Make It More Personal With Custom Blankets

Now that you have the 3 layers of your quilt, it is time to add a fabric border to frame your quilt. When choosing the fabric for the border, pick a color that compliments the colors and style of your quilt. Many online fabric retailers that offer pre-cut quilt squares also have complementary Jelly Rolls which are pre-cut fabric strips. These pre-cut fabric strips are perfect to use as your quilt fabric border.

You can find directions online or you could check at your local craft or yarn store. Many times these types of stores will hold classes. You might also find a friend who knows how to crochet. She will most likely be willing to teach you how.

Blanket Quilt Seldom were cigar ribbon tops made into quilts with batting and back. Made with silk and unquilted, they were fragile, unlike the string and selvedge edge quilts. Mostly they remained as tops to cover tables, or they were made into pillows.

Once a quilt block template has been created it should be put on the fabric lined up with the fabric's grain on one straight edge. Then with either a tailor's chalk or a quilter's pencil it can be drawn around. Folding several layers of the fabric accordion style will create several patches at once. Then after the template has been stapled to the layers one can cut the pieces out. If it is possible, it is of great value to use a cutting mat and a rotary cutter should they be available.

There are conflicting opinions about the need to prewash fabric. The choice is yours, but if you have any doubts about colorfastness (whether or not the color will bleed or wash out), test the fabric before adding it to your quilt.

The common thread in string, selvedge edge, and cigar ribbon tops, is that their popularity came about at the time of an economic downturn or a War, or both. The materials used in each were throw-aways being put to use, as a quilt or decoration for women's homes, and they were there for the taking.

If you want your custom blankets to look more personalized, you can have one large photo, or a collage of photos printed on them. Images should be of high quality so they will look better in the finished product. Certainly, your blanket will be a gift that will always be treasured.