Coloring blocks are muslin squares that kids can color on with fabric markers and are sewn into blankets. These are the blankets we make from the squares kids color at the New York State Fair each year.  

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**Note:  I do not prewash muslin as it tends to make it fray.  If you feel a strong need to wash, I suggest washing the blanket top before adding backing.

 

You will need

Muslin fabric usually 2.99 to 3.99 per yard at your local Joann's Store

Tulip fabric markers ( come in neon – graffiti – bright colors) **

Scissors

Ruler

8 ½ in square template

Freezer paper

Iron and Ironing board

 

or a rotary cutter,

ruler

and cutting mat

 

*** Please note, you can cut with scissors and a 8 ½ inch card board template, but the rotary cutter, ruler and cutting mat will pay for themselves half way through cutting the squares***

 

Make your 8 ½ square template and cut fabric into 8 ½ squares. You will get roughly 16 squares per yard of material depending on your cutting skills.

 

Cut freezer paper in to the same size 8 ½ inch squares. You can cut freezer paper with a rotary cutter.

 

With a hot iron on dry setting (no steam), iron the fabric square onto the shinny side of the freezer paper. Don't worry it will not effect the material in any way other than to make it stable to color on. It also prevents the markers from bleeding through onto whatever surface you are coloring on.

 

Let kids color the squares and then sew them into a blanket by:

 

Peel freezer paper off the back of the fabric and then ;

Sewing rows of squares together and backing with fleece,

Sewing squares together using other material to create sashings and borders

 

or

 

Contact the Onondaga/Oswego/Cortland/Jefferson County Project Linus Chapter and they will sew the blanket together for you. A picture of the finished blanket will be sent to your group for their use.

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Contact the Chapter by pushing this button :                    

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** Tulip markers are a brand name available at Joann's. They do not need to be heat set, which would require ironing the squares after the kids color on them. Also crayons can be used to color on the squares. But the crayon needs to be heat set. After being colored, iron the block with a piece of copy paper over it, to set the crayon.