This is a DIY tutorial post with general instructions for making quilted blanket cover using used saris and thus is a recycling project too.
Namaste and hello Dear Tantu readers!
Hope you are doing great! Its long since I shared some DIY tutorial with you. It’s finally raining in Pune and that made me think of making a quilted blanket cover. Same is in front of you today as a tutorial!
Quilted Blanket Cover
This is a blanket cover that is done using some techniques of quilting. This blanket cover is for a double blanket of about 82″x90″ size. Beginners please note, this is not a DIY for making a quilt in true form. (After reading a comment from one of my reader, I felt I need to clarify this as I must not mislead any one.)
Quilted Blanket Cover made by Upcycling Saris
We were gifted a beautiful fuzzy blanket almost two years ago, which we have been using during winter. It becomes so heavy when dipped in water that washing becomes very difficult. So, I had to make a light and washable cover for that. I took used cotton and voile saris for making a quilted cover. Just yesterday I completed this quilted blanket cover, which I was busy making for last 6 days.
Requirements
I took a parrot green cotton sari with orange border for the front part. I decided to use a mixed coloured floral printed voile sari for quilting on top of this parrot green sari. A pale orange voile sari with pale green border was chosen for the back part. A dark sap green voile sari with large floral prints in white looked apt for edging of the cover.
I ensured that I have all the matching coloured threads. Yes, that is the blanket which I wanted to cover.
How Did I Make The Quilted Blanket Cover?
I measured the length (L) and width (W) of the blanket. I needed one whole sari for one side. Comparing the lengths and widths of the saris with that of the blanket, I decided to make 16 parts for one side of the cover. I got length (l) and width (w) of these 16 parts by following calculation:
l = (L/4) + 2cm seam allowance
w = (W/4) + 2cm seam allowance
I made some plans for quilting. But, soon I realised that the borders of the saris will not allow me to be much creative.
I took the parrot green sari for the front side. Since the saris I took had 2w width, I could get 2 parts widthwise and since the sari length was 8l + pallu, I could get 8 parts lengthwise. So, I could cut 16 parrot green parts excluding pallu.
Similarly, I made 16 pale orange parts ready with l length and w width for the back side.
I took the mixed coloured printed sari for hiding the orange border in the parrot green parts. I made random lengthwise cuts so that I can hide the border and create some abstract design. I used the dark pink border of the sari to create some interesting points. This design inspired by the Hop! Skip! Jump! Quilt from my Sew Red book. Sorry! No photos, I am not sure if I am permitted share the same. I stitched them randomly as shown in one of the parts.
A Quilted Part
I joined the four parts in each row and then joined the four rows together. Thus, I joined all the 16 parrot green parts together.
Quilted Front Part of The Cover
In the same way, I joined the 16 pale orange parts. I left the dark sap green border as it is since it will be the back part.
I cut the dark sap green printed sari into about 15cm wide lengthwise stripes. They were folded halfway twice. These were to be used as edging.
I placed the right sides of front (parrot green) and back (pale orange) of the cover facing each other. Keeping the sap green edging strip in between the front and back edges (where I had to join them together), I joined them together in three sides. The fourth sides (that had to be kept as openings) were also edged using same sap green strips.
Quilt – Front n Back Together
Thus, quilted blanket cover is ready. I laid the blanket inside this cover. I tacked at random points so that it remains firm.
Folded Quilted Cover with Finished Edge
And, I enjoyed making my first quilting project (after some samples done when I was a student) and recycling saris!
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So, my Dear Reader, how’s it? Have you done quilting so far? If not, will you give a try? Do you think this tutorial is useful?
Take care!
Bye until the next post!
Yours,
Sindhu
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Nice idea Sindhu…Will try after I get some old sarees from home..:)
Thank you Preethi 🙂 Glad this post inspires you to try this upcycling idea… Would love to see what you make! TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Very nice Sindhu.. they have come out beautiful.. I remember from school days my neighbor used to make quilts from old sarees patched up together. They used to look lovely.
Thank you for your compliments Preethi 🙂 Yes, many of them do recycle old saris in many ways. Our ancestors taught us to make use of existing things before thinking of buying everything new every time… Nice lesson for life!
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Lovely 🙂 We call this as “Godhadi” (quilted blanket) in Marathi.I love quilted blankets since childhood 🙂 We get old cotton saries stitched 🙂 Even now I use only godhadi as my blanket 🙂
Thank you Deepa 🙂 Glad to know about Godhadi, similar hand quilted blanket is used in Karnataka that is known as Kaudi. If these were made by someone in the family, then they would surely give an emotional comfort too!
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Wow great share Sindhu. Whenever we see dull color quilt In shop, I think why can’t we use bright color and do it ourself.
Thank you for your kind words! You are right, when we don’t get aesthetic satisfaction, we have to think of making something our own with our own choices and efforts… That’s more than satisfying!
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Really lovely, Sindhu 🙂 Looks attractive. You have a great color & design sense & so much creativity. I love the contrast edges too.
Keep Smiling 🙂
Thanks so much for your encouraging words Anita 🙂 Happy to know that our aesthetic senses match… Glad you like this quilted blanket cover.
TC! You too keep smiling 🙂
Truly beautiful♡ Thanks for the inspiration, you are so talented!
Welcome to Tantu and thank you for the kind words Sarah! receiving compliments from a multi-talented person is a great honour for me! Pleased to know that my work inspired you 🙂 TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous! How I wish we had better access to sari material where I live. Great tutorial too!
Thank you! I wish too that you could get a sari in your place! Glad you found the tutorial as a good one. TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Eshtu chendada banna 🙂
Enage beku..!!! 🙂
Ohhh! Ninagu beka… 😀 Ammana chendada voile seerega kaddu koDu, maaDi koDte 😀
That is a lovely blanket!
Thank you Elisabeth! Glad you like it. TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Your blanket cover is a beautiful way of upcycling saris 🙂 Upcycling is such a satisfying way to be creative I think 🙂
cool idea 🙂
Thank you Joshiji! Glad you like my work 🙂 TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Quite an innovative idea, Sindhu. Really nice 🙂
Thank you for stopping by! glad you like this DIY and upcycling post! TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Thank you so much….my husband was asking for this voile quilt from long back…now i can make one for him which is really easy without any stuffing inside….thank you
Happy to know that this post is of some use for you Preethi Madam! Please let me know how it has come out when done 🙂
TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Do you know a good resource for purchasing used saris for upcycling? I’ve sewn with fabric from used men’s shirts for quilts and used saris are a great idea for quilting projects.
Not sure of it… Happy to know that you have upcycled old shirts into quilts 🙂 I’m not sure of where you live, your location may help us to get answer for your query. TC! Keep smiling 🙂
Thank you for sharing a best way to use best out of waste from nice sarees.Thank you for sharing the post!!
Welcome to Tantu 🙂 Happy that you like this post. TC! Keep smiling, keep visiting 🙂
Beautiful:) I have made blankets by joining two saris, they are really nice to use either in summer or during rains. I sometimes join three sides of a sari and when my children were small they used to slip in and were fully covered:)
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your tricks with me 🙂
Yes, cotton/voile saris are comfortable throughout the year, no matter what weather it is.
It is a great idea for making sleeping bag by leaving one side open!
Glad you found this blanket cover a beautiful one.
TC! Keep smiling 🙂