ruler will work).

I found both pieces of fleece (enough to make four blankets) in the clearance bin at JoAnn Fabrics for a couple dollars a piece.  The thread was another dollar.  I used ribbon from my stash and found several rolls at Hobby Lobby for $1.00 a roll!  Total each blanket probably cost me $3.00-$4.00!!  I completed this little project in an hour or so.

Step One: Cut out your large 12×12 squares.

Step Two: Then cut each 12×12 square into four (6×6) squares. (The picture is enough 6X6 squares for four taggie blankets- you should only have four of each if you are making only one blanket).

Step Three: Piece together your squares. I didn’t cut my squares perfectly, so this helped me to get them back to the original large square shape.

Step Four: Sew the bottom two squares together. Then sew the top two squares together. I used a 1.4″ seam allowance for the entire project.

Step Five: Place the top and bottom rows with right sides together. Make sure the center seams meet. Pin rows together.

Step Six: Sew top row to the bottom row.

Step Seven: Repeat steps one through six for back square.

Step Eight: Cut your ribbon pieces. I used three tags on each side of the square. You can use more or less as you see fit. You want to cut them aprox. 6-7 inches long.

Step None: Place the two large squares right sides together. (I placed a pin in the center to help hold them in place).  Fold a ribbon piece in half. Then place it fold side in (the two ends should be sticking out).  You want to make sure 1.5 -2 inches of the ribbon is inside the squares. Pin the ribbon in place and repeat for each of the ribbon pieces you are using.

Step 10: Sew around the edge of the square using a 1/4″ seam allowance. Make sure to leave a hole so that the blanket can be turned inside out.

Step 11: Trim the seam and corners. (Trimming the corners allows you to have a nice point when you turn the blenket inside out).

Step 12: Turn blanket inside out. Then use a knitting needle or chopstick to push out the corners.

Step 13: Turn th edge of the hole in and place a pin to keep it shut. Sew completely around the outside of the blanket. (aprox. 1/4″ from the edge). Make sure that the hole is sealed.

We did it!  This is the basic blanket. You could make this easier if you decided to use just the two large squares for each side. If we had baby names, I would have also monogrammed these.  Changing up the shape or creating creatures would be fun too.  The basic technique would stay the same.  Your limit is only what you can imagine!

Smiles,

Sarah

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