Hey everyone. Today we're making a nursery receiving blanket, and you're going to learn how to cut a soft, baby-size blanket from a big, cozy throw.
Meet the fabric first
This is the Amber Signature Luxe Cuddle Wild Rabbit Blanket from Shannon Fabrics. It is a finished Cuddle blanket, and Luxe Cuddle is the line.
Here is what you are working with. It is Luxe Cuddle minky — 100% polyester plush, made by Shannon Fabrics.
The texture is the star here. Wild Rabbit is a dense faux rabbit fur. It feels thick, smooth, and made to be touched.
The color is Amber — warm amber tones. It is warm and calm, and it works for a nursery without shouting.
Now the numbers. This is the Signature size: 60 by 72 inches. As a blanket, it fully covers an adult on the sofa and tops a twin bed. Today we cut just one corner for baby.
Care is simple. Machine wash cold, gentle cycle. Tumble dry low. Never iron — heat crushes that plush pile for good.
The project: a nursery receiving blanket
A receiving blanket is the workhorse blanket. You swaddle with it, drape it over a shoulder, and lay it down for tummy time.
We are making a finished blanket 30 inches square. That is a good size for a newborn — big enough to wrap, small enough for a diaper bag.
Why does this blanket suit it? That dense Wild Rabbit pile is made for skin-to-softness contact, and a receiving blanket touches baby all day. Because the source blanket is 60 by 72, you need only part of one end, and the rest stays in one large piece. That warm Amber does the decorating by itself — no print to match, no piecing to plan.
Let's size it with real numbers. Cut two squares, 31 inches each. Sew them with a 1/2-inch seam allowance all around, and you land right at 30 inches finished.
Want it bigger? Completely up to you. Cut two 37-inch squares for a 36-inch finished blanket. Just measure your squares the same, both times.
Materials list
- 1 Amber Signature Luxe Cuddle Wild Rabbit Blanket, 60" x 72" — you'll cut two 31" squares from one end
- All-purpose polyester thread to match the Amber color
- Size 90/14 ballpoint or stretch needle
- Walking foot for your machine
- Long ruler, rotary cutter or sharp scissors, and a marking pen
- Plenty of pins or clips
- Hand-sewing needle for closing the opening
Brief steps
Step one. Pick one short end for your squares, so the rest stays in one piece. Mark before you cut.
Step two. Check the pile direction. Brush it with your hand. You want the pile running the same way on both squares.
Step three. Mark two 31-inch squares on the back side, and cut from the back. You will cut less pile that way.
Step four. Take your squares outside and shake them well. Cut faux fur sheds — oh my goodness, does it shed. A shake now saves cleanup later.
Step five. Pin the squares right sides together, tucking the pile inward so the fur stays out of your seams. Pin every 2 to 3 inches.
Step six. Sew all four sides with a 1/2-inch seam and a 3.0 to 3.5 millimeter stitch, roughly 8 to 10 stitches per inch. Leave a 5-inch opening in one side for turning.
Step seven. Turn it right side out through that opening. Push the corners out gently with your fingers, not a sharp point.
Step eight. Fold the opening edges in, hand-sew them closed with a ladder stitch, and brush the pile over the seam. Just like that, you're done.
Practical tips before you sew
Use that walking foot. I have sewn plush without one, and the layers crept sideways on me. I had to rip the whole seam out. Learn from my mistake, folks.
Slow down at the corners. That pile is dense and thick, and thick layers like to shift. Slow and steady keeps your square square.
Wash it before you gift it, cold and gentle. Any loose fibers from cutting will be gone.
Here is your permission beat. Your corners do not have to be perfect. A receiving blanket gets loved, washed, and wadded up — nobody is measuring it. You are your own worst critic here. Take your time. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
That leftover piece is still a generous sofa throw. Or cut a second blanket as a spare. Super duper thoughtful for a shower gift.
Alrighty. Thanks for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Amber Signature Luxe Cuddle Wild Rabbit Blanket 60" x 72" at Linda's Electric Quilters.
