How to Fold Receiving Blankets Into Animals

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Things You'll Need

  • Receiving blankets

  • Safety pins

  • Googly eyes

  • Cardstock

Turn an ordinary receving blanket into an animal creation.

Finding new ways of decorating for or presenting gifts at baby showers is often a challenge. Creating animals from receiving blankets is one idea that is sure to add a personal touch to your shower. You can use blankets to create animals for centerpieces, and then give the blankets to the guest of honor as a gift. You can also use blanket animals as part of a gift basket to make your gift stand out.

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Elephant

Step 1

Open the blanket horizontally in front of you. Fold each short end toward the middle about four inches. Then roll the ends tightly to the center of the blanket. Fold the rolls in half, forming four legs, and stand it up.

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Step 2

Take a smaller blanket and open it up horizontally to create the head. Hold it in the middle of the edge closest to you, and roll the sides down at an angle. You should have a triangular shape. Take the pointed in and roll it up about halfway to form a bend for the truck. Pull the front flap down on the wide end of the triangle, making the corners stick out for ears. Set the head on the legs.

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Step 3

Use buttons or googly eyes for the eyes. Tape them to the face area created by folding the top flap.

Snail

Step 1

Spread the blanket open horizontally and fold the top corners down to meet in the middle, forming a wide triangle. Roll the sides toward the center at angles, and pin the rolls together in the middle with a safety pin. You should now have a long, narrow triangular shape for the snail's body.

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Step 2

Take a blanket of a different color and fold the long ends to meet in the middle so that the ends just touch each other. Then, fold the blanket completely in half lengthwise. Start at one end and roll tightly to form the shell of the snail, and then place it on the snail's body.

Step 3

Lift the front end of the body up, tuck the pointed end under and pin it in place to form the head. Then pin the neck to the shell to keep the head lifted. Tuck the bottom flap of the tail end of the blanket inside the rolled portion to make the end square.

Step 4

Make eyes from cardstock or place sunglasses on the head.

Tip

Blanket animals do not stand up well on smooth surfaces such as tabletops. Place the animals on another blanket or tablecloth to create traction for your animal.

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