A snug embroidered woollen blanket is the perfect gift for new arrivals. Only three embroidery stitches are used to create a sensational result.
MATERIALS
Piece of woollen blanketing, desired size to fit your cot (we cut ours to 80cm x 75cm)
1.2m x 115cm cotton fabric for backing and borders (we used a yellow check fabric)
Skeins embroidery of wool in the desired colours (we used six colours on our blanket: pink, blue, pale yellow and peach for the flowers, dark peach for the flower centres and moss green for the leaves)
Size 22 tapestry needle
Matching sewing thread (for cotton fabric)
NOTE
Seam allowances are all 1.5cm
Working the design
Work out the placement of your flowers in rows across the blanket, placing four evenly spaced motifs in one row and five motifs in the next.
Alternate these rows across the blanket. Mark the position for each motif with a safety pin or a stitched cross. Each motif comprises three flowers in a triangular shape, with three leaf sprays.
Stitch the flower petals using lazy-daisy stitches. Fill the centre of each flower with a single French knot. Work the three leaf sprays using feather stitches.
Backing and Borders
Place backing fabric over blanket piece, wrong sides together, and cut the cotton fabric to the same size as the woollen piece. Pin and baste these two layers together around all edges.
Cut four 10cm-wide border strips from fabric to fit around the edges of the blanket – two long strips for the sides and two shorter strips for the ends. Turn in and press a 1.5cm edge along one long side of each fabric strip.
With right sides facing and unpressed raw edges of the border and blanket matching, pin then stitch the two long border strips down the sides of the blanket. Trim and neaten seams.
Fold these border strips in half, over to the back of the blanket, slipstitch folded edge in place and press.
Repeat to attach the shorter end strips to the blanket, stitching them over the long side strips.
Trim and neaten these seams, then fold border strips in half, over to the back of the blanket.
Slipstitch the pressed edges of the border strips in place on the back of the blanket. Topstitch the open ends of the border strips. Press.
Feather-stitch
1. Bring needle up at A (in centre), insert at B (slightly lower and to right), bring out at C (centre), carry thread under and pull needle through.
2. Insert needle at D, bring out at E, carry thread under and pull needle through.
3. Continue as for steps 1 and 2, alternating stitches to left and right of centre line. To finish, take needle over last loop to back of work.
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