Faux Chenille Baby Blanket

My sister-in-law is having a baby next month (so excited!!) and last night was her baby shower. I had decided months ago to make her a faux chenille baby blanket (found on Pinterest, of course), but I waited until the last minute to order my fabric, and then the fabric arrived late! Such is life, sometimes. So 3 days ago when the fabric arrived, I busily got to work, and I'm pleased to say I finished it in time! I even had extra time to make some tiny baby mits and a stretchy lightweight gauze swaddling blanket to go along with it.

I used Aesthetic Nest's tutorial for the blanket, and highly recommend it! The directions were thorough and the pictures great. This blanket is actually really easy to make, it just takes a lot of patience sewing and then cutting all those lines! Here is how mine turned out!

The front: Sparrows in Vintage Yellow by Joel Dewberry. I used matching yellow thread. This blanket is a square measuring about 36", and I think it's the perfect size for a baby!

This is what the chenille looks like before you wash it. I used a pale butter yellow flannel for the top layer, medium gray in the middle, and dark gray on the bottom. At this point, I was thinking, "is it REALLY going to make a huge difference, washing and drying it?"

I made my own bias binding out of medium gray cotton. I am relieved that all my colors match, since I picked everything out online! I did rounded corners, which I think is really cute for a small baby blanket.

This is what it looks like when it is done washing and drying! Look how pretty and crinkly the front and binding is, and the rows of ruffled chenille on the back... wow!!

More views of how the chenille turned out. I love how you can see each of the three different colors of flannel that I used!

I really like how this blanket drapes, too. It is a thick blanket, but folds and drapes like one layer of fabric, if that makes sense! Much different than a quilt.

The chenille hid any mistakes I may have made on the binding, that's a nice extra!

One last picture of the luxurious fluffiness. I can't wait to make one of these for my baby! He already has plenty of blankets, but I don't think one can ever have too many handmade blankets... do you?