These weighted blankets are soft and cozy and can be enjoyed by all ages. The minky on the back feels so soft and cozy. Weighted blankets are popular with those who have autism, sensory processing disorders, ADHD/ADD or anxiety. I find them to be very relaxing. In the evening, I like to snuggle on the couch with a good book and my weighted blanket covering my legs and lower torso. I find it very relaxing and calming.
The weighted blanket will be custom made for you and will be made using the cotton fabric of your choice for the top of the blanket and a coordinating minky fabric for the back side. Each blanket will contain a layer of quilt batting to add a little extra “fluff” to the overall look of the blanket. Each weighted blanket will also be filled with polyethylene pellets which will be evenly distributed throughout the blanket and separated in squares stitched into the blanket. Each square will be stitched using a strong and secure stitch to keep the poly pellets secure.
WASHING
The weighted blankets can be washed in the washing machine using cold water and the delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry or hang over a clothesline. I like to wash our weighted blankets in the morning and then hang them on the clothesline to dry during the day.
WEIGHT
When determining the weight of your blanket, please contact your occupational therapist or doctor. From what I have learned, it is pretty standard to take 10% of the child’s weight and then add one pound to that in order to determine the weight of the blanket. For example, my son weighs 70 pounds so 10% of his weight is 7 pounds, plus one pound, so I made him an 8 pound blanket.
FABRIC
To see fabric options you can visit the Joann Fabrics website. You can browse through the fabric or you can choose to view the fabric by design type and that option is in the left hand column. If you cannot find what you are looking for, or would like me to choose fabric based on the type of design you would like, just let me know and I will be more than happy to help you find the perfect fabric. PLEASE DO NOT CHOOSE A FABRIC WITH STRIPES. I sew individual squares into the fabric to contain the poly pellets. I cannot always line up my double stitching with the lines of striped fabric due to the varying widths of the different stripes. In order to have a nice even and balanced look to the blanket, I do not use striped fabric.
All cotton fabric for the top of the blankets is pre-washed. The minky fabric on the back does not shrink but the cotton fabric on the front will shrink. This will result in a distorted looking blanket if you wait to wash the fabric/blanket for the first time until after it has been sewn. Therefore, it is important for me to wash and dry the cotton fabric in order to pre-shrink the cotton so that the blanket will not become distorted when you wash it.
ORDERING
When ordering through my Etsy shop:
1) Please select the size and weight for the weighted blanket from the pull-down menu.
2) Please place a link or item number from the joann.com website in the Notes to Seller section for the fabric that you would like for your weighted blanket.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or require any additional information.
DISCLAIMER
I am not a doctor and I am not giving medical advice. Please contact your doctor or occupational therapist to help you determine the best weight for your blanket. Never use a weighted blanket as a restraint or as punishment. Do not put a weighted blanket over your head. Do not use a weighted blanket for children under 3 years old without first consulting with your doctor or occupational therapist. Do not allow children to use a weighted blanket without adult supervision. Weighted blankets contain very small poly pellets which could pose a choking hazard.
