A couple of months ago one of my sweet friends, Michele, from The Scrap Shoppe, needed some guest posts for her maternity leave – so she could spend some time with her darling new little guy.
And oh – is he darling. :)
I wanted to do a “baby” craft – so I went searching for inspiration at Pottery Barn Kids.
I found the cutest little Critter Nursery Blankets and that was it.
I just had to make one!
Here’s my version of their little frog blanket:
And here’s the PBK version:
See the little frog in the back? :)
I made mine a little larger – and a little brighter in color. I wanted a fun green color and I spotted this fuzzy fleece at Joann’s. Perfect!!
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own.
• 2/3 yard of 60″ fleece
• embroidery floss
• fiberfill
• Frog Pattern (Click to download)
Cut your fleece into a 24″ square. Cut out your frog pattern. You’ll need to cut two – a front and back.
Trace the face markings onto the fleece with a disappearing ink pen.
Begin embroidering your froggy’s mouth.
Bring the floss up at the left side of the mouth.
Put the needle back through the fabric about 1/4″ along the line. Bring the needle back up between these two points.
Continue this same stitch, putting the needle through about 1/4″ down the line, the back up at the point the previous stitch ends.
Repeat all the way down the line until the mouth is finished.
Sew on the nose next, using small stitches to make it as thick or thin as you want.
For the eyes, do the previous stitch in a circle, outlining where the eye will be. Then fill in the center with straight stitches starting at one side and crossing to the other until the whole eye is filled.
Place the other head piece over this one, right sides together, and sew around the edges with a 1/4″ seam, leaving the bottom open.
Turn right side out.
I love our smirky little frog so far. ;)
Measure down about 8″ from one corner of the fleece square.
Cut the corner off.
Hem the remaining sides of the square by turning the edges over 1/2″, then 1/2″ again and stitching close to the edge.
Make sure you leave the cut corner unsewn.
Now we’re going to pin the head to the cut corner of the square.
Match up the bottom edges of the head at the seams with each end of the cut corner.
There will be extra fabric in the middle.
Bring the cut corner piece together in the center so that it is the length of the head piece.
Fold flat the extra fabric to make a pleat. Pin this to the face side of the head.
Sew this seam, making sure not to catch the back of the head while you’re sewing.
Now the front of the head will be sewn to the blanket but the back will be open still.
Stuff the head (lightly – don’t go crazy here).
Turn the back of the head under about 1/4″ and hand sew it down to the back side of the blanket square.
That’s all there is to it!!
Such an easy way to make a cute Critter Blanket – perfect for new little ones, baby showers, and gifts!
Not bad when you consider Pottery Barn’s version is $29!
You could easily take the method and make almost any animal! Just draw out the head and cut and sew onto the corner of a square of fabric.
If you don’t want to draw it out – a simple animal from a coloring book would work great too.
Don’t you just want to cuddle him?
When are you too old for a fuzzy fleece animal head blanket?
Hmmmm.
If for some reason you see a pink flamingo head blanket in the background of some picture I’ve taken in the house . . . look the other way, k?
Thanks.
I’m linking to Sunday Scoop, Today’s Creative Blog, Met Monday, Skip to my Lou, Tutorials & Tips Tuesday,
Quilt Story, and the other fabulous parties on the sidebar – make sure you check them out!
oh my geez! i wish my little boy would want to snuggle things like this! i want one to snuggle and rub against my cheek in bed. that’s not creepy is it? haha. maybe it is time for more babies.
Very very lovely!
So cute! and what a GREAT baby shower gift idea. I’m pinning it.
cute cute cute!!! What a cute lovey! I love it!
How adorable! I love your version–that is just too cute! I’m with Ingrid–my little boy is so NOT a snuggler, but I might need to make one for him anyway ;-)
Rachel @ Maybe Matilda
This is fantastic! There’s a 2-year old in my family who is going to love this! Visiting via Take a Look Tuesday. I guess I’m your newest follower! Thanks for sharing!
http://www.zibelineknits.blogspot.com
Super cute! And way cuter than the PBK version if I do say so myself, and I do. :-)
Oh that is so cute, Bev!! What a fun blanket for a little one to snuggle with. Love it!
Lovely!
That is so cute!!! I love fleece, fuzzy fleece, blizzard it’s all good in own little home :-)
You did a great job and thank you for the tutorial!!!
This is sooooo adorable! I love it! Thanks for sharing!
so darling!!!
I love that green polka dotted fleece! Great knockoff and thanks for sharing how you pulled it off!
SO cute!
Would you be willing to link up to our weekly Playdate party at http://beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com/2011/05/playdate-link-party-everyone-welcome.html ?
Cheers,
Lori
http://beneaththerowantree.com
Come & Play!
