DIY Fleece Tie Blanket

Easy No-Sew Project for Kids and Adults

How to Make a Fleece Tied Blanket
Mollie Johanson
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Yield: 1 blanket
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly
  • Estimated Cost: $10

Learning how to make a fleece or felt blanket is an easy no-sew project, especially for kids and teens. This fleece blanket is made with a tied fringe edge that makes it an inexpensive and perfect gift or donation to a charity project.

Whether you've purchased a kit or simply want to start with a few pieces of fabric, follow these directions to make a soft, cozy, and warm no-sew tie blanket out of two pieces of fleece.

Fabric Requirements

The blanket pictured is a smaller lap-size blanket or child-friendly size that can be made from 1.5 yards of fleece (per side). You can use the instructions to make a blanket of any size. A blanket made with 2 yards of fleece (per side) would be the perfect size for an adult. The technique is the same, just the fabric size changes. In fact, you can use the same technique to make a no-sew pillow with a fringed edge.

Anti-pill polar fleece may be best for this project. Overly thick fleece will be tough to tie. This blanket is an appropriate project for ages 8 years and up. It will take only about 30 minutes from start to finish.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Rotary cutter
  • Cutting ruler
  • Cutting mat
  • Ruler
  • Pen or pencil
  • Scissors

Materials

  • 1 1/2 yards anti-pill polar fleece in one color or pattern
  • 1 1/2 yards anti-pill polar fleece in a second color or pattern

Instructions

  1. Cutting the Materials

    When you purchase fleece by the yard, it almost always needs to be trimmed and straightened. At the very least, you need to cut off the selvage edge.

    • Start by laying the piece of fleece that will be the back of your blanket, right side down, on your work surface. This works best on a large area of the floor. Smooth out the piece of fleece with your hands.
    • Now, lay the piece of fleece that will be the front of your blanket, right side up, on top of the first piece of fleece. Again, smooth out the piece of fleece so it lies flat.
    • Cut through both pieces of fleece, trimming it to whatever size you want your blanket to be and squaring up the edges. The cuts do not have to be perfectly even, but they should be relatively straight. Keep in mind that the finished blanket will appear about 10 to 12 inches smaller than the size you cut because of the fringe.
    Fleece Blanket Supplies and Tools
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson
  2. Measuring and Cutting the Corner Squares

    You will need to cut out a square at each corner of the blanket. This cut-out square acts as a guide to help you to create the lengths of fringe around the blanket that you will tie together. It is also a way to make the corners nice and neat when the ties are finished. Take these steps:

    • Measure a square at each corner that is the same length as what you want the fringe to be. Our sample's fringe here is about 6 inches long. (A typical square is either 5 inches or 6 inches.) This means the square will be 6 inches from each side in the corner. You can adjust this if you'd like, starting with a square that is anywhere from 4 inches (for 4-inch long long pieces of fringe) to 8 inches (for 8-inch long pieces of fringe).
    • If you are using a rotary cutter, align the cutting ruler and cut the square on the cutting mat.
    • If you are using a pencil and scissors, mark the lines for the square and cut out the square with scissors. 
    • Repeat this for each corner. Make sure that you cut through both layers of the fleece.
    • Try to cut as straight as possible, but don't worry about the lines being perfectly even. Once they are tied together, you will never notice any differences.
    Cut Squares From the Blanket Corners
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson
  3. Cutting the Fringe

    • Next, start making the fringe along each edge, cutting through both thicknesses of fleece at the same time.
    • Each strip should be the same length as your starter square and each strip should be anywhere from 1 inch to 2 inches wide. Each piece of fringe we cut on our sample here is 6 inches long.
    • If you're using a rotary cutter, use the ruler to measure and cut the strips, working around the entire blanket. 
    • If you're using scissors, measure and mark all the fringe lines first. Then go back and cut the marked lines. This will help keep the cuts straight.

    Depending on the size of your blanket, the fringe cuts may not come out even on their own. But you don't want a strip at the end that's too narrow or too wide. To fix this, take these steps:

    • When you get about 18 inches away from one end, measure how much is left to mark or cut. If the width of the strips doesn't go into that length evenly, adjust the width of the strips slightly.
    • For example, if you have about 15.5 inches left, start making the fringe just a tiny bit narrower as you go along.
    • Measure again after a few strips to be sure that the fabric divides evenly now.
    Cut Fringe Around the Edges
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson
  4. Tying the Fringe

    After all the fringe pieces are cut, you will now tie them together to form the blanket. To attach the top piece of fleece to the bottom piece of fleece, tie the two pieces of fringe like this:

    • Hold a set of fringe pieces (a back and front piece), and tie a simple square knot
    • Tie each knot so it is tight, but try not to pull at the fabric too much so it doesn't scrunch up.
    • If you want to ensure that the pieces do not come apart, tie a double knot.
    Tie the Fringe Pieces
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson
  5. Continue Tying Fringe

    Continue tying the pieces of fleece together until you have worked your way all around the blanket. Your fleece-tied blanket is now done.

    No-Sew Fleece Tied Fringe Blanket
    The Spruce / Mollie Johanson
  6. Adding Embellishments (Optional)

    You can always add a personal touch using fabric paint, embroidery, buttons, or even heat-activated crystals on the fringe or anywhere you'd like.

    How to Make a Fleece Tied Blanket
    Mollie Johanson