DIY Taggy Blanket

By: Stephanie
On: June 30, 2021

One of the baby items that I make personalized for each of my kids is a taggy blanket. They are so fun to make and babies love the texture and colors. In fact, my daughter still sleeps and plays with her taggy blanket at four years old. You can customize them and use virtually any theme you want. Do you want a fun blanket that is also an activity for your child? I’ve got you covered. Let me show you how to make your very own!

What You’ll Need

Supplies needed for the taggy blanket DIY

Cotton fabric
Minky or plush fabric
Thread
Ribbon variety
Sewing machine
Cutting tools

COTTON FABRIC
You will need enough cotton fabric for a 12in x 12in square. I have gotten fabric at Jo Ann’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and online. I personally prefer to use cotton for taggy blankets because the backing will be soft, but you can use flannel if you wish.

MINKY FABRIC
You will need enough minky or plush fabric for a 12in x 12in square. I have gotten fabric at Jo Ann’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and online. You could also use flannel for the backing but I prefer to use the super soft minky and plush fabrics.

THREAD
Grab some colored thread that matches your fabric. This is for sewing around the edges.

RIBBON VARIETY
You’ll need a variety of ribbons. I typically use 1″ and 1 1/2″ ribbons. I try to use a mix of textures and patterns. You’ll want at least 4 different kinds. I typically use 6.

SEWING MACHINE
For sewing everything together.

CUTTING TOOLS
You’ll need all your preferred items for cutting fabric.
1) A cutting board or table
2) Scissors or a rolling cutter
3) Measuring tools such as a measuring mat, ruler, etc.
4) A fabric pen or pencil to mark the fabric if you use one

Let’s Get Started

STEP #1
Measure and cut a 12in x 12in square out of the cotton fabric.

STEP #2
Measure and cut a 12″ x 12″ square out of the minky/plush fabric.

STEP #3
Measure and cut 16 pieces of the ribbon options. I cut mine about 8″ long.

STEP #4
Fold the 16 ribbon pieces in half. Space out the ribbon pieces evenly with 4 on each side of the cotton square. Leave 1″ of space on each corner. Pin the ribbons into place facing inward on the right side of the fabric. I usually leave a little of the ribbon hanging off the end to make sure it attaches when you sew it on.

STEP #5
Staying close to the edge of the fabric, sew the ribbon into place on the cotton fabric. Cut the excess ribbon so the ribbon and fabric are even.

STEP #6
Pin the minky/plush fabric to the cotton fabric with the right sides together. The ribbons will be on the inside.

Sewing how-to attach the front and back fabrics

STEP #7
Sew the two pieces of fabric together with the seam closer to the middle of the fabric than the first seam. Make sure to leave a gap to turn the fabric right side out. I typically leave about a 2″ gap.

Sewing how-to leaving a 2" gap to turn fabric

STEP #8
Using the 2″ gap that you left, turn the fabric right side out. Smooth out the fabric.

STEP #9
Fold and pin the opening edges inward so that it matches how the rest of the blanket edge looks. Sew a top stitch all the way around the fabric, including sewing the gap closed. I try to keep it close to the edge of the fabric and run the seam over the ribbon on the inside to help secure it in place even more.

And there you have it! You can now make your very own taggy blankets for your little ones using your favorite fabrics. Happy creating!