Home-sewn Baby Blanket (gift for a friend)

A friend of mine recently had a baby girl, and is not into the traditional pink everywhere look.  She and her husband have a very unique and cool style. She is also the type that really appreciates hand made gifts. I had ordered her a baby shower gift off of her amazon registry,  but I really wanted to make some handmade and useful for her beautiful baby girl. While browsing through fabrics on a site another friend had recently told me about, eQuilter, I ran into a fabric I knew my friend would love.....Menagerie from the Peacock Lane collection by Violet Craft for Michael Miller Fabrics. Isn't it just unique and lovely?  [By the way, when I returned to the site to buy more of this fabric,  I was only about to get 1.50 more yards since that was all they had left.  Not sure if any other sites still have some of this fabric left. Now on the look out for my next cool fabric find.] 

Menagerie from the Peacock Lane Collection by Violet Craft for Michael Miller Fabrics  

As soon as I saw it, I just KNEW my friend would love it! I knew I had to make something from it.  I'm not extremely good at sewing or anything, so I knew it had to be something relatively simple so I decided on making her a baby blanket. I could get it done quickly and mail it off for her and her new baby girl to enjoy, so I dusted off my old sewing machine and went to work.

Instead of using batting inside, I went to Joann's Fabrics and picked up a yard of soft, thick, flannel material was just a shade or two darker than the teal color in the pattern.  I made this baby blanket a yard long, which I think is a bit bigger than most baby blankets.  After washing the fabrics, I layed the materials together flat with the Menagerie pattern facing down on the flannel back (so the outside of both materials were up against each other).  I lined them up and pinned them down.  Then I sewed the blanket together on 3 sides.  Some people choose to also sew most of the 4th side up and leave just a bit of room to turn the blanket right side out before sealing up the last little bit of space.

I decided I wanted the 4th side (which would be either the bottom or top edge of the blanket) uniform looking, so I turned the blanket right-side-out, folded the rough edges in, and then sewed the 4th side of the blanket closed about 1/2in in from the edge.  I made 2 passes with the machine. 

Finally, I ironed the blanket, folded it up nicely,  and sent it on its way.  My friend sent me a message a few days later saying how much she loved it and how well it went with the baby's room. I felt great making something they really liked, and it felt good using my old sewing machine again after a couple years of it collecting dust.  I think one of my resolutions for the year will be to try more sewing projects.