Embroidered Fleece Blanket

I do still sew. I know, I know, I have three little kids, give myself a break. Truth is, I love it and it's something I can accomplish, start to finish, which makes me feel good, so I do what I can when I can (which is a lot less than before). 

This is a recent project I finished for my sister's birthday. I worked on it in between newborn feeding sessions in the evenings after the older kids were in bed. It was fun, relatively quick, and I'm really happy with how it turned out. 

Although I haven't embroidered in years (and I don't think I've ever embroidered something actually useful) I love the look of hand done embroidery. When I saw this project on So Semptember it captured my imagination. The crisp white snowflakes on a simple, cozy piece of cushy fleece... 

The project is also a good one because yes, it's a handmade blanket, but you can make a large one much more affordably and quickly than, say, a knitted or even crocheted blanket or a quilt. It's also super easy to toss in the washer and dryer. 

And, yet, as I reminded my sister in a particularly cheesy moment, "Every stitch is made with love." 

A free pattern and instructions are available through Good Housekeeping. I have the materials for a slightly funkier rendition, which I'll present along with my own tips for the project, so stay tuned!