Rag Edge Baby Blanket Tutorial

Rag Edge Receiving Blanket

When Wyatt was born my MIL gave me a blanket and burp cloths that were similar to this.  I loved them so much that I made a bunch more burp cloths the same way (I even found the exact same camo fabric that she had used!).  Today I’m sharing a tutorial so you can make your own Rag Edge Baby Blanket too!  They would be great for your own baby or for a gift. I often give one of these blankets paired with an item sewn from one of my favorite free baby patterns, and it’s always a hit with the new or soon to be mom!

 

This tutorial will guide you through the steps to sew your own rag edge receiving blanket.  It is a perfect beginner project, and I promise it will be the simplest receiving blanket you’ll ever make!  It can easily be done from start to finish in less than an hour.  At 40″x40″ when finished, this blanket will be perfect for swaddling your baby as he or she grows and outgrows other smaller receiving blankets.

 

Rag Edge Baby Blanket Tutorial

 

Materials Needed:
1.25 yd flannel fabric
1.25 yd co-ordinating flannel fabric
matching thread

 

Directions:
1. Pre-wash your flannels.  Cut each piece of flannel to a square 40″x40″.  Make sure that the selvage edge is cut off, or that edge will not fray properly when the blanket is finished.
2. Fold each piece of flannel in half into a rectangle, and then in half again into a square.  Stack the two pieces of flannel on top of each other, matching up the 8 free corners.  Using a round bowl or lid as a guide, trace a curved line onto the top layer of the free corners.  Cut along line, forming curved edges.
2. Open up both pieces of fabric and lay flannel squares on top of each other, wrong sides together.  Match up the four sides, and pin in place.  Using a ruler stick, trace a line from each corner to corner, forming an X in the middle of the blanket.  Pin near the X lines to hold the two layers together.  If you’re too lazy to go find a ruler stick like I am, just fold the flannel in half into a triangle, and pin along the folded edge to mark your sewing line.  Next fold the flannel into a triangle using the opposite corners, and again place pins along the folded edge to mark your sewing line.
3. Sew along either your marked lines or your line of pins from each corner to corner, forming an X in the middle of the blanket.
4. Using either a narrow zigzag stitch or a decorative stitch, sew around the entire blanket 0.5″ from the edge.  If using a zigzag stitch as is pictured (for a farm themed blanket I thought it was more appropriate than a decorative stitch), adjust your stitch length to be short enough so that the stitches are fairly close together.  On my sewing machine, I set it at a “1”.  Whichever stitch you choose, just be sure that it will be sturdy.
5. If desired, stitch again around the entire blanket using a co-ordinating thread, 0.25″ in from the first stitch line.  Depending on which type of stitch you use, you might want to skip this second row of stitching.  I thought it would be cute with this particular blanket, but use your own judgement.
6. Now for the fun part… Get out the ol’ scissors and start hacking.  Just kidding, that would be very counterproductive.  Every 0.5″, make a small snip around the edge of the blanket perpendicular to your sewing line.  Clip fairly close to your stitch line, but not through it.
7. Wash and dry the blanket 1 or 2 times to allow the clipped edges to fray.  The best part about this blanket is that it gets better and better with each wash.  Great work, you are done your Rag Edge Baby Blanket!
Rag Edge Receiving Blanket

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42 Comments

  1. This is awesome Abby! I’m totally making one (or more) and will link pictures when I’m done. Have you ever made a ring sling? Know any good patterns or tips?

  2. I love this idea! What a wonderful project for charity giving as well! Thanks for sharing! Now if one of my three daughters would have a baby, I could get started! HA!

  3. Adorable. It feels like all of my friends are due within the next few months, so I am looking foward to whipping up tons of these. They seem quick and easy. Can’t wait!
    Michelle

  4. Thanks for posting this tute! I made 2 blankets and 6 birb cloths for me and a friend who is expecting too. They were so easy to do and worked up quickly. I am wanting to try the ric rac blanket next.

    Elise

  5. I just came across this and I’m going to try it out this weekend. I’ve never sewn anything in my life. Fingers crossed it turns out okay. Thanks for postine!

  6. This was a great tutorial. I made a blanket for a gift and I’m going to make one for my baby. (I am 7 months pregnant with my 5th child.) I really like the tip to use a lid to round the corners. I posted a picture of the blanket I made. (It is the one with cupcakes.) When I make the other blanket I will post a picture of it.

  7. Please continue to write more because it’s unusual that someone has something interesting to say about this. Will be waiting for more…

  8. Nice! Now I know what to do, thank you! And as this information is educational so this site has been added to my RSS feed for later browsing.

  9. I made this blanket a few weeks ago for my grandson due in December. I’ve added this link, as well as several other of yours to both of my websites.

    About Me

  10. Hi , i got this Article , i was searching some thing relevant to this, And i am feeling lucky, as its the perfect one for what i am looking for. I will share this link on face book.

  11. just wondering what would happen if you didn’t sew an x through the middle? very cute and simple blanket…love it

  12. Wow!! Amazing work..I really love to read articles that have good information and ideas to share to each reader. I hope to read more from you guys and continue that good work that is really inspiring to us. Keep up your great work.

  13. love this! so great! I was looking for some topics that are enough popular and finally founded your blog, it has superb topics with great popularity.Thanks a lot for this time sharing of innovation about this topic. This is really the best website about innovation i have ever read.

  14. Thank you so much for this tutorial! I pinned your tutorial on pinterest and finally pulled out the sewing machine last night to make this blanket!

    It turned out so great. I love it!

  15. I just came across this and I’m going to try it out this weekend. I’ve never sewn anything in my life. Fingers crossed it turns out okay. Thanks for postine!

  16. Thank you so much for this tutorial! I pinned your tutorial on pinterest and finally pulled out the sewing machine last night to make this blanket!

  17. I made the blanket and two burp cloths following your instructions. Thank you! Your instructions were clear and easy to follow. May I ask what water temp you use to wash the finished product? I’m giving the items as a gift and I want them to look perfect. Thank you.

  18. Hi there…. I just made this blanket for a gift…. Never have done a fringe type of look on a baby blanket…. ? I didn’t do the big X stitch…. I just realized and have mailed the blanket off… Will it be a problem? OOPPPSSS

    1. It should be totally fine! I sometimes leave the X off too – it just helps keep the two layers in place but is not a deal breaker ;).

  19. Hello! Great tutorial with perfect timing, my nieces baby’s shower is next month! I will be whipping up a few of these.

  20. I’m making this rag edge baby blanket today, it looks fast, fun, and cute! Also going to make some burp cloths with this technique.

  21. Just ran across this ragged edge blanket tutorial as I’m looking for projects as a new sewer and a first time grandma. Do you think a minky fabric would work with a flannel or would it unravel too much on the ends? Thanks for the great instructions also.

    1. Minky would work well, you’ll just need to pin, pin, pin (like every inch or two!), so the minky doesn’t slide around while sewing it :).

  22. I couldn’t find flannel in the theme I needed, could I do this with 100% cotton on the front and flannel on the back? Or would cotton on both sides with some batting be better?

    1. You could definitely do cotton on the front (would be better to do cotton + flannel than 2 layers of cotton). The cotton won’t fray as “soft” as the flannel but will still work.

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