Sweet, Sweet Bowties

When we went to San Diego a few weeks ago, we stopped at a tiny little cottage quilt shop on the way home. I wasn't really that impressed with their fabric selection, but I did find a few inspirational pieces that I sneakily snuck iPhone photos of. :o)

I don't know how to download them here. Nor does it matter. What matters is that I have already made one of them! :o)

We've all seen the fleece tie-a-knot blankets, right? Yeah. 2005 is calling, and wants its craft-fad back. I will admit, however, that they are stinkin' easy, and snuggly warm. And I'll also admit that I've made a few.

One thing I don't particularly like about them is that tying the knots HURTS. MY. WRISTS. And I think cutting the strips does, too. But I know tying the knots hurts. For days. :-(  And since I don't really like doing things that hurt (umm, pregnant, anyone?), I don't really make these anymore.

The fleece-makers of the world, however, do not seem to know (or care) that I don't like to make these blankets, and they have the nerve to continue to make adorable fleece! Dang them.

And since I have been feeling rather less-than-accomplished with my crafting ventures, and since I need to feel like I have, you know, completed a task every now and then, I decided to take some time (about an hour and a half, to be exact) over the weekend and try my hand at making one of these new-fangled, no-sew fleece blankets. And will likely make more.

I would like to say, before I go on, that I didn't see a pattern for sale for this idea, nor did I see any kind of sign claiming intellectual property on it. So I am only sorta-kinda stealing the idea. And I refuse to feel guilty about it. (Unless someone comes along and tells me what I've done is illegal.) (And then I will point them to Etsy and ask what that's all about!)

And so, without further ado, I give you The Sweet, Sweet Bowtie Blankie.

 The finished blanket (30x36"-ish)

A close-up of one bow.

I think the bowties are too sweet for a blanket for a baby boy - do you? And, sadly for me, of the (wait, lemme count 'em) SIX (or is it 8?) pregnant women I know, I am the only one gestating a girl. Wait, no. Make that 9. NINE baby boys. One girl.  Competition is gonna be fierce for my girl in 28 years, no?

So I don't see me making any of these for the baby boys I know. And as much as I planned to save this one for Sprout, Mookie kinda sorta already thinks it's her "ni-ni binkie". So, it looks like I might be using the other half yards to make one for Sprout. Again. :o)  Good thing it was easy!

Do you want a tutorial, or are you satisfied with just a photo? Lemme know. It wasn't really that hard...I mean, I figured it out, and I'm 18 kinds of stupid with this pregnant brain of mine, so I know you can, too. It's just that if I did a tutorial, I could give you a few tips on things I would do differently next time.Plus, if I do a post with the tutorial, then you'll get to see what kind of lame goofiness I can create with an expensive camera. :o)