Cutting a hole in a blanket

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

I need to cut a slit in a blanket (for seat belt) how am I best to secure round it. Do a few a extra bit of fabric around the edges or do a blanket stitch it? Links to tutorials would be good too. Have no machine so am hand stitching

[TheWoollybacksWife]

If it's a fleece blanket than an edging of blanket stitch will be fine - you don't really have to edge it at all.

If it is a knitted/crocheted blanket then you will have to edge with fabric (bias binding or ribbon) or you can crochet round in a contrasting colour. You will have to be very careful when you make your cut as the threads are likely to unravel. There is every likelihood that there is a YouTube video showing how you can do this with hints and tips to prevent your blanket unraveling. I imagine treating it like a large button hole and oversewing the edges before cutting may work.

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Hmmmm.... it's a fleece blanket but 2 layers a bit like this but (slightly) more tastefully coloured. It's actually for a wheelchair belt...

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Thank you btw. I am clueless wen it comes to this sort of thing, but I did just see on a whole long section of velcro so I'm on a roll!!

[TheWoollybacksWife]

I'd go for a round of blanket stitch then - just to give it a finished look.

[TheWoollybacksWife]

There's a tip on Pinterest that suggests using a piece of card with two vertical lines marked on it to space out your blanket stitches.

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Awesome thank you!!!

Please may I ask one more question? Would you use wool or thread for it and any particular kind?

[TheWoollybacksWife]

I would use embroidery thread and I'd probably go for something contrasting because

1. It would be hard to match any single colour

And

1. Any mistake would be easy to spot and undo (if you want to undo them )

You can buy single skeins of thread in places like John Lewis, Hobbycraft or a local yarn shop.

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Fantastic. Thank you. I started this project out if the necessity of making something I had work... now I'm rather enjoying it... I had forgotten I could even sew!

[Switcherpoo]

I use a wheelchair and just pop the seatbelt around me, then blanket on top. I'm intrigued by what you're doing...am I missing out on something ingenious?! I promise to split the profits!

[GreenEggsHamandChips]

Its really not that clever!

DS uses the chair for fatigue and coordination issues that get worse as he tires. Hes not great at keeping a blanket in place and has muscle issues in the cold. I got fed up of blankets getting caught in wheels. I'm aiming for the blanket to wrap right round him so there are no gaps and draughts around the back and his legs are completely surrounded whilst his very are still relatively free

So With the longest width horizontal, I got him to sit on the blanket in the chair, the short sides then wrap over the top. I sewed velcro cable ties to easily attach and remove the blanket to the wheel frame at the shoulders and the foot rests. Then I've sewed a long strip of Velcro along the top of the short side so the blanket closes over the top. The fluffy inside of the blanket sticks to the hook of the velcro, I might see a bit of fluffy Velcro to the top and bottom to hold that a bit firmer. I want to cut the holes so the wheelchair strap comes through holding it a bit firmer. (I also have a habit of turfing him out at kerbs so hes likes the seltbelt to be quite secure, although we just recently found the wheelchair is configured wrong so that doesn't help stability).

Best thing is everything is reasonable soft so it can still be used as a car blanket and it folds relatively small.

I'm quite pleased with the result although
Its quite rough and ready it works! Hope that makes sense