Hey everyone. Today you will learn how to turn one big wide-back Cuddle cut into a cozy throw blanket for your couch.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
This is the 3 Yard Cuddle 110" Cut in Charcoal, from Shannon Fabrics.
It is their classic Solid Cuddle 3 minky plush.
It comes as a wide back pre-cut.
You get 3 yards, and the width is 108/110 inches.
That is a whole lot of soft, y'all.
The surface is smooth and ultra-soft.
The pile is 3mm, so it feels plush without getting bulky.
It is 100% polyester.
And Charcoal is a deep, friendly gray. It goes with just about any couch, chair, or quilt already in the room.
Care is simple too. Machine wash cold with like colors. No fabric softener. Tumble dry with no heat, and no dryer sheet.
Why this fabric suits a Cuddle throw blanket
A throw blanket has one job, folks.
Be there when somebody is cold.
Movie night, reading time, a quick nap. This is the blanket grabbed first.
This Cuddle holds up to that daily use, and that smooth surface feels good against hands, faces, and bare feet.
I really, really like the size math here. One pre-cut is 3 yards long by 108/110 inches wide. You can cut a generous throw, about 50 by 60 inches finished, with Cuddle on both sides, and still have fabric left for a pillow cover.
A self-backed version is the simplest place to start. No batting, no separate backing, just soft on soft.
Materials list
- 3 Yard Cuddle 110" Cut - Charcoal — about 1 3/4 yards of the pre-cut for one 50" x 60" self-backed throw
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, and a big cutting mat
- Pins or clips — lots of them, every 1 to 2 inches
- Walking foot for your machine
- 90/14 ballpoint or stretch needle
- Polyester thread to match, and a 3.0 to 3.5mm stitch length
- Hand-sewing needle for closing the turning gap
- Chopstick or turning tool for the corners
Brief steps
1. Shake the fabric outside first. Cut edges shed a little fluff. That is normal.
2. Watch the nap. Rub your hand down the fabric. Smooth is the direction you want running from top to bottom on both layers.
3. Cut two rectangles, each 51 by 61 inches. That gives you a finished throw near 50 by 60 inches with 1/2-inch seams. Cut single layers when you can. It is worth it.
4. Place the layers right sides together, nap running the same way. Pin or clip every 1 to 2 inches. This fabric likes to travel, folks. Pinning is how you tell it to stay put.
5. Sew around all four sides with a 1/2-inch seam allowance and that 3.0 to 3.5mm stitch length. Leave a 6-inch opening on one long side for turning.
6. Slow down at the corners. Slow down or the needle snaps — well, forcing a thick corner sure can make it complain. Pivot with the needle down.
7. Clip the corners at an angle, close to but not through the stitching. Turn the throw right side out through the opening. Push the corners out gently with a chopstick.
8. Press with your hands only, never a hot iron on this pile. Fold the opening edges in, pin well, and ladder-stitch it closed by hand. Just like that.
9. Topstitch around the edge, about 1/4 inch in, if you like a finished frame. Or leave it plain and soft. Completely up to you.
Practical tips from my table
Test your stitching on a scrap first. Give the seam a gentle pull. If it grins open, shorten your stitch a touch.
Use a walking foot from the start. It feeds both layers together, so your corners line up.
Check the nap one last time before you sew. I have sewn two layers running opposite ways. Oh my goodness. The colors looked different, and yes, I took it apart and fixed it. Learn from my seam ripper, y'all.
Wash it the way the care directions say. Cold wash, no softener, no heat to dry. That keeps the pile soft.
And here is your permission beat, because we all need one: it does not have to be perfect. A wobbly topstitch will never matter to the person snuggled under it on a cold night. You are your own worst critic. Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
This is a super duper easy weekend make, and it leaves you with the coziest seat in the house.
Thanks for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 3 Yard Cuddle 110" Cut - Charcoal at Linda's Electric Quilters.
