"Fun" with Cuddle Fleece

I have such a love/hate relationship with cuddle fleece.  It's so awesomely soft and everyone loves it, but it's also such a pain to work with it.  It stretches like crazy and sheds ridiculously.  I can't even tell you how many times in the last couple of months that I've run out to pick a kid up from school only to realize I was still covered in fuzz!

I gave my oldest nephew an IOU for his main Christmas present, suggesting a t-shirt quilt or convertible mitts in his school colors as possibilities, but he immediately asked for a blanket made out of cuddle fleece like his brother's.  I had learned my lesson about the mitered corner version and just did a simple turned and topstiched finish this time.  It was tricky keeping it lined up --and the green was somehow 4" wider from selvage to selvage?! -- and it seemed to stretch out of shape badly when I sewed it, but after washing and drying, I think it popped back for the most part.

When I was at Joann's picking up the green and navy fabrics, I also spotted some in a cute popcorn print.  I had pretty much sworn off cuddle fleece by this point, but O's class fundraiser basket was going to be a movie night theme, which his teacher told me was inspired by our holiday gift. I emailed her a pic and asked what she thought about a throw blanket.  She loved the idea, so back I went.  I decided to try rounding the corners and binding the single layer with double-fold fleece binding this time.

I don't think this ended up any easier or cheaper, but I do like how it looks.  Well, except for the one corner that got stretched out and won't lay flat even after a trip through the washer.  Hopefully whoever wins the basket won't look at it too closely.  It's still nice and snuggly, and his teacher thought it was really cool.

Hopefully it will inspire some extra bids!