Weighted Blanket for my sis

Last year, my sister mentioned that she wanted a weighted blanket, like the ones doctors recommend to people with autism, anxiety or insomnia.  She’s always loved blankets (me too) and those heavy corn/ rice packs that can be warmed up in the microwave (me too).   Knowing that her birthday was coming up, I looked at buying a weighted blanket on-line.  An adult sized blanket would be about $200.  WHOA.

I decided to make one, following a few different on-line tutorials, such as this one from Suburbamom and adjusting the size to be HUGE.

I bought soft minky fabric from Joann Fabric- 2 yards of two different fabrics.  The light blue is one of my sister’s favorite colors, and the zig-zag print helped me sew straight lines, saving me tons of time and frustration.  (I’m not into measuring stuff).  I counted up the zigs and sewed every 6th zag to make the columns, then dumped a cup of weighted pellets (from etsy’s Polly Pellets Unlimited ) down each column.   I sewed row by row, filling little squares with the weighted pellets.  The blanket gained weight with each row I sewed, and by the end it weighed about twelve pounds!

My sis loves it (I wish it was mine).

I spent about $50 in supplies and many hours making this.  I absolutely believe that $200 is a fair price for this type of blanket.  In fact, I would probably charge more for the sheer annoyance of the weight factor in creating this blanket.  I’m thinking about making one for myself, but I’m going to wait until I forget how annoying it was to make!

My pretty sis with her birthday present.

The backside of the weighted blanket; squares filled with weighted plastic pellets.

The design on the front of the weighted blanket helped me sew straight lines.

 

Signs of agitation can be both mental and physical. Racing thoughts, insomnia, pacing the room, and fingernail biting are all indicators of someone suffering from agitation. Causes for agitation vary greatly from degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia, substance withdrawal, Vitamin B6 deficiency, and medication side effects.

Whatever the cause, feeling agitated can be disruptive to everyday functioning. DPTS, or deep pressure touch stimulation, is similar to getting a massage in that pressure on the body eases muscle tension and elevates your mood.

Mosaic Weighted Blankets® use the built-in weight to simulate DPTS in a custom and comfortable fashion. When you or a friend is in need of peace and security, a weighted blanket can help you rejuvenate naturally.  

Information taken from Mosaic Weighted Blankets