How to Make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket the Ultimate DIY Guide

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Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Learn How to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket with this Ultimate DIY Guide. The Fleece blanket has so many uses.  It makes a wonderful handmade gift.  It also is favorite among charities and hospitals.  Tie blankets are easy to make, can be inexpensive and are a soft, warm bit of comfort to the recipient.  I’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to make a fleece tie blanket, including my tips and tricks to make it look nice and the process fast.

In this tutorial I’ll share with you:

The different sizes of Fleece Blanket and the yardage needed for them.

If you need to wash fleece before you begin.

What the best fleece to use is.

Other fabric you can use for a no sew tie blanket. 

How to cut fleece straight.

3 methods of tying a No Sew Fleece Blanket

 – Loop and Pull

 – Square Knot

 – Braid

Plus I’ve designed free templates for you to make the process faster and easier 

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

How much fleece do you need for a Tie blanket or How many yards?

Below is a list with all the information you need – since fleece blankets can vary in size.

Baby size blanket – 1 yard of fleece in each color (36  by 52 inches)

Child size blanket – 1 ½ of Fleece in each color for (60 by 48 inches) 

Pet size blanket – 1 yard of fleece in each color (36 inches by 52 inches) for medium to large animals and 3/4 yard  ( 27 to 48 inches for smaller animals)

Throw Size Blanket – 2 yards of Fleece in each color (60 by 72 inches ) for a generous throw I prefer this size since tying the blanket make it smaller and shorter

How to make a Fleece Tie Blanket wider to fit a bed:

If it’s larger than a twin it will require you to tie pieces of fabric together to make the blanket larger.  An alternative would be to make a no sew tie quilt blanket, however Sewing a blanket would be much faster and effective.

Twin Size blanket – 2 yards of Fleece for a Twin – large throw size (But recommend the braid method so less of the blanket is used for ties)

Full/ Double/ Queen – 4 yards of fleece in each color (86 inches by 90 inches.  will need to tie/ sew additional fleece together as the fabric will not be wide enough)

King – 4 yards of fleece in each color (102 by 86 inches. Will need to tie/ sew additional fleece together as the fabric will not be wide enough.)

Do you wash fleece before making a No Sew tie blanket?

No, you do not need to wash fleece before tying it.  It is recommended that you wash it before donating or before use.

What is the best fleece to use for a tie blanket?

The best fleece is usually the more inexpensive blizzard fleece or no pill fleece.  This fleece has less stretch to it and is warm.  The fleece you should not use is minky, and coral.  Basically anything that is furry or has a pile to it is out.  The fabric should be flat (smooth to the touch).

What other fabric can I use on a no sew tie blanket?

Jersey knit (t-shirt fabric) pairs nicely with fleece and can make a lighter blanket.  Cotton and flannel, WILL NOT WORK for this method.  They are not knit fabrics and will turned into a ragged, stringy mess (and not in a rag quilt good way) using this method.

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Items Needed:

Recommended yardage of Fleece (see the reference above)

Ruler (optional)

Scissors (I like these)

Rotary Cutter Ruler and mat (highly recommended)

Fleece Fun’s Free templates available by filling out the form at the end of the post (Tip: Print these on cardstock to make them extra sturdy).

How to Make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket the Ultimate DIY Guide

Loop and Pull Method

The loop and pull method is the go to method of tying a fleece blanket.  It’s fast, secure and looks tidy.  It’s only down fall is that the ties take up a lot of fabric.  This is why I’m showing you a few different methods to tying a no sew fleece blanket.

Step 1 –  Prep the Fleece

Cutting off selvege. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Cut off the selvedges – these are the sides of the fabric that have writing on it and sometimes has a different texture or tiny holes in the fabric.

What the edge ofthe fleece looks like. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

The selvages are on both edges of the fleece.

You can use scissors or a rotary blade , ruler and mat. Make sure the blanket is the proper length and width for what you want to make.

How do you cut fleece fabric straight?

If you are cutting long lengths of fabric do not cut through more than two layers at a time.  Make sure your cutting instrument is sharp.  Because fleece has some stretch to it – it’s important to use a cutting mat to help line up the fabric.  Make sure that there are no wrinkles or bunching of the fabric and that it is laying smooth. I highly recommend using a rotary cutter to get clean straight edges and for speed.  If cutting with scissors, take your time and use long fluid snips – this will help prevent a choppy look along the edges of the fringe.

Step 2 –  Cut the Corners to the No Sew Blanket

For demonstration purposes I am using a smaller square – but this method will translate to your whole no sew tie blanket.  I find that this is easiest to manages on a large flat surface like a dining table or wood/ laminate floor. 

Decide on the method you are using for the blanket as this will determine the size of square that you will cut at each of the corners of the fleece tie blanket. For the loop and pull method this means we’ll use the 6 inch squares and template. 

fabric layered on top of eachother. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Place the fabric on top of each other – right side facing out ( the right side should be facing up at and you and on the bottom fabric it should be facing the floor. 

Different cutting tools listed for cutting. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Once the fabric is lined up – Cut out the squares out of each of the 4 corners.

Yours will look like this but with more space between the corners on your blanket.

For even faster and easier cutting you can purchase an acrylic template for the tie blanket here.

Step 3-  Cut the Ties to the Fleece Blanket

Now that all corners are cut it’s time to cut the fringe for the ties.

There are a couple of ways you can do this.  

using a ruller to cut the fringe. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Using a ruler measure 6 inches from the bottom and cut a slit in the two fabrics.  Repeat this method along the edge using the ruler are the width of the ties.

