I usually start with the border, and since the pieces are only 4½” wide, don’t bother pinning them as my hands can keep them in place for the half-a-second it takes to join two pieces this size together. It you feel this isn’t in the realm of possibility for you, go ahead and pin the pieces, right sides facing, at the top and bottom of the square. Sew the border into four parts with a ¼” to ½” seam; two shorter pieces with just the center and border adjacent squares, and two longer pieces with the border adjacent and border squares. After sewing these pieces together, set them aside and begin the center square which will have the appliqué on it.
The appliqué part of the process requires a little imagination, or a little logic, or maybe some of both. If you did a dry run, you should have a pretty good idea of what needs to be sewn on first; the pieces under the top pieces. To acknowledge a seam allowance will keep the stress level low. Simply move your pieces in about half an inch from where they are during the dry run and pin them into place. To help with figuring out the exact location, sometimes it is easier to start pinning a top piece into place, and fold back where the bottom pieces will need to be put. This is especially helpful when a top section will be surrounded by multiple bottom sections, such as the case with this particular blanket.
When sewing the appliqué pieces on, you can use a decorative border, such as a zig-zag or large cross-stitch, but I prefer just a straight stitch, between 6 to 10 per inch. Why? Because I do. You can stitch yours on any way you like. I know I should experiment with the multitude of stitches available to me on my 1963 Singer Touch & Sew Deluxe Zig-Zag Model 600 sewing machine, with all the extra stitch plates and built in stitches it has, but I like the look of a straight stitch with a little of the folded seam showing, as this is how I did my original baby blankets, albeit, those were done completely by hand. Sometimes a piece needs a little stuffing, like this one I didn’t like the look of the nose being flat, so just before it was completely sewn, I stuffed in some polyester fiberfill using a chopstick to get it into all the crevices.
After the appliqué is sewn on, it is time to start attaching the border pieces. I first sew on the shorter pieces, pinning them to the left and right sides of the center square. For this 26” piece, I usually use five pins, one in the center, one on each of the border adjacents, and one on either side of the center between the border adjacent and center pin. This is usually enough to keep the border together during sewing, however if you feel more comfortable pinning more on, go for it. Just make sure the right sides are facing each other and you sew the wrong sides with a ¼” to ½” seam. Using the same technique, sew the larger pieces with the corner squares onto the center after unfolding the side borders and try to match up where they meet. This may require sewing in the squares a little more to position everything just right. Or, you can always just not worry about it, as it will give it a more homemade look if the imperfections are not corrected. Once the top is all sewn together, it is time to begin the embroidery and final touches…
Come back tomorrow for Baby Blanket Part 4: Embroidery and Final Touches.
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