When baby Provencher came along, I went on the the hunt for the perfect month milestone blanket so I could track her growth in photos, but I couldn’t find anything I loved. So of course, you know what I decided to do 😉 DIY baby milestone blankets are much more personal than anything you could buy online, and so much more meaningful. It’s a great project for the expecting mom, but it also makes a great gift for her as well… it’s a crowd-pleaser at a baby shower, let me just tell you!
So today I’m going to share how to make your own floral version. Here’s what you’ll need for your DIY baby milestone blanket:
- Pentel Arts Fabric Fun Pastel Dye Sticks*
- 6″ to 12″ floral stencil*
- 4″ number stencils*
- 30×40″ white fabric* (cotton or linen… but must be non-stretch)
- Needle and thread or sewing machine if you want to hem the edges
- 6″ embroidery hoop*
- Faux flowers
- Pencil
- E6000 adhesive or hot glue
- Iron
- Scotch tape
Begin by cutting your fabric to 30×40″ and hemming the edges with a sewing machine or a needle and thread if you’d like.
Next, tape down your numbers in their proper places using scotch tape. I put 1 through 6 down the left side, starting at the bottom and leaving space in the top left corner for the floral design. Numbers 7 through 12 went from the very top right corner and down the right side, leaving some space for the other flower motif in the bottom right hand corner. Trace around the edges of the number lightly with a pencil.
Tape the floral stencil to the upper left corner of the fabric and trace around the edge of each area with a pencil. I got a little creative with my design, leaving out certain elements and adjusting the design of others. Repeat the stencil next to it, changing the orientation so you can’t immediately tell that it’s the same design. Repeat the process in the bottom right corner.
Begin using your pastel dye sticks to outline the numbers and color in the floral patterns.
Once you’ve added all the color you want, use an iron to set the dye using the instructions on the dye stick package.
Last, you’ll want to create the floral hoop that will mark which month you’re documenting. Simply glue a couple of faux flowers to an embroidery hoop, and voilà – your DIY baby milestone blanket project is complete!
This is such a meaningful project for any mom-to-be to create for her new baby, and it makes an incredible baby shower gift as well. Guests are sure to ooh and ahh at your crafting skills!
It’s completely customizable too… you could personalize it with baby’s name, add the words “days,” “months” and “years” if you’d like to document more often than monthly, and you could also do different designs. A geometric pattern could easily be achieved by making your own basic stencil out of cardboard. The sky’s the limit!
Are you on the hunt for other fun projects for baby? Be sure to check out all of my DIYs and inspiration in my Modern Mom series.
*This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you buy the cool stuff I recommend, I earn a small commission (but you still pay the same price). Thanks for helping me make a living doing my dream job!