gifts from the heart, lora from eager hands

to finish off our first week of gifts from the heart, dear lora of eager hands will be sharing a very sweet tutorial.  lora has been a constant source of encouragement for me over the last year.  as you read her posts, you see her heart.  the commitment to living a life glorifying God is evident.  there is a realness to her words that remind me of His truth.  what an important message!  thank you lora for your willingness to share life in this manner.

this mama of five is also quite the etsian.  she gave such kind support when i opened my shop last year.  my favorite advice she passed on was to focus on the relationships with the customers, not the money.  she helped me see the shoppe as a ministry, not just a business.

now let's check out lora's project. . .  

Hi! I'm Lora. My blog and etsy shop both go by the name of eager hands. And I'm so honored to be part of Annalea's "Gifts from the Heart" tutorial series. Annalea is such a sweetie. I love her heart for God, and she is so inspiring and creative! For my little guest post, I've decided to do a tutorial for something that anyone with beginner sewing skills could make. And this gift is sure to make any little girl super happy!


So, without further ado, I offer up my:

This adorable toddler blanket is perfect for that little girl in your life! It would make such a cute Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart. And this blanket is just the right size for your little one to cuddle up with on the couch while watching her favorite movie. (It would also make an adorable baby blanket as well, or even a lap blanket for that favorite grandmother! Lots of possibilities...)

Materials needed:

vintage fabric (I used a vintage twin sized fitted sheet)

flannel receiving blanket (i used a thrifted one)

thread

pinking shears

rotary cutter and cutting mat (if you don't have these, you can use scissors)

Step 1:

Lay sheet right side up on the floor (make sure you've cut off elastic edges first if it's a fitted sheet)

Then, lay receiving blanket, right side down on top of sheet.

Step 2:

Cut sheet to the same size as the receiving blanket

Step 3:

From the scraps of vintage fabric, cut three circles with pinking shears. Pin them on the receiving blanket anywhere you wish for your appliques. (It would also be cute to do a heart, a bird, or a first initial!)

Step 4:

Sew the circles onto the receiving blanket.  Tie the loose threads underneath into knots and trim.

It doesn't have to look perfect. Just have fun!

Step 5:
Put the vintage fabric and flannel blanket together, right sides facing. Sew all around the entire blanket, leaving about a four inch opening.

Step 6:

Cut off any excess fabric, leaving about 1/4 inch all around the blanket.

Step 7:

Pull entire blanket right side out, from the four inch opening

Step 8:

Top stitch around the entire blanket, using the zig zag stitch. Sew the opening up as well.

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This easy (and inexpensive) vintage-inspired toddler blanket should take you one afternoon naptime to make. And it's sure to put a big smile on your little one's face on Valentine's Day!

finished appliques

zig zag topstitch

wrapped up with some pretty vintage lace ribbon

all ready for gift giving!

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I asked my three year old daughter, Ruth, to cuddle up with the blanket so I could take some photos:

I think she likes it!

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I had so much fun making this blanket and writing this little tutorial. Thank you, Annalea, for the opportunity!

And to spread the love, I am offering up the blanket in the photos to one lucky reader. Just head on over to my blog and enter to win a GIVEAWAY for the  
Vintage Yellow Roses Toddler Blanket !!



thank you so much lora!  the blanket turned out so cute.  and you are super sweet to offer this blanket as a giveaway! (don't forget to head over to her blog for your chance at the cuteness.)   

so how about it?  don't you think this is a project you can tackle this weekend?  please let us know if you try it.

also, can i just say how much i love the yellow roses?  so gorgeous!  do you have any more of those sheets for sale?  :)  lora's etsy shop has a great selection of vintage fabric and home decor.  she also makes beautiful jewelry - every piece is so meaningful and has a great back story.  make sure to check out her selections.