Putting together old sweatshirts that have piled up through the years is how to make a sweatshirt blanket.
It’s a unique and budget-friendly gift for a loved one that may be graduating or even for yourself!
Isn’t it difficult, though? Don’t you need to put quilt stuffing inside?
The best thing about using sweatshirts, compared to T-shirts, is that they are already thick, so you don’t have to make it into a quilt to be warm. It is much simpler to make!
Why Is A Sweatshirt Blanket A Good Idea?
Everyone has a collection of sentimental sweaters hanging in their closet. You barely use them, but you would never think of throwing them away, either.
What can you do then? Why not try upcycling them? The part of the sweatshirt that really matters is the logo anyways, so why not put them together in a beautiful cloth collage?
A sweatshirt blanket is an excellent idea to save space in your closet while you still keep the sentimental value of the material.
How Many Sweatshirts Do You Need To Make A Blanket?
It depends on how big you want to make your blanket, but a safe number is twelve sweatshirts or twelve “patches.”
If you only have six hoodies, then you may cut the front with the logo and the back that is just plain cloth.
A standard sweatshirt blanket is 52 x 77 inches. The preparation time is one hour while the active time is two hours, giving you three hours to finish the whole project.
That isn’t too bad, is it?
Materials You Need To Make Your Blanket
Now that you know all the uses and benefits of a sweatshirt blanket, it’s time to get your materials ready. Here is what you need:
- Your sweatshirts
- Two yards of Sweatshirt fleece that should be around 60 inches wide
- Fifteen and a half inch square ruler
- Your sewing machine
- A rotary cutter
- A cutting mat
- A quilting ruler
The next step is to work on your project!
Step-By-Step Process On How To Make A Sweatshirt Blanket
This project won’t take long, and you don’t have to worry about the design. Your sweatshirts have it all for you!
Step#1. Prepare the sweatshirt patches
Make sure your materials are all clean, and prewash your sweatshirt fleece backing.
Separate the front and back parts of the shirt and remove the sleeves.
Center your square ruler on your material and cut.
Step#2. Sew the squares together
Arrange your squares into four rows with three pieces each. Now, sew them all together.
Step#3. Add the backing and binding
Align your fleece to the center of your patches and pin them together. There may be some “dog-eared” flaps at the end, but that’s alright.
You may notice that the fleece shrank slightly after washing. Don’t worry about this though, it’s normal and easy to adjust.
Step#4. Sew the sweatshirts to the backing
Your piece will be inside out at this point. Stitch the backing to the squares and sew a half-inch from the edge.
Continue this around the blanket but leave a twelve-inch hole on one side, then turn your blanket right side out.
Step#5. Make the corners
Fold your blanket diagonally, then draw a line across the “dog eared” parts. Stitch along this mark and repeat it on all four corners.
Remember to check that all the corners are sewn correctly before you finish up your project.
Step#6. Finish up your blanket
Ensure your blanket is right side out, pin the opening you left, and run all the edges of your piece through the sewing machine.
Remember to align your work with the binding when you do this.
Now you’re done! Time to give your masterpiece to your loved one.
Can You Add T-Shirts To A Sweatshirt Blanket?
What if you don’t have enough sweatshirts, but you’re itching to start your project? You have a menagerie of shirts, can you use them?
Surprisingly, T-shirts are the more popular material for crafts like these. Luckily, you can mix a few with a sweatshirt blanket and vice versa.
Just make sure the thickness of the material is somewhat similar to maintain the texture of your work.
How To Care For Your Sweatshirt Blanket
The next thing you need to think about when you have a blanket is if it gets dirty. How should you wash it?
Care for sweatshirt blankets is similar to T-shirt quilts. Check if the colors run, and if everything is alright, place it in a washing machine with cold water.
For fabrics that run, bring them to the dry cleaners or a professional laundromat.
It’s recommended to use a dryer for your blanket. Line-drying it may leave it crumpled and crunchy.
Check if your blanket develops any holes or loose thread. Mend the hole as soon as you see one and clip the threads that you see.
Conclusion
This blanket is a quirky and unique craft you can try. When you learn how to make a sweatshirt blanket, you will be able to save much-needed space in your closet.
You will have a piece that is beautiful and full of sentimental value!