This weighted blanket tutorial outlines the process of creating a blanket using fabric, poly pellets or glass beads, thread, and a waffelpique fabric. The process begins with measuring and cutting the fabric to the desired size, leaving extra fabric for seam allowances. Next, the edges are sewn, and the blanket is divided into pockets. The weighted filling is added, sealed, and finished.
Old cut-up jeans can be used as reversible blankets, as the seams are just overlapped. Wash and dry the fabric, then cut both pieces to the desired size. The tutorial also provides instructions on making a quilted blanket in 19 steps by sewing and machine sewing with jeans, thread, and serger.
To create a weighted blanket, gather your materials, such as fabric, poly pellets or glass beads, thread, and a waffelpique fabric. Measure, cut, and lay out the fabrics, then cut the fabric and lay the blanket layers on a flat surface. Mark up the cotton and add the waffelpique fabric to the back for a comfortable touch on the skin.
To determine the blanket’s size and weight, sew the front and back together. Whether made from store-bought denim or cast-off jeans, it’s easy to make the blanket heavy enough for most users. A weighted blanket tutorial also discusses pitfalls to avoid, such as washing the fabric before construction to clean it, preshrink it, and eliminate chemicals and color bleeding.
In conclusion, this weighted blanket tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to creating a weighted blanket that can be used for various purposes, including sensory relief and comfort.
📹 The Weighted Blanket: An Easy Quilting Project by Rob Appell of Man Sewing
📹 Denim Weighted Lap Pad by Fun and Function
The Denim Weighted Lap Pad by Fun and Function is soft, weighted and great for individuals of all ages. Use at home, school or …
WOW! These quilts cost our school a small fortune and have to be shared between the pupils. Now I can make them specifically for each child according to their individual interests and needs. Brightly coloured for those that need the visual stimulation and more plain for those that don’t like too much visual stimulation. Thank you for enabling me to make a difference. 🙂
I made a weighted blanket for my grandson a couple years ago. It was a fun project! I did two other things though. First, I poured the pellets in a bowl and scooped them out from there, making it easier than holding both the blanket and the bag open. I also used straight pins along the way to keep the pellets down in the “pockets” as I was sewing. I filled across the rows as you did, but then placed straight pins (2-3 per block) parallel with the seam about two or three inches away from the seam towards the pellets. It was an extra step, but it helped keep the pellets out of the way. It made the sewing easier and I didn’t have problems with the pellets shifting up close to the seam allowance when I moved the quilt to and from the machine.
My son and I made this together, he has aspergers, he picked his fabrics and did his own pattern with it. I did add ‘fidgets’ I sewed pieces of ribbon here and there throughout the blocks. He is 12 but he will pick apart a quilt if he doesn’t have those, it took me years to figure that out the hard way. Thanks for your articles we love them and he sees you sewing so he doesn’t feel embarrassed for enjoying it.
Rob, your versatility in your sewing projects is so amazing, but your heart for people really shines through each project you do! Thanks for thinking of projects that help special needs children, may God bless you and your gifts that help the quilting community and others! PS. My sewing machine growls at me when I wake it up too! LOL!
Hi Rob! Thanks for this great tutorial!!! I need to add a little note here… Our hospital uses these on our child, adolescent and adult units… I work in a Psych facility and I can truly say these blankets are not only useful for autistic kids, they are fabulous for soothing someone who is struggling with al kinds of issues. Very useful in times of crisis where the patient need loving arms around them, they cuddle with these blankets…. they really calm stressful situations. EVERY Psych facility should be using these…. An idea would be to label the weight of the blanket on a corner somewhere so when you pull one out of the closet, you could make it body size appropriate!!!!! My friend and I will be making some of these for the hospital for sure!!! Thanks for easy instructions!
This is a great project for an autistic or asperger’s or someone on the spectrum no matter the age. I would like to say, you might want to think of something other than the cuddle fabric. My son, when he pets animals with fur, whether dogs or cats will stim up, and we’ve found the faux fur and cuddle fabric does this as well. The flannel may be a better choice. I would also think about soothing blue colors, or colors that match, because especially for the younger ones, the colors can also stim them up.
