How to Sew a Baby Blanket Lap Quilt

When our kids outgrew their cuddly baby blankets, we couldn’t bear to part with them. So, we combined them into a baby blanket lap quilt!

With our fall and winter babies, we received several fuzzy, warm baby blankets, perfect for car trips and stroller walks. As the kiddos grew, their baby blankets no longer covered both their feet and arms. When the kids were ready for cuddly couch blankets, Gigi broke out her rotary cutter and sewing machine. As quilters do, we cut apart the baby blankets and sewed them back together to create a larger lap quilt. Now, we snuggle with the kiddos, surrounded by memories of them wrapped up in their favorite baby blankets.

While we used minky, fuzzy blankets, cotton and flannel receiving blankets also make a great lap quilt. With the warmth and bulk of the fuzzy baby blankets, we didn’t add a layer of batting between the quilt top and backing fabric. Batting can be included to add warmth and loft, but is not necessary.

Quilting Tip: Rotary Cutter

One key to quilting is straight and uniform cuts. Coupled with a quilting ruler and self-healing mat, the rotary cutter makes measuring and cutting stripes, squares and triangles a breeze. Plus, the sharp wheel can cut through multiple fabric layers at one time. Because of that sharp wheel, the rotary cutter should not be used by kids.

The process is quick and fun. Working on a self-healing mat, use the quilting ruler to measure the cut. Hold the quilting ruler firmly in place and run the rotary cutter along the ruler’s edge.

Quilting Tip: Pin Basting

For me, the toughest part of quilting is holding the multiple layers of fabric in place. After laying the quilt top on the backing material, smooth both layers as flat as possible. Starting in the center, attach the top and bottom with sewing pins or safety pins every 5″-6″. Working outward, continue adding pins while smoothing the fabric. This “pin basting” holds the layers securely together. After pins in place, turn the quilt over to check for wrinkles. If wrinkles form, remove some pins, smooth the fabric and re-pin. For large quilts or when using batting, consider adding long, hand-sewn basting stitches.

Safety pins are nice as they stay firmly in place. Sewing pins are easier to remove when sewing, but keep on the lookout for stray pins and inadvertent pokes.

If you’re looking for more sewing projects, check out:

• Stuffed Animal Mermaid Tail
• Kids Outdoor Pants
• Halloween Felt Plush
• Girl’s Tiered Skirt
• How to Attach A Tulle Skirt to a Girls Dress

How to Sew a Baby Blanket Lap Quilt – Materials

How to Sew a Baby Blanket Lap Quilt

1. Design The Baby Blanket Lap Quilt

Make the lap quilt any size, limited only by the total amount of material from the baby blankets (after removing the seams). For our young kids, we’ve loved our 32″ x 50″ finished lap quilts.

Use any shape quilt block or pattern. We kept it simple with wide stripes.

2. Cut Baby Blankets Into Stripes

Cut seams or hems off the sides of the baby blankets, as close to the seam as possible. For most double layer baby blankets, cutting the side seam releases the top from the bottom layer. If the baby blanket is quilted, use a seam ripper to remove the quilt lines.

Lay the fabric flat on the cutting mat. Using rotary cutter and quilting ruler, trim one edge straight.

Measuring from that straight edge, cut 6″ stripes (or whatever width you selected). We cut 10 stripes, 6″ wide.

3. Sew Stripes Together

Lay out stripes in desired pattern.

Starting from one side, pin first 2 stripes, right sides together, and sew with 1/2″ seam allowance. Repeat until all stripes are sewn together.

Square off the edges by laying the quilt top flat on the cutting mat. Trim any uneven bits with a rotary cutter and quilt ruler.

4. Sew Binding on Baby Blanket Lap Quilt

We kept this lap quilt really simple, without any borders, binding or batting.

Place quilt top on backing material, right sides together. Smooth fabric as flat as possible. Pin baste the layers together. Cut backing even with the quilt top.

Leave a 6″ opening to turn the quilt. Mark opening with double pins. Sew around quilt with 1/2″ seam allowance, backstitching at each end.

Clip corners to remove bulk. Remove any basting pins and turn quilt right side out. Push out the corners.

At the opening, turn down fabric 1/2″, so the folded fabric lines up with side seam. Pin top and backing together along the opening and continue pinning around the sides of the quilt.

Sew around entire quilt with 1/4″ seam allowance, backstitching at each end. This forms a simple “binding” and closes the opening.

5. Quilt

Lay quilt flat and pin baste top and backing.

Sew straight quilting lines along each seam. This is called “stitch in the ditch.”

Remove any remaining pins. Enjoy snuggling in the lap quilt.

Option: Square Quilt Blocks

We also made a lap quilt of square blocks. Assembling the quilt top is slightly more complicated, as the squares are sewn into rows before sewing the rows together. We cut 4 baby blankets into 30 7″ x 7″ squares (finished square size 6″ x 6″).

Lay out the squares in desired pattern. Starting with the top row, pin the first 2 squares, right sides together, and sew with 1/2” seam allowance. Pin and sew the next square in the row, and repeat until the row is complete.

Trim any uneven bits on each side of the row using the rotary cutter and quilting ruler. Return completed row back to the laid out pattern, or use painter’s tape to label the top corner with the row number. Repeat for each row, then sew rows together. Resume at step 4 above to finish the baby blanket lap quilt.

Have you saved baby blankets that your kiddos have outgrown? Try this baby blanket lap quilt and let us know how it turns out!

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