OOOH great job Bev! You’re awesome. Thank you SO much. Don’t you want to create an entire zoo for us? :) I think a cute little pig would be super cute. *hint* Or maybe a dinosaur? LOL Sorry, got carried away. Our 2nd grandchild is due Sept 2nd and is a boy who, last I heard is going to have a dinosaur theme to his nursery. Had to try ya know. ;)
You’re just off to conquer the entire world with your awesome knock-offs aren’t you? What’s next? Got anything on the back burner for a great Father’s Day idea? I dearly love and adore my amazing husband but MAN O MAN is he hard to make stuff for!! How many aprons does one guy need ya know?! *Especially when he doesn’t wear one unless it’s holiday candy and cookie baking/making day and he’s being a great guy helping me. I think he’s secretly stealing my recipes so he can knock me off and impress his next wife. ROFLMAO! Kidding. Well, about the knocking me off part – not the do you have any ideas for Father’s Day up your sleeve? :)
I must make a froggy blankie though and I know my 3 yr old Granddaughter will want one too so I’m going to need another animal of some kind. I’ve got some fluffy/furry purple minkee type fabric that needs to be made into something. Ideas? All I can think of is Barney the Dinosaur. NOT DOING THAT! Did you want me to stop rambling on and on yet? Tired of reading my jibberish?
I can keep going you know. Nah, got stuff to get done. Aren’t you just so lucky? HA
NO. I am not crazy……..just in case anyone wondered. LOL
Thank you again SO much, Bev, for guest posting this great tutorial for me! We are in love with this blanket at my house. ;)
These playful blankets are so cute! This is something worth having and worth doing. You included great instructions — thank you!
Adorable! Who wouldn’t want to cuddle up in this! Thanks so much for linking up!
This is SO cute! I am impressed you made the head too:) I have been planning on making one of these for our baby on the way…but I was gonna chop the head off a stuffed animal! Ha! This is truly adorable:) Great knock off! I like your version much better;)
This is so sweet!! You did a really great job : )
Dang, That is impressive!! I am visiting from Tatertots and Jello and I would LOVE if you would link this up to my Delicately Constructed Fridays Linky Party!!
Thanks so much!
Have a great weekend!
Michelle
http://www.delicateconstruction.blogspot.com
awww bev! he’s sooo darn cute! :)
great job!
gail
This is adorable! I love it! I’m totally going to make one if I don’t get any as gifts at my baby showers.
Awwww he’s so cute! Great job!
Bev, seriously, is there anything you don’t do exquisitely?
These are sensational. I’m hoping I can inspire my girls to make some of these blankets with my for their little cousins this summer!
And amidst all your magic-making, you manage to find a wormhole in time to visit my place and link-up. You’re a talent, an inspiration and a true friend! Thank you.
Jenn
I absolutely love this! My little man loves these (he sleeps with his every night) but they are a fortune, and I’d like to supplement his stash without spending too much. I am going to make a TON!
I loved this so much I featured you in my “tuesday treasures” post this morning. I’d love for you to come check it out!
http://sweetcsdesigns.com/archives/760
this is so cute and adorable. Thanks for the tutorial.
So frickin cute!!! And using fleece would be so soft and cuddly!
so cute
I would love for you to link it up to my party that is running now. Any linky goes.
http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2011/06/any-link-goes-party-running-now-summer.html
Come strut your stuff.
How cute Beverly! Fabulous job recreating this super cute blanket. The material looks super soft and cuddly! Thanks so much for linking to the Sunday Showcase Party. I am a little behind commenting – Hope you are having a wonderful week ~ Stephanie Lynn
My kids are all over 7 years, and when I am done making this for the neighbors new baby I’m certain that they are all going to want one under the Christmas tree this year! Thanks so much for sharing this post. I absolutely love it!
We liked this so much over at Copycat Crafts that we have decided to feature it today! You can view it here
http://www.copycatcrafts.com/pb-kids-critter-nursery-blanket/
We’d love it if you’d like to display a featured button! You can grab your button on the right hand side of your post. Thanks!
So Cute. I want to make one but right now I have no friends or families with babies. My niece is 3 and probably too old for it….
Sooo cute! I’m printing this out now for my mom to make as Christmas gifts for my girls and friends. Perfect thanks.
These are soooo sooo cute! I just bought one at Babies R Us and they are not cheap. Do you have the other patterns for the other animals?
Love them!
Pam from Pa
I’d like to see the pink flamingo!
Love it! Am making it today for a baby shower. Thanks so much for sharing!!
They are soooooo cute!! I wanna to do the sewing for my granddaughters…. So Cute! Where are the pattern?
This is adorable and I am making some for the charitable org named Linus. They collect handmade blankets for children in traumas. A “Binkie friend” is what I will call it.
Hi – am interested in learning about Linus. I’d love to make some blankets
This is just wonderful. With your talent I bet you could make more patterns for those of us who are not as talented at pattern making!.
Love the frog…my son has one, though. I’m expecting my third in about 3 weeks & tried to make a hippo – epic fail! Do you happen to have pattern heads for any other animals?? Bunny or hippo???
I’m thinking of trying to do this but a cow…and regular quilting cotton because I have it in a cow print….maybe quilt it? What do you think? Maybe not…