Hey Rob, Using a walking foot would definitely make the job easier. I might also consider using some old nylons or some really thin fabric that I can see through and make bags filled with the beans first. That way they will be contained before placing them inside the quilt making it easier to avoid running them over with the needle. It’s an extra step, I know, but it would make the process smoother with less “man” handling. I’d also be filling those beans outside! hahaha Gosh, if you took the leg of an old pair of nylons, you could dump in some beans and sew across the nylon to form two rows of stitching about 1/2″ apart and continue doing that all the way up the leg. (I’d leave enough room so the beans can spread out and not end up in a lump.) Cut in between the rows of stitching and you have bean bags made rather quickly. What a great project, Rob! So nice to provide a way to comfort these folks. Rebecca (from the MSQC Forum)
I am in the process of making my second weighted blanket. Both my grandsons, 4 and 3 yrs old, have autism. The older one loves his blanket. This is the process I use except I keep the filled pockets to the left of the needle and the excess rolled up through the machine right of needle. Also, the therapist recommended a solid “calm” color rather than a bright color or a loud print due to his sensitivity issues so one might want to check with child’s therapist. They really are easy to make and help so much. Glad to see this article.
I sew pellets into a water soluble fabric square bag. Drop it in the column and sew close. When finished i wash and the water soluble fabric disolves and its a perfect weight without the mess of pouring pellets into a shoot, or hitting my needle with a lose pellet. These blankets help so many with disabilities including vets.
I didn’t read through all 500+ comments to see if this suggestion has been made…. wondering if you couldn’t make little pellet filled pockets out of WSS (a water soluable stabilizer I use in machine embroidery). Pin the pockets in place from the right side of the quilt and then complete your sewing all at once. Remove pins, wash and done!
There are now articles encouraging people with anxiety to try weighted blankets too. I expect you’ll have more people come find you 🙂 I’m working on a pieced quilt and will stitch in the ditch, probably with a fleece back. Do you think I need to reinforce the pieced seams or add another layer to keep the pellets from pushing against the pieced seams? I thought about putting flannel in as “batting”, then putting the pellets between the flannel and fleece; but I don’t know if it will make the quilt lie funny. If I do that, I’ll probably start with a smaller blanket. I’m going to do it for an adult though. Thanks again for your tutorials!
Thank you for a great tutorial. I’ve never made one of these but want to and your tutorial gives me courage..smile…Question…for larger blankest with your years of experience what do you think about sewing a horizontal line across the middle of the blanket and fill and stitch the rows from the center out? That way you’d be dividing the bulk and also making it easier to fill each row. You could fill a row on each side of the center. Is there a reason why this would not be advisable? I hope you see this and give your opinion. I know this is an older article but with all the research going on regarding weighted blankets this tutorial is practically timeless. Thanks so much! I have to say — I love your tutorials above all others. You quality is terrific, good lighting, good sound, you are very natural and no, umms, hmms, uh’s…Thanks so much!
Poly-pellet help tip. I cut squares of clear water soluble stabilizer and used them as make-shift small “bags” for the pellets. (Picture rice bags back when that was what people threw at weddings) Twist the top tight to close or tie the corners if you make the squares big enough and drop them in upside down. No loose pellets. When the quilt is done, throw it in the wash and the stabilizer dissolves setting pellets free. Water soluble stabilizer is not cheap so this is not an inexpensive trick.
It’s not that most autistic folks are male. It’s just underdiagnosed in females. I’m autistic and certainly not male, I have quite a lot of female autistic friends. I made a small weighted lap pad (2kg) for myself a while ago, no good trying to study when I can’t sit still. I used rice (not washable, I know) and used double seams on the outer edges, I really worry that the edges will frag or the seams will tear because of the wight. I still find rice grains allover my apartment, despite sweeping and vacuuming regularly. I’m so glad, this is done, because it made such a mess, but I think I’ll have to make another one, bigger this time.
Note: to stop the Possibility of sewing over some pellets, use Pins to hold them down in the pocket or I used a large running stitch leaving my needle in the end so after machine sewing with ease I might add, I then pulled the running stitch out ( it was not knotted) and began my 2 nd row of pellets securing them at the bottom with the same running stitch thread and sew on. You can thank me later. 😍😊☺️. Your Sew Smart Friend, Shanda T.
Just made my second one. I made a twin size for my cousin’s son who is autistic. I just made a second small lap size one (6 squares by 5 rows) for him to use at school or when they travel. Thanks so much again for this tutorial, Rob. Love your easy to follow step by step instructions. Just wanted to also say that the weight of the poly pellets vary so everyone should weigh them to ensure they have the right size for the person they want.
This is a wonderful project and will really make a difference in someone’s life!! After making one myself, I came up with an idea (this would have saved me so much time) Try using the tube from a roll of wrapping paper, with a funnel on top, inserted into the websites to help the pellets get to the bottom of the website without getting hung up on the way. I think it will speed up the process and might save a few sewing machine needles. Also, if this blanket is going to be washed a lot, try lining it. It decreases the chance of pellets working their way through the fabric. Thank you Rob for posting this! I wish I had seen this before I made my first one 🙂
My 13 yr Down Syndrom daughter has sensory disorder and these blankets r AWESOME – but what kind of fabric u recommend for living in Las Vegas? The one she has is good but because of the weight and the “warmth” of summers she gets over heated with the 1 she has now- but yet she needs/wants 2 sleep with it. I have wondered how our blanket maker made ours and now I know -thanks 4 article 💕🐢💕
Love it!! I have been wanting to make some of those for awhile now! I have a tough time shutting my mind down at night, this hinders me getting quality sleep. I heard these are good for people with insomnia and anxiety. So I am going to make some for myself and friends who have trouble sleeping and see if that will help us.
