First Tutorial - Ruffle Minky Baby Blanket

I am so excited to share with you my very first tutorial.  As you may know I make baby blankets - the soft cuddly kind with delicious Minky and sweet soft Satin.  So while making one of these beautiful blankets for my best friend I decided this was the perfect chance to share this how to with all of you!

1 yard cotton or flannel fabric

1 yard Minky fabric

1 package Wrights Blanket Binding

1 package Dritz Wash Away Wonder Tape 

Cutting Mat

Grid Ruler

Rotary Cutter

Walking Foot

Ruffler Foot *(Can be done without)

I like to start by ruffling my Blanket Binding first.  The easiest way is to use a Ruffler Foot Attachment and simply feed the binding through.  I set mine on the largest setting where it makes the deepest tucks every 12 stitches.  I also set my stitch length to 4.  If you don't have a Ruffler Foot that is ok, you can simply do the ruffles by hand and pin all the tucks.

The Ruffler Foot Attachment

LOVE these Ruffles!

Then its time to start cutting the fabric for the blanket! 

To start off cut the yard of Minky in half so it is approximately 29-30 inches wide and 36 inches long. Then I lay my yard of cotton or flannel fabric folded in half lengthwise with the selvage on top and the fold lined up on the bottom line of the cutting mat.  Taking my see through ruler I cut the top of the blanket at 32 inches on the cutting mat and then cut the bottom of the blanket at the 0 mark, making the blanket 32 inches tall.

Selvage on the top of cutting mat and fold on the bottom

Then fold the fabric in the opposite direction - so part that was just cut is now lining up together.  Then lay the fabric back down on the cutting mat with the fold lined up on the bottom line and the just cut sides on top.  Then cut so the blanket is 28 1/2 inches wide.

 In the next step I take any round edge object and line it up on the corners (while still folded in half) and cut a round corner with my rotary blade.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Dritz Wash Away Wonder Tape - it makes working with Minky so much easier!

Dritz Wash Away Wonder Tape

Then using my Dritz Wash Away Wonder Tape instead of pins because it is so much faster and helps with less slippage, I lay it around the border of the cotton or flannel fabric and one piece down the center. 

After Laying it down I peel off the top non stick coating on the tape and simply press the Ruffle Blanket Binding onto it going around the whole blanket.



I leave the edges open without any stitching and not pressed onto the fabric so I can sew the binding together

 Turning the satin binding edges so the shiny side faces each other I pin and sew 1/4 inch seam

Binding turned right side out

 When I press the finished binding back down on the fabric I like to hide the seam in a *Ruffle Fold*.then I simply pin in place to hold.

Pin in place to hold

Using the Wonder Tape again I once again go around the border of the blanket on top the Ruffle Edge (about 1/4 inch from the fabric edge) and peel of the top non stick layer when done.

We are almost there!  Taking the minky fabric I lay it down face up and take the cotton panel with the ruffles and lay it face down on the minky and press down firmly along the borders where the wonder tape is to make sure it sticks firmly.

Then I pin about 6 inches apart on the bottom of the blanket to mark where I start and stop - so I can leave an opening to turn the blanket right side out when I'm done sewing the seam.

Walking Foot

Using my WALKING FOOT (very import to use this, otherwise the fabric will slip)  I stitch 1/4 inch seam.  I start at the bottom pin and sew until I get all the way around the blanket to the top pin, so as to leave about a 6 inch opening.

Using my Grid Ruler I line it up with the edge and cut off all the excess minky.  Except at the 6 inch opening where I leave an extra half inch.

Extra half inch at opening

 I like to check the edges to make sure that all of the satin binding has been stitched into the seam.  If you find that you have missed some grab the seam ripper and restitch:)

Turn the blanket right side out using the 6 inch unstitched space and tuck the unstitched edge under and pin.

Also check the backside and make sure everything is tucked neatly into place.

Finally, topstitch about 1/8 from the edge and your done!  (Don't forget to throw it in the wash to remove the Wonder Tape)  You now have a beautiful boutique style Ruffle Baby Blanket.  Enjoy!

Whats a Mommy Blogger?

