This year kid No 2 starts all-day kindergarten, and on the back-to-school list was a blanket for nap time. So off we went to the fabric store to choose some nice soft flannel.

He chose the gecko print. It’s just some bargain flannel that I got at the local chain store. I bought three meters and I think that came to about 11$ total, making this a good bargain. The school list asked for a blanket or beach towel, and at that price the blanket is softer, larger and less expensive than any store-bought towel.

I sewed this up in about 30 minutes. It’s just two squares sewn together inside-out. I used a soup can to draw curves around the corners. Then I top stitched once around the edge and a second time about an 1.5 inches in so that the two sides stick together properly. I also appliquéd Kid No 2’s initial on the front, but I don’t really want to publish his initial on the internet so you will have to use your imagination. The finished blanket measures just under 1.5 m by 1.5 m.

This is such an easy project and it’s a great way to make your own baby blankets. I’ve never made by own receiving blankets, since I was always too busy preparing for baby to do much sewing, but this is a very easy, cost-effective, quick project for even complete beginners.