Using the Skip-Stitch Blade to Create Blanket Borders...

This is a great tool for putting holes into fleece edge, to be able to crochet a border.  The tool is a blade for a 45mm rotary cutter. 

It's called a skip stitch blade.  check it out at http://www.skipstitch.com/products.htm

Also, check out a You Tube video on using this blade.  It's not done quite the way we do it... we put holes 3/8" - 1/2" from the edge.  Also, place the clear straight edge over the edge of the fleece, so that you can use the measurements on the straight edge as your guide. (Maybe someday we'll create a video!)

Edging Fleece with Crochet

Fleece Blanket using Skip-Stitch blade to crochet edge

Easy-to-follow instructions for making a blanket using a Skip-Stitch blade (blade available at http://skipstitch.com/ )

1. Place fleece on self-healing cutting mat.  Cut fleece into size desired, removing selvages (if necessary). (Rounding corners is optional... use plate or container cover to create rounded corner). 
2. Position see-through ruler over 1/2" - 3/4" edge of fleece.
3. Using a 45mm rotary cutter with the Skip-Stitch blade installed, run cutter along edge of ruler with enough pressure to perforate the fleece.
4. Reposition ruler to continue cutting. Place a blade tooth in the last perforation in the fleece, and continue cutting.
5. With right side facing you, just to the left of a corner, start edging the fleece by putting your hook (size H is favorable) through a hole, from the front, picking up the yarn from the back.  Pull through and continue to work a single crochet.  Chain 1. Continue single crochet, chain 1 around the fleece, completing the round with a slip stitch atop beginning stitch. (Work 3 single crochet stitches in each corner if you did not round the corners).
6. Options: crochet only this initial row, add another row of single crochet, or try anything creative!

Scallop pattern: work this into the foundation row, or after a second row of single crochet, or try something different!

1. From the front side of your project, slip-stitch into the foundation row.
2. Skip a stitch and work 3 double crochet stitches in the next stitch .(or 3 hdc)
3. Skip a stitch and slip stitch into next stitch.  Continue around, finishing the row with a slip stitch into the original slip stitch. (compromise as needed for a neat finish).
4. Finish by weaving in ends. NO KNOTS!

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