Kid’s Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags || Free clever craft ideas, sewing patterns, templates and printables || Merriment Design

Kid’s Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Baby & Kids, DIY Gift Ideas, Free Patterns, Sewing Projects

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and sewing pattern

I made this toy travel blanket for Elise’s first plane flight. We were flying to Maine and I wanted any toys she dropped to stay in our seats rather than fall into the filthy abyss of the airplane floor.

Check out the Snag Free VELCRO loops on the blanket border to attach toys. Instead of using traditional VELCRO fasteners that come in two pieces, I used just *one* piece of VELCRO Snag Free Sew On Tape that I found when I went to buy VELCRO.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern template

All you do is close it and it sticks to itself like so…

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern template

So clean. And no snag is a huge plus for something that I’ll be carrying close to my own clothing.

I added some recycled ribbons and vintage ric rac to keep Elise occupied while confined in her window seat …she loves to pick at things with her fingers and the different ribbons – sheer/solid, grosgrain/satin, tulle/ric rac – lets her experience different textures. But honestly, the best part is the Velcro for the toys so you could easily skip the ribbons entirely.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

I finally got to use this super cute Russian matryoshka dolly fabric that my friend Heather bought me on one of her famous roadtrips, and I recycled one of Elise’s super soft old swaddling blankets for the back…

How to make a Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

…and added two pockets to store small books and toys using VELCRO Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape to keep them safe.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

My friend Macki Cayloma West, traveling mom extraordinaire, inspired the kid’s toy travel blanket. Macki created her original toy travel blanket by sewing traditional two-piece Velcro loops on a flannel receiving blanket. Then she attached toys onto the blanket like so:

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

I like the VELCRO Snag Free Sew On Tape on the perimeter because the VELCRO is there when you need it and out of the way when you don’t. Snag Free VELCRO feels softer and stays clean of threads and other gunk. But you can really use either type of Velcro – placed in the middle or on the border or both – and get a good blanket.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Whether you make a simple travel blanket or more elaborate version, toys you take on trips are more likely to join you on the way back!

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

WANNA MAKE IT? Free template, supply list and DIY step-by-step instructions for creating a kid’s travel toy blanket with VELCRO loops after the jump –>

How to make a kid's travel blanket Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops

Supplies (for finished size kid’s travel blanket 23″ x 29″):

3/4 yard patterned fabric (I used Russian dollies)
VELCRO Snag Free Sew On Tape
VELCRO Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape
Assorted ribbons – I collect ones from gifts, boutique purchases, etc. in my ribbon drawer
or new ric rac
An old rectangle swadding blanket – mine was 24×30 (alternatively, 3/4 yard of flannel fabric or polar fleece fabric)
Good fabric scissors
Pins
Thread
Good iron and ironing board
Sewing machine
Rotary fabric cutter, self-healing cutting mat and clear acrylic ruler

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Create blanket front and pockets
Select an old swaddling blanket that you no longer use. Mine was 24″x30.” If you’re using fleece/flannel, cut one piece 24″x30″.

How to make a Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Cut your patterned fabric the same size as your swaddling blanket using your rotary fabric cutter, self-healing cutting mat and clear acrylic ruler. Again, mine was 24″x30″.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Next, cut your pockets. Elise’s small books are 3.5″ x 3.5″ so I designed these pockets with that in mind. Cut one pocket 6-1/2″ x 14″ and a second pocket 6-1/2″ x 10″. Starting with the 14″ wide pocket, turn down the top edge 1/4″ and press. Turn down again 1/4th” and press. (NOTE: I did 1/4″ because I didn’t want to cut off her eyes; you can turn down 1/2″ and 1/2″ if you’d like.)

Topstitch the top of the pocket down close to the edge.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Turn down the left side and bottom of the pocket and press. Place a pin at 4″. Cut two pieces of Velcro Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape (mine were 2″ and 3″ long).

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Follow package directions to adhere the Velcro Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Place the second side of the VELCRO Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape on your pocket so you can be sure to place the VELCRO in the right place.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Iron following the Velcro Fabric Fusion Iron On Tape packaging directions to adhere.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Pin your pocket in place wherever you want it to be on the blanket, matching patterns. Notice that this pocket is pinned all the way to the seam, which is why you didn’t need to turn down the right side of the pocket. I love pockets that run into seams :)

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Sew two rows of stitching, one very close to the edge and one 0.5″ inside. Sew two rows of stitching through the middle of the pocket to create two pockets from the one piece of fabric. Mine was 5-1/2″ from the left side.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Repeat these steps with your other pocket but this time turn down both sides of the pocket. Also, this pocket is smaller so no need to sew down the middle.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

I tucked a ribbon loop into the left side seam of the second pocket because I thought it looked cute. Follow the steps above to sew two rows of stitching around the pocket and iron on the VELCRO backing.

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags free DIY tutorial and pattern

Create ribbon, ric rac and Velcro border
Collect or buy an assortment of ribbons and ric rac – satin, grosgrain, tulle, metallic, sewn, patterned, go nuts! I hoard ribbons from gifts, shopping, etc. and my friend Susan gave me vintage ric rac so I recycled quite a variety for this blanket.

Here are some current vintage ribbon auctions on ebay:

Kid's Travel Toy Blanket with Velcro Loops and Ribbon Tags

Cut enough so that you have ribbon, ric rac or Velcro every 3-4 inches. This means for each 24″ side you’ll need 6-8 ribbons/Velcro, and for each 30″ side you’ll need 8-10 ribbons, for a total of about 28-36 ribbons. Cut ribbons into 4″ pieces each.