I made a weighted blanket on a larger, twin bed scale using these techniques and help from this article! I used a gratuitous number of pins to create a barrier and keep any beads from rolling under my needle – which worked wonderfully but made binding awful because a 15 pound pointy blanket is especially unwieldy, haha. I also found that some of my quilt top fabrics were bit thin so I used a white interlayer and put all the pellets between that and the backing. Your tips about the cotton fabric and the feed dogs were super helpful. Thank you for making this article, it helped me so much! I gave the blanket to someone who will make great use of it, and now I’m going to make one for me 🙂
Just found your website and I love the whole idea! I have a passion for sewing and have done some quilts but mainly do heirloom garments. Your project is such a sweet idea and you did a great job on the explanation/video. My husband and I are youtubers — articles range from heirloom sewing to diy to tractoring to adorable critters, etc… it’s a hodgepodge. Looking forward to more articles from you. Take care, Sarah.
I’ve made so many of these for families. I usually ask what the child likes, Dora, Thomas the train, etc. Find out of they like to rub textures or perhaps would enjoy smushing their fingers into the different pockets and feeling the beads move around. I’ve even made a weighted taggy style lap blanket for a 3 year old. And it’s not just Autistic people who love these types of blankets. It’s very calming to those with different nervous problems, RLS, etc. LOVE this article and even got a couple of tips for making the next one. Thanks!
Fantastic! Thank you! I wonder if heat-fusible webbing such as Stitch Witchery would save some broken needles? That is, after pouring in the poly pellets and letting gravity do its thing, tear a piece of fusible webbing the width of the blanket; slide it inside to the next seam, pinning the edges in place from the outside; iron the webbing, pushing the pellets out of the way and creating a website as you go, and then stitching along that seam. You’d still want to sew the seam, but the redundancy would be even better for keeping the pellets from pushing through the seams and causing shifting over time. By the way, autism may not be that much more common in boys. Females have an average of ten times the brain matter dedicated to turning feelings into words, so equal damage to that area makes females nerdy and awkward and makes boys non-verbal. Other things, like poor proprioception (not being able to feel where your body is) are equal. Lots of people have sensory issues that aren’t labeled autistic. I think weighted vests and shawls could become very fashionable, because they are comforting and calming. A lot of people would like to wear a hug, to help them feel safely centered in their bodies.
I do great weighted quilts by simply recovering old quilts with heavy fabrics such as colored denims and corduroys. I cut the old quilt into 6″ strips, and log cabin all the way around until it gets to the size I want. Jenny has a good tutorial on a quilt as you go log cabin quilt which I use, except for the old used quilts. Weighting a quilt makes it very warm, no air pockets in the sheets underneath. I have always recovered old, falling apart and worn quilts for my kids as they grew up.
Great article. Though, for the record, the reason why there are more boys with an autism diagnosis is because the manifestations of autism are not the same for girls and are harder to spot since girls are better at camouflage and have more “standard” specific interests. But the ratio of persons with autism is quite probably 50%-50%. 😉
My son is winding down for a traumatic hospital stay. Hopefully, we’re going home tomorrow. He had so many blankets and sheets on his bed that it took 3 people to carry them. I’m thinking a weighted blanket would be wonderful. He’s like this at home also but seemed worse with the experiences here. Don’t know why I didn’t think about this earlier. Thank you VERY much for your instructions.
what about doing the quilt as a rag quilt, 1 filled “pocket” at a time? thanks for the great idea on this quilt. My 6′ 4″, 22 yr old son has Aspergers and it is VERY true about the textile and weight issue. To this day he will only wear certain fabrics and has multiple covers on his bed, even though we live in New Mexico and in the summer it is close to 100 degree’s daily. (of course in the teens in winter since we are high altitude.) Thanks again Rob for a great article and idea.
My granddaughter just messaged me and asked if I’d make her a “weighted blanket”? I’ve read about them before but never needed to make one. Now I do. She has very bad anxiety and isn’t sleeping well. I’ve already ordered the poly pellets and will start soon. Love the article, easy to follow and you are a good teacher!
Thank you for the article. I will be making these for a school near me. For those wanting to make a king sized weighted blanket, I accidentally made my own just out of blue jeans.. It is a rag quilt. I used batting and flannel for backing. It is around 30 pounds and I have to take to the laundry mat to wash but it is worth it. I did actually use my husband’s old jeans for it.
