Wool Blanket

I tried to find a nice warm wool blanket this winter. The prices I found were far more than I could afford. I came a crossed a large piece of thick wool fabric. It was a pink gingham pattern that already almost looked like a blanket. It was large and heavy enough to be a blanket but had raw edges at both ends. I decided to finish it off into a blanket and decorate it. This worked out much better. I got a very nice blanket now that is new and personalized. The stitches are all large and pretty simple so it was surprisingly quick for such a large piece.

The left picture shows how I finished the top edge of the blanket. I used a 1/2 inch blanket stitch along the top to cover the folded edge. Also showing where I hid the thread ends from the top inside the hem. The right picture shows where I hid the thread ends in the side of the blanket. The material was thick enough I could bury the thread inside the edge. Securing it more as I stitched over top of it. I used a smaller 1/4 inch blanket stitch along the side edges to cover the selvage and stop the material from stretching out of shape.

For the first row along the top I used a crown stitch. The crown stitch is done by making three straight stitches. The one in the middle is long and straight the two on the sides are at an angle and go in through the same hole as the first stitch. A fly stitch is made at the top passing under all three stitches.

For the next two rows I used a knot stitch or four legged knot stitch. Then a second row of crown stitches. The knot stitch looks like an upright cross stitch with a little knot in the center of it. Start with a straight stitch just like starting an upright cross stitch. Come through again on the right side slide under the upright stitch. Wrap the thread around to make a loop and pass through the loop. Go back through the fabric to the left finishing the stitch. Someday I may add more embroidery later. The more stitches the thicker and warmer the blanket will be.