I commissioned my friend Katie to make me a chevron cut chenille throw blanket and it arrived today! It’s absolutely gorgeous and I’m over the moon about it. I love the bright aqua chevron stripes with the contrasting sunny yellow edging and chenille-style backing. I was inspired by the work in her Etsy shop, Mr. Kitty Is My Name, and knew I wanted one of her fabulous blankets!
For those of you who have never seen this style of cut chenille, it’s created by a very time-consuming but worthwhile process. You sew half-inch to one-inch lines along a set of fabrics that have been layered together (a pretty fabric for the front and different colors of flannel fabric for the back), and then cut the flannel channels made with the sewing. When the blanket is washed and dried, the flannel creates the chenille because since it it is cut on an angle (the bias) it fluffs rather than frays.
I’d been lusting after this blanket since seeing the online tutorial for it about a year ago. However, I’ve loathe sewing machines since I was “taught” to use one in a 7th grade Home Ec. class back in the ’90s, so getting my dream blanket seemed like a far-off wish. Until Katie started her cute little shop and I realized my dream could be a reality! For this blanket, Katie went the extra mile, sewing along the lines of the chevrons to create a lovely zigzag pattern on the chenille side.
As you can see from the images below, I laid this out on the floor and went away to find my camera. By the time I had returned, someone had ensconced herself on the blanket. She didn’t believe me when I told her that white and blue do not match black kitties, promptly rolling over to show me her belly as a response. Sigh.
I love my new blanket, it’s totally awesome, and the perfect size for me to wrap myself in it and take a nap. Which I may or may not have already done. 😉
Exchanging Fire 