Spending all day surrounded by my two girls, now 9 months and 2 years is lots of fun, unfortunately I don't have much to talk about except the crazy stuff that goes on around my house.  Usually I post this as one liners on facebook annoying all my friends who either don't have kids or just don't care.  For example my posts the last 4 days have been about the amazing feat of my 9 month old Ava getting her first 4 teeth in a record breaking 4 days!  Quite amazing in my book and anyone who has gone through the lovely experience of teething.  While my posts are usually quite entertaining I can see how many of my friends make comments about people who only talk about their kids.  But honestly - this is my life, lol.  So while in a facebook conversation with a friend who also has a little one and is usually laughing at the ridiculous updates I post about my kids, she commented that I should be a "Mommy Blogger".  A What?  I didn't even know what a "Mommy Blogger" was or that they even existed.  I just started my blog with the intention of sharing some sewing tips and such.  I completely dismissed this not really having a clue what she was talking about.  After a month or so during my never ending quest to find fun tutorials and how to's on the internet to sew stuff that I like I realized many of the sites I was visiting were crafting "Mommy Bloggers".  I also began to look at all my funny posts on facebook and realized how much funny stuff I have to talk about that other moms could identify with.  The wheels started turning and I realized how much fun it would be to share all the cuckoo crazy that goes on in my life with all the other mama's out there who are crafty mama's being entertained by their own cuckoo crazy.  So here it is- I realized essentially I have been a facebook *Mommy Blogger* this whole time!  Now that I have discovered this I have so much fun stuff to share.  My new mission:  *Mommy Blog* away!!!!

Ava - what a week - 4 teeth and up on all fours!

Win a beautiful Lovie/Security Blanket

This Weeks Giveaway Prize is a 18x22 Satin-Trim Lovie/Security Blanket!  Great Fabric Choices of Laurie Wisburn's Jack n' Jill Donkeys in Rain Boots or the beautiful Lilly Belle fabric by Bari J. Ackerman.  To enter you can scroll to the bottom of the page or enter here on facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BabyBeanzy/app_228910107186452

Baby Beanzy Week 2 Giveaway Update!

Bibs, Bibs, Bibs!!!!   Week 2 Baby Beanzy Giveaway!

2nd Choice for the Bib Set Giveaway is this stunning Karavan Collection by Valori Wells.   Some fabulous baby will get to wear these!  If you want to enter be sure to click the link below or scroll to the bottom of page to enter.

https://www.facebook.com/BabyBeanzy/app_228910107186452

Kicking off the 2nd Week of Giveaways!!!!

WEEK 2 GIVEAWAY - SET OF 3 BIBS!!!!

These beautiful Bibs in Amy Butlers "Love" fabric could be yours!  Other fabric choices will be revealed later this week.  To enter either scroll to the bottom of the page or click the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/BabyBeanzy/app_228910107186452

Final fabric choice fo the Burp Cloth Set Giveaway!!!

Ok, guys we have something a little more mature for those of you who would like something other than colorful animals (although so cute).  Either Amy Butler Tumbled Roses or Michael Miller Ta dot or both, you choose!  This set of 2 will be given away to a lucky winner Monday July 30th! 

If you still haven't entered the giveaway - go "LIKE" Baby Beanzy to enter.

4 Weeks of Give Aways!!!!

Baby Beanzy is having 4 whole weeks of Baby Gear Giveaways to be Announced each Monday!  All you have to do is go to www.facebook.com/BabyBeanzy and click "LIKE"


Each Week will be a new item give away with your choice of adorable fabrics for these too cute items!!!
Come check us out! 

Hello

Hi!  I am Shelly Morgan, a mom of McKenna and Ava, two of the most entertaining kids I know, former gymnast and coach, wife of an amazing husband, and finally owner and creator of Baby Beanzy, an online boutique specializing in children, baby, and toddler accessories and quilts.  I have always loved creating and sewing and started when I was 6 years old making my very first doll clothes.  I was lucky to have loving grandmothers who taught me the art of sewing and allowed me to pursue my creative outlet.  
  One of my favorite things has always been to cuddle up in a warm and snugly blanket made with  vibrant fabric or a beautiful design.  Now that I have two young girls, I love to make great blankets and quilts to wrap them up in.  When I realized how hard it was to find a baby blanket that could grow with a toddler and was a design mom would love, I started making these and other baby accessories that I knew would become treasured and favorite items of other moms I knew.
   I also love to search out great fabrics and designers, along with fun projects and quilt designs and wanted a place to share this with others who love these things too.  So I hope to have a lot of fun sharing all the great inspiration and adventure I find along the way!