Even more satisfying than completing the projects on time, was to watch how genuinely THRILLED my nephews were to receive their own personalized blanket. I was hoping that the boys would like them, but was pleasantly surprised by just how much they absolutely loved them! The two and five year old boys were especially fond of them. Those blankets became accessories for fort building and companions on their many playful adventures. They carried those blankets with them all weekend long. Even my daughter enjoyed playing with them. I'll have to make her one in the future.
Each blanket is slightly different, as I modified my technique along the way. The boys' blankets are sewn bound along the edges, and the girl's was finished with a slit and loop tie. I found these sites, here and here, to be helpful in describing the basic gist of quillow making.
CJB's follows the basic outline described in the websites linked above. K's is a baby blanket and on the remaining three, I modified the pocket and folding techniques to result in a fuller, more comfortable, and rectangular shaped pillow. The three large rectangle quillows are folded into fourths and then sixths. I used a yard and a half of fleece for the big kid blankets, and a much smaller piece for the baby blanket. Regardless of how much fabric you use, the pocket size for this version is determined by adding 1-2" to the folded dimensions.
The personalized applique was cut out of 25 cent felt sheets, ironed on with Heat n' Bond, and then topstitched. It is helpful to use a shorter stitch length and to leave the needle in the down position while pivoting the corners.
