I never heard of a tie blanket until a few years ago when Joyce at work brought in information on them. She passed out copies of her handwritten note of how to cut the corners and the office went nuts! I bet we made close to 50 total.
I was hooked. They are easy, fun to make, and make great gifts.
First of all you need to decide what size blanket you want to make. All fleece is usually 60 ” wide, and that fits a single bed perfectly.
For an average quilt, I use 2 1/2 yards. For a really tall person, over 6 ft., I would get 3 yards so they can tuck it under their feet. For a crib, I use 1 1/2 yards.
You need to purchase 2 pieces of fleece in coordinating colors or patterns. I usually get one in a pattern and the other in a solid color that is primary in the pattern. 
For example, if I used a butterfly pattern with a purple background, I would probably choose a purple to match the background or pick out a color in the butterfly wings for the back.
If you have trouble matching fabrics or colors, the fabric stores do a great job of displaying the fleece to make it easier for you.
The quilt I’m using as an example has butterflies on it with a purple background. There was also a matching fleece with the same butterflys but with a pink background so I decided to use that too.
I also try to look for no-pile fleece. This means that when you wash it, it won’t get those knots on it. But I’ve also make quilts out of regular fleece and they have held up fine.
(The directions below are for cutting a baby quilt. You cut out 5 inch corners for an adult quilt and ties 5 inches long)
The only tools you need is space to lay out the fleece, a pair of sharp scissors, pins to hold the fleece together, and a yardstick. The floor, a bed, or a large table work fine. 
I picked up quilting safety pins at the fabric store.
They don’t come out of the fabric unless you unpin them, and you don’t have to worry about dropped pins, and someone stepping on them.
Lay out the fleece with wrong sides together. You want the pattern on the outside. 
Even up the sides and use the pins to hold the fleece together. Sometimes the fleece will have a finished edge that is white or has the fabric name on it. You want to cut that edge off. 
At each corner of the quilt, you will want to remove a 4 inch square. I know it sounds strange but you will see as you start to tie, that it makes sense.
After you cut out the corners, I lay the yardstick across the the fabric, starting next to a cut out square.
Cut one inch to one and half inch strips in the endge of the fleece, 4 inches long.
Cut the strips on all sides of the quilt.
I would really recommend getting a pair of electric scissors. They save your hands. If you are planning on making several of these quilts, or just do a lot of sewing, they are nice to have. You can pick up a pair at Walmart for under $20.00. 
Now you get to tie, and it’s easy. Take a top strip and a bottom and tie them together in a square or double knot.
The only thing I do is to pull or twist the bottom strip so it’s on top. This way you make a different colored edge on both sides. 
Once you have it all tied, you need to stretch it. Notice how the knots are so close together? Hold the edge in your hands, and pull it gently until it makes a cracking sound. You are breaking or loosening the threads at the edge.. See the picture below? You will have little holes between the knots so the blanket will lay flat. Stretch all the edges.
That’s it. Soooo easy!!
One year I made 7 for presents and every single person loved them. It was about 4 years ago, and I was just reminded this week how much one person still likes theirs. It’s a gift that is appreciated.. 
Below is the one that I showed making here, and the mom to be holding it up.
And here is the other side. Notice how I have pink ties on the purple side and purple on the pink? 
Enjoy, and have fun!!
Oh, and they are machine washable and dryable. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Rest in Peace, Reno
My mom loved animals, especially cats. She hated to see the stray cats in the neighborhood out in the snow, so she had my dad build her a small cat house. She kept it outside her front door with a bowl of fresh water and dry food. My son and I used to tease and call her ”The Cat Lady.”
One cat in particular would come every day for food, and in the spring, she would bring her kittens. The mom cat belonged to a neighbor who didn’t take care of her or her kittens.
One spring, the mom cat brought her kittens and my mom saw that she had a white kitten with blue eyes. My mom fell in love and wanted that kitten for herself. She tried and tried to catch that kitten, but the mom cat taught her kittens not to trust people, so the kittens would run from my mom.
So she called me for help. We waited till the kittens came to eat, and tried to grab the white one. He escaped us and ran right up into the middle of the huge juniper bush in the front yard. I climbed into the bush as far as I could, reached in farther and got the kitten. We took him into the house where she had a cat pen set up for him until he could get used to her and the dogs. She named him Reno.
That was 17 years ago this month to be exact.
Reno liked no one except my mother. If you tried to pet him, he would hiss and try to bite you. He was the most unfriendly cat and I didn’t like him at all. In fact, we used to talk about what would happen to her animals if something happened to her. I would joke and say I would take the dogs and her other cat, Blue, but I didn’t want Reno because he was so mean.
In 2004, the worst happened, my mom passed away suddenly, leaving me with her 4 pets, a white german shepherd, a siberian husky, her siamese cat, and Reno.
Matt and I already had 3 dogs and a cat. What did I do? I brought them home, of course. They were family and I wanted to take care of them for her, because she loved them so much. Even Reno.
And what happened next? I took my mom’s place in Reno’s heart and he stayed close to wherever I was in the house. If I was upset, cried, or yelled, he would instantly jump into my lap, stare into my face and meow softly. I fell in love with that darn cat.
Over time, her dogs passed away, but I still had the cats, and still felt like I had a part of her with me.
Until this morning.
The past year Reno finally started showing his age. He lost so much weight, was so unsteady on his feet. I couldn’t stand seeing him suffer so we took him to the vets.
Now Reno is with my mom in heaven.
And I am still sitting here crying, but I atleast I have Blue.
He is going to miss his buddy.
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