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No Sew Fleece Blankets for Animal Shelters

Pieces of fleece in a variety of colors on a white background.

It is a very satisfying and rewarding experience to help homeless animals in shelters. Making something useful, like a no-sew fleece blanket, is probably the easiest way to volunteer for the well-being of these creatures. You don’t need to be very crafty to participate in this activity because these blankets are quite easy to make. Keep reading to learn how you can make no-sew fleece blankets for animal shelters.

Click here to learn 3 fun and easy homemade dog toys you can donate to shelters.

No Sew Fleece Blanket for Animals

Doberman under a red blanket

This simple technique can help you make a blanket for animals of different sizes. All you got to do is to change the size of the fleece fabrics and you will be sorted. Let’s discuss how you can make this no sew fleece blanket.

Materials Needed:

  • 2 pieces of pre-washed fleece fabric (you can choose between 30”x30”, 48”x48” or 54”x54”)
  • 4 Safety pins
  • 1 4”x4” piece of cardboard
  • 1 1”x4” piece of cardboard
  • A washable marker
  • A pair of scissors

Directions

  1. Take one piece of fleece and place it on the table. Make sure that the shiny side of the fleece is towards the table.
  2. Then, take the other piece of fleece and spread it over the first piece.
  3. Even out the edges.
  4. Now, take a safety pin and put it about 6 inches inside the edges of one corner to join the fleece pieces together. Repeat this process for all 4 corners.
  5. After that, use the 4”x4” cardboard piece to trace a square on all corners.
  6. Cut out all 4 corners by using the scissors.
  7. Now, take the 1”x4” cardboard piece and trace rectangles all around the edges.
  8. Cut the rectangular strips on all 4 sides by making use of the scissors.
  9. Then, tie all the strips on the top with the ones directly below them. Use double knots so that they don’t get untied during use or while the blanket is being washed.
  10. Lastly, stretch out the sides of the blanket and remove the safety pins.
  11.  Wash the blanket to remove the stains of the washable marker and dry it well before giving it to an animal shelter.

Your dog needs an outdoor shelter? Check out our post “DIY Dog Shelter” to learn how to make one.

No Sew Dog Blanket

White Chihuahua under a multicolor blanket

This easy and quick method can be used to make tie blankets for small dogs and cats. It can be referred to as the miniature version of the regular no sew fleece blanket. Read on to learn how you can use fleece scraps to make some beautiful blankets for an animal shelter.

Materials Needed:

  • A rectangular piece of fleece (2 feet by 3 feet)

Directions

  1. Cut off the selvage. It is the strip along the side of the fabric which has the manufacturer’s name. The selvage needs to be removed so that the fringe of the blanket is uniform and has no writing on them.
  2. Cut a 3-inch square out of each corner. This will give you a guideline for cutting the fringe of the blanket. The 3-inch square will also guide about the height of each piece of fringe (through its height).
  3. Start making the fringe by cutting from the bottom of the fleece. You should make a cut at about 3 inches.
  4. The width of the fringe can vary between ¾ inches and 1 inch. This means that each fringe is 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. These dimensions will not only look good but they are also easy to work with.
  5. The fleece can then be tied, braided, flipped, or woven depending upon the chosen finishing method.
  6. The easiest alternative is to finish the tie blanket by tying two adjacent fringes together. You should make two knots for each connection so that the pieces stay tied.

Thank you to The Savvy Age for this technique.

Love sewing and crafting, AND you love animals? Check out our post “What to Make for Animal Shelters” to learn what you can make to donate to your local animal shelter.

Pattern for No Sew Dog Blanket

Step 1 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket. This step shows cutting 2 pieces of matching fabric for a front and a back.
Step 2 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket. This step shows that with the 2 pieces of fabric aligned together, cut out a 5 inch square in each corner.
Step 3 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket. This step shows to cut 1 inch wide strips in the sides of the blanket, not going longer than 5 inches towards the center of the blanket to make strips for tying.
Step 4 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket.  This step says using a back strip and a matching top strip, tie them in an overhand knot.
Step 5 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket. This step says "Complete the knots for one whole side."
Step 6 illustration for how to make a no so fleece blanket. This step says "Complete the other sides for a finished blanket."

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Please note: We are not veterinarians and you use our advice at your own discretion. We always recommend that you consult your veterinarian whenever you have health-related conditions your furbaby is facing. With that in mind, as pet parents ourselves, we wish nothing but the best for your pet and their healthy and happy lives.