Fleece in the Summertime? ~ Fun in the Summer Sun Link-up!

Welcome to the 2nd week of our Fun in the Summer Fun event!  Each Monday until September 7th,  Mama to 4 Blessings along with
Adventures of Mommydom,
Sweet Diva,
 Harvest Moon By Hand,
and Sweet Phenomena
 will be hosting Fun in the Summer Fun link up events.

Here's the line up:

The 1st Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer activities"

The 2nd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer crafts"

The 3rd Monday of each month: link up your "Kid friendly summer recipes"

The 4th Monday of each month: link up your "How to stay cool in the summer heat"

This week, we made a fleece blanket! =)  Yes, I know what you're thinking......a fleece blanket?!  Not your typical idea for a summer craft, you say?  Yeah, well.....wasn't mine either, but as I took my 3 tag-a-longs to Hobby Lobby with me last week to pick up some supplies, they rebelled against my ideas. 

Sort of. 

They liked what I wanted them to do, but my daughter was leaving at the end of the week on a choir tour/missions trip and wanted a new blanket to take with her.....and had her mind set on the pattern she knew I had to make one.  "Can't you just take one you already have?", I asked.  "Who wants to make a blanket in the summer time anyway?!".  She reminded me that I melted her previous fleece blanket in a dryer in the laundromat we had to use a while back when our dryer gave up the ghost.  =/  By now, her brothers had jumped on the blanket bandwagon and I had 3 kids who apparently desperately needed new fleece blankets.  As we continued to debate our crafting plans, we walked around the corner to the fabrics and guess what we set our eyes upon?  A zebra print fleece that was just what my girl had in mind.....and on sale! 

As I gave in to my daughter, my boys disappeared and returned with big bolts of fleece in their arms.....and 2 more sets of baby blues got their way. =)  I figured part of the fun of  a summer craft is having the time to do what they want to do, yes?

We headed home and Ashlyn got right to work:

First, she cut the selvages off each end of her fleece.

Then, using a 5 1/2" square template pattern, she pinned and then cut out a corner on all four sides.  You can vary the size depending on the size of your blanket......this was for fabric that is 60" x 54".

Next, using a fringe template, she pinned the template and cut fringe around all sides of the blanket.  Depending on the age of  the child and their cutting accuracy, you could just cut 1" strips 5 1/2" long all the way along.  To make your own template, cut out a 6 1/4" x 7" rectangle.  Mark and draw a horizontal line 1" from from the top ~ this is your "stop cutting here" line.  Then, mark and draw your perpendicular lines, each 1" apart, from the horizontal line you drew to the bottom of the paper.  Voila ~ you have a cutting template!

Time-saving tip for impatient little (and big) crafters:  fold your fabric in half, matching ends, before cutting your fringe and you'll cut your cutting time in half as well. =)

Once all her fringe was cut, she tied a knot at the base of each fringe strip.  Once she had all of her fringe knotted, her blanket was done (except for the embroidering of her name in lime green that she'd like done by yours truly). 

After she finished making her blanket, I had to admit....it's not such a bad summer craft at all.  A one-layer fleece blanket makes a nice, soft, cuddly lightweight summer blanket when those heavy comforters and quilts aren't needed!  I think I want to make one for myself now. =)

You may have noticed there's no photos of my boys making their blankets.  We can't decide if the fringe is too girly.....one says it's fine, and the other isn't sure.  Jacob has Fl. Gator fleece and Robert has GA. Bulldog fleece awaiting our decision. 

What do you think?  I'd love to know!  And, while you're at it.....

What is your Kid Friendly Summer Craft (s)?

We would love for you to share them!

Today's Creative Blog