The other way is using the templates that you can get at the form at the end of the post.

how the fleece tie blnaket templates work. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Cut out the templates – be sure to remove the small black rectangle between each ties as this will make is easier to use

(it gives space for the scissors).

how template is used. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Using Fleece Fun’s Free template – lay the bottom on the edge and snip in between each strip as shown.  Continue until you reach the next corner.

The last strip/ fringe most likely won’t line up perfectly.  I use the one and a half rule – If the size of the strip is more than one and half times larger than the strips cut it in half, if it’s less – just leave it a little fatter than the others.

Repeat this process for each side of the blanket.

Step 4-  Tie the Ties to the Fleece Blanket

Caution: Fleece has a stretch to it.  It can be over stretched.  If you pull too hard you will warp the blanket.  Practice on a scrap to get the right feel for the fleece that you are working on!

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Notice that the fleece strips aren’t cut absolutely perfect.  Fleece is very forgiving.  The blanket will look great once it’s tied.

How to tie a fleece blanket:

Start by gathering two ties  that are sitting on top of each other. Keep them together.

Wrap them around two fingers to form a loop.

Here is another angle.

Pull the ends through this loop –

making it so the bottom fabric sits on top for a nice contrast. 

Another angle.

Gently tighten the loop to the top of the ties. 

Repeat all down the edge until all the fringe is tied. 

Repeat for each side. To get the blanket to lay flat and look less rippled – just tug between the ties a little to help it lay flat.

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Square Knot Method

This method of tie blanket is very similar to the  the one above – but the ties are tied differently.

I personally don’t care for this method as the knots are harder and it can make the blanket more rippled/ bumpy.  But if you want to make sure that the ties are secure – they are tighter and harder to undo with this method.

Follow steps 1 – 3 as above.

To Tie the blanket take the two ties ( the one from the top fabric and the one from the bottom) and separate them.

Tie the two ties together right over left

Tighten to the top of the ties.

and then left over right. 

Making sure the knot is at the top of the ties. Repeat with all the fringe.

Braided or Crochet Tie Blanket Method

The braid is pretty but does require more snipping.  Some people also don’t care for how the braid can make the edges of the blanket feel heavy.  It’s really just a matter of personal preference.  Downside – if one goes is starts a chain reaction that unravels the blanket. they all go.  But it is a different look and because the ties are shorter it  allows more of the blanket material to be used.

Step 1 –  Prep the Fleece for tying 

Cut off the selvages on either side of the fabric. Cut the fleece to the size of blanket you are making.

Step 2 –  Cut the Corners to the Braided No Sew Blanket

Again for demonstration purposes I’m using a smaller square – you’re blanket will be larger.

Lay and line up the two layers.  Make sure right sides are facing out.

For the the braided no sew fleece blanket the corners are 3″ by 3″ or you can just use the template.

Cut each corner out.

Step 3-  Cut the Loops to the Braided Fleece Blanket

Using a ruler or the template cut ties that are 3″ long

all the way down the side.

Next fold each tie in half and snip a slit into each one about .5″ long to the top ties.

Repeat with the bottom ties. 

Note: While you can snip through both ties at the same time – I find that the cuts are better and more accurate if done separately.

Step 4 – Braid the Ties to the No Sew blanket

Taking the first ties ( the top and bottom fabric) use your finger to open up the holes in the center – keeping the ties together.

Take the next set of ties on the left 

and pull both ties through the first tie.

With the second tie pulled through, use your fingers to open the holes in the second tie.

Pull the third ties through the second. 

Braidn continued. Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Continue on in this manner until you get to the corner.  For the corner simply grab the next tie on the new side and continue on.

When you get to the last tie and are where you started on the blanket, tying off the blanket is simple.

Pull the tie though like normal.  Now there are no ties left. Take the two ties and spit them apart.

Going to the first tie that you braided, thread the ties underneath  it (The loop space between the blanket and the braid) Thread on tie one side and the other on the opposite.  Pull the ties though so they are hooked underneath and come out the other side.

Tie the two ties into a secure knot to finish the blanket.

see instructions.

Tuck the ends into the braid so it can’t be seen.

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

Here’s the final result from side one.

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

And side two.  If you don’t like the tag ends sticking out you can tuck them into the braid.

Learn how to make a No Sew Fleece Tie Blanket 3 different ways. Never before seen techniques and FREE templates to make it fast and easy.

There’s you guide to making a fleece tie blanket!

You can purchase an acrylic template for the tie blanket here.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PATTERN HERE.

You can get a free copy of Adobe reader here. By downloading  you are agreeing to pattern terms of use.  Fill out the form to get it sent right to you. Can’t see the form?  Try here.

More Fleece Blanket Tutorials:

More No Sew Projects:

You Might also like these free Fleece Hat Patterns:

You can see a quick version of Fleece Tie Blanket DIY here.

6 Comments

  1. These look great! I will be making fleece blankets with my granddaughters this summer.
    Thank you!!

  2. Hi Angel,
    Your projects are so easy to do. I have made several stretchy car seat covers, and for my girly gifts at christmas I made 5 hooded blankets. The oldest granddaughter (15) if she is home she has it on. My tied blankets never look smooth like yours. I will use you methods next time.
    I love Project Linus as my charity. Thanks!!

  3. I have made many fleece quilts. I wonder if you’ve come up with anything for the corner squares?.they re just so small to do much with, you seem to have lots of good ideas!
    I’ve been saving them just in case (I have a bag full)
    I really hate to waste them

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