Give a Kid a Great Big Hug! Blankets for Kids with Cancer Via Cure4Cam Childhood Cancer Foundation

(Tied-fleece, no sew)

Supplies

(2) 2 yard coordinating pieces of fleece fabric (must be clean and new)  - Blizzard or Anti-pill fleece

Although the really soft silky “furry” fleece is tempting, it is better suited for sewn edges.

sharp scissors or rotary cutter

ruler

masking tape

IMPORTANT NOTE.  **Due to the fact that many of the medications a childhood cancer patient has to take compromise their immune system and they are subsequently not able to fight infection, blankets should be made in a clean, pet free, smoke free environment. If the blankets are delivered through Cure4Cam, Cure4Cam will wash and individually package the blankets prior to delivering them to the patient. To help Cure4Cam brighten the life of a child with cancer in another area of the country, please contact regina@cure4cam.org for recommendations on how to find a good home for your blanket(s)!

Step 1: Lay one 2 yard piece of fleece on top of the other with the wrong sides together (Right sides will be facing away from each other as these will be the sides the child will see.) 

Step 2: Even out the edges so that the pieces match up as closely as possible. (Fabric widths many vary a bit from one kind to another.)

Step 3: IMPORTANT: Trim ALL 4 SIDES with fabric pieces together, making them even. Make sure side edges having “brand names” (i.e., Joann’s Fabric, etc.) or other writing, as well as “curled” edges, are completely trimmed off. 

Step 4: Measure 7 inches up from each side towards the center of the blanket, marking evenly with masking tape. This will create squares in the corners. The tape will lie 7 inches away, but will be parallel to the edge of the fabric on all 4 sides. This will be the length of the strips that are tied. Shorter ones are more difficult to tie.

Step 5: Cut inside the squares formed by the masking tape (where they cross) along the tape edge at each corner. This will help keep the blanket from gathering and curling at the corners and will give an overall neater appearance. Please SAVE these squares and send them to Cure4Cam with the finished blanket for repurposing.

Step 6: Leaving the masking tape in place, cut strips through the two layers of fabric from the edge of the blanket to the tape. Strips should be even and about 1” wide. (Too much wider and the strips become difficult to tie.) This may be done by repeatedly cutting alongside a 1”ruler or by notching the edge of the fabric at 1” intervals then cutting up to the tape from there.  Alternatively, take a 7-inch piece of 1”wide masking tape (call this the “short” tape), position it alongside the square space that you previously made. Cut along the short tape to the 7” tapeline that goes the length of the blanket. Move the short tape over and repeat.

Step 7: Repeat on all 4 sides.

Step 8: Start tying paired strips. Use the balloon tie… It’s a neater than other knots and does not come out in the wash! Hold one strip (2 layers of fabric) together.  Loop them up, crossing over the top of the strip (OVER). Bring the ends to the backside of the strip (UNDER) Insert ends of strip from the backside through the loop (THROUGH), returning the ends to the front. Still holding the knot, slide the knot up to the top of the strip. (Be careful not to pull it too tight or blanket edge will not lay straight.) Repeat for all paired strips.

Congratulations! You have just made a Great Big Hug!  Thanks!

SEE SLIDE SHOW BELOW FOR GUIDANCE. Just one more thing….the slide show below ends with a photos of a card that will get sent with the blanket. Let us know the first names of those who make the blanket and how to get the blanket(s) from you! (local only) Thanks!!

Email: regina@cure4cam.org