15 Homemade Blankets to DIY This Weekend

By
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann
Lauren Thomann is a jewelry and antiques expert, sharing over 15 years of hands-on experience with DIY jewelry, gemstones, heirlooms, as well as home renovation projects. Her businesses, Ageless Heirlooms and Heirlooms at Home, focus on antiques. Lauren has also studied at the Gemological Institute of America.
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Updated on 05/04/20
A stack of knitted blankets

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Homemade blankets are charming and sentimental. Some would argue that they are cozier and more loved than store-bought ones. Therefore it's no surprise that DIY blankets make great gifts.

These blanket tutorials cover a wide range of styles and techniques. In most cases, you will be able to tailor each blanket to the needs of your family.

This list includes some no-sew options as well as more complex knitting projects. Each throw blanket can be completed in a weekend and won't require too much legwork.

  • 01 of 15

    Use Two Warm Fabrics for a Stadium Blanket

    painted throw blanket
    Making Lemonade

    To keep your family warm for outdoor sporting events in the fall, sew a double-sided throw blanket using two thick flannel fabrics. This tutorial is easily customizable for sports fans. Pick fabrics in your team's colors and paint on some matching horizontal stripes with fabric paint.

    DIY Throw Blanket Tutorial from Making Lemonade

  • 02 of 15

    Add Several Rows of Pom-Poms

    pom pom blanket tutorial
    Sugar & Cloth

    This no-sew blanket tutorial upgrades an existing throw blanket by adding a pom-pom trim. Instead of a single row, multiple rows of coordinating colors are hot glued to the blanket edge. If you use glue instead of a sewing machine, be careful when washing. It may be best to hand wash this throw to keep it intact.

    DIY Summer Pom Pom Throw from Sugar & Cloth

  • 03 of 15

    Pick out a Blanket Crochet Pattern for Beginners

    handmade crochet blanket
    Mama in a Stitch

    If you just started crocheting, don't overwhelm yourself with a complex pattern with multiple stitches. This pattern is perfect for beginners and will help them practice color changes with the simple striping design. Not only that, the finished product looks great, too.

    How to Crochet a Beginner Fall Throw Blanket from Mama in a Stitch

  • 04 of 15

    Soothe a Nervous Child With a Weighted Blanket

    diy weighted blanket
    Mollie Johanson

    Children with special needs can benefit a great deal from weighted blankets, but so can the entire family. These heavier throws have helped calm people with insomnia and other stress-related issues. In general, you should make your weighted blanket about 10 percent of the person's body weight, so a blanket for a child will be significantly lighter than one for an adult.

    How to Make a Weighted Blanket from The Spruce

    Continue to 5 of 15 below.
  • 05 of 15

    Embroider Large Patterns on a Throw Blanket

    handmade embroidery blanket
    World Market

    Transform a basic throw blanket into a beautifully bohemian accent by adding large scale embroidery. To do this, pick out three or more colors of chunky yarn and a knitting gauge needle. Plan out your pattern in advance so you have a general idea of where to start.

    Giant Embroidery Throw Blanket from World Market

  • 06 of 15

    Try This Blanket If You Don't Own a Sewing Machine

    diy fleece knotted blanket
    Mollie Johanson

    This fleece knotted blanket makes a perfect gift for kids and is so easy to make. When purchasing fleece for this project, don't cheapen out. Select an anti-pill fabric, which will make the blanket last through many washes.

    How to Make a No-Sew Fleece Blanket from The Spruce

  • 07 of 15

    Tie on Some Yarn Tassels to a Fleece Blanket

    handmade yarn tassel blanket
    A Girl and a Glue Gun

     A common way to finish the edges of a fleece blanket without a sewing machine is to tie them together. If you have some spare yarn, use it to create tassels that you can add to the edges instead.

    Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Fleece Blankets from A Girl and a Glue Gun

  • 08 of 15

    Learn How to Arm Knit a Large Chunky Blanket

    arm knit blanket
    Ohhio

    Some threads are too thick to be able to easily crochet or knit. In this instance, learn how to knit with your arms and create the ultimate chunky blanket. The site featuring this tutorial sells braided blanket kits that come with the exact amount of material needed to eliminate some of the guesswork. 

    How to Arm Knit a Super Chunky Blanket from Ohhio

    Continue to 9 of 15 below.
  • 09 of 15

    Make a Baby Blanket as a Gift

    diy baby blanket
    Mollie Johanson

    The key to making a successful blanket for a baby gift is to give it a variety of fun textures and patterns. For this tutorial, the idea isn't to make a blanket that the child will be wrapped up in. Instead, create a blanket that is smaller in scale that the child can clutch in its hands for comfort and sensory stimulation.

    How to Make a Ribbon Tab Blanket from The Spruce

  • 10 of 15

    Patch Together Pieces of Felt

    no sew felt throw blanket
    Handmade Charlotte

    This blanket was put together using old wool sweaters, but you could also make it using felt fabric remnants from other crafting projects. Instead of sewing the pieces together, each corner is held together by a yarn pom-pom. Given the fragile nature, this throw might be best for the adults in the household and not the kids or pets.

    No-Sew Felted Throw Blanket from Handmade Charlotte

  • 11 of 15

    Crochet a Chunky Knit Blanket

    crochet chunky throw blanket
    Always Rooney

    This blanket is super easy to make once you learn some basic crochet stitches. To achieve this chunky, cozy effect, pick out a thick gauge yarn and a size Q crochet hook. Save up some coupons in advance and look out for sales, because you'll need quite a few yards of yarn to complete this blanket.

    Learn to Crochet: Chunky Blanket from Always Rooney

  • 12 of 15

    Snuggle up With This Cozy Fleece Blanket

    how to make a snuggie blanket
    Mollie Johanson

    Making a blanket that you can snuggle in is not much harder than making a regular throw. This fleece snuggle blanket is perfect for reading a good book. It has built-in sleeves, so you won't have to worry about having cold arms.

    How to Make a Snuggle Blanket With Sleeves from The Spruce

    Continue to 13 of 15 below.
  • 13 of 15

    Attach Extra Large Pom-Poms to a Blanket

    diy pom pom throw blanket
    Dream a Little Bigger

    To add a luxurious element to any throw blanket, think bigger. The larger the pom-pom, the more impact it will have on the coziness of the blanket. You can purchase pre-made pom-poms or you can learn how to make them yourself.

    DIY Fuzzy Pom Pom Blanket from Dream a Little Bigger

  • 14 of 15

    Fringe the Edge of a Flannel Throw

    how to fringe flannel
    It's Always Autumn

    A very simple way to finish a blanket without a sewing machine is to fringe the edge. This technique works best on plaid flannel fabric and will look store-bought if done evenly. The result will be a rustic and cozy blanket that will make a great gift or addition to your throw collection.

    Easy DIY Fringed Flannel Throw from It's Always Autumn

  • 15 of 15

    Quilt a Blanket out of Old Sweaters

    upcycled sweater blanket
    Made by Barb

    After you "Marie Kondo" your way through your wardrobe, check out the stack of sweaters and pick out some that would work well in a patchwork blanket. This tutorial uses several dozen 9-inch squares to put together an eclectic and cozy quilt.

    Upcycled Sweater Quilt from Made by Barb