Actually… It’s a 1 to 1 ratio of males to females who have the disorder. Males are just more likely to get the diagnosis and treatment than females since the way males present their symptoms fits more within the stereotype. Look up “invisible women” and it explains the sad truth why women like me fall through the cracks. I’m 33 and just now getting diagnosed. You are awesome at sewing and i use this hobby as therapy as well as creating adaptations i need to thrive. I don’t blame you on being ill informed… I’ve had more than a few choice words with autism speaks for noy representing females or adults in the spectrum. Let me know if you are interested in resources for gender and age inclusive materials for those on the spectrum… Anyway, love the sewing and I’ll do what i can to overlook the myth everyone believes
I’m totally going to make one of these for my brother! He is 22 years old and autistic. When he was younger I know my mom searched high and low for affordable weighted blankets, but just couldn’t get them below $300. So I’m really excited I can make him one now! However, he is not 100 Ibs… he is probably closer to 215Ibs… do you think it would still be okay to do this with a larger squares instead of 5″ squares maybe do 8-10″?
Our quilt guild is making weighted blankets for a local special needs school. They asked that we use muted colors as bright colors cause agitation in some students. We make tubes and fill them as you do–a bit of rice, then stitching across the tubes. These tubes are then placed in websites in an outer cover because they wash them often. No problem with the rice. It never gets wetter. The teachers were thrilled to get them.
I have been looking for a way to make this weighted blanket for my grandson who has sensory issues. The explanation is clear and I think I can do this! I’m wondering if it would help to leave about 8 inches at the top so that it is softer and more flexible around the face. Thanks for all your tutorials! Love them!
Great project & series but wasn’t that a funnel sitting on the shelf behind you? 😉 Might had made it easier to fill each row or even using a cardboard tube to pour the pellets through might have helped 🙂 Keep up the wonderful shows and maybe you could do something either surfing or rock climbing related!
Its occurs to me as your trying to keep the poly beads out of the way, that I have one of those storage bags you suck the air out of with a stick at the mouth opening that you fold the bag over and clip on a piece the same length to seal it. I think you could use something like that to keep the beads away from the machine needle. My daughter is autistic and loves her weighted blanket. she is high functioning and I was told that its harder to diagnose girls because they hide it so well, well at least for the high functioning girls like mine. you would never know it if you saw her
I just finished this project and mine was made out of 120 6×6 squares and weighs almost 22 lbs. Huge project that I got done in a week (between working 2 jobs and chasing 4 kids!) Broke 5 needles and Rob is so right when he says to use the heavier needle! Didn’t break anymore after I switched. My daughter suffers from anxiety and was looking to purchase one. I made it for about 1/3rd the cost. Thanks for the great article and instructions!
This is awesome and you’re amazing for doing a whole episode on weighted quilts for people with autism! You just made my many friends on the spectrum and severely anxious me really happy. Thank you so much for this! ❤️ I do wanna mention really fast that now experts think there are about as many women/girls with autism as men/boys, they’re just way more likely to be misdiagnosed or undiagnosed and it stinks. Here’s a link if you wanna learn more! Again, thanks so much! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ madisonhouseautism.org/autism_in_women/
Hi there! Love your articles! Your kind heart shows in all you do. Thank you for the clear way you share tips and hints. Have you discovered clips- the tiny ones used for sewing? I use them whenever I can. Pins will always be with us and necessary for some projects, of course, but hands cam before pins and I loved the tip of using your fingers to hold the next pinpoint, instead of a pin! Also wanted to leave you a tip… the funnel they sell in Walmart for holding the oil can up while it drains so you get all of the oil out of the can? Saw it at the mechanics and bought one for me for filling heat pack rice pads that are extraordinary and use websites to keep the rice in place. SO very much easier to dump the IMPORTANT measured poly pellets into a wide area and have them funnel oh so very easily into the website with hardly ANY on the floor. So manly a thing I think it would fit on your show very nicely. LOL. Oh and it is bright red so it would work in your background and be easy to find. So enjoy your show. I work at remembering to turn the volume down for the intro and take in such wonderful teaching. THANK YOU.
When I made a weighted blanket for my boys, I used long zippers on inside and created pockets. In the pockets I inserted fabric bags with plastic beads. This way I could adjust weight, redistribute it and then take bead bags out to wash blanket and wash bead bags without routine my washer or dryer. Love the blanket and makes such a difference for my boys. Thanks for thinking of these amazing kids.
Rob, Have you used a walking foot with this project? I take my first quilting class at the end of OCT and one of the tools we need is a walking foot. Would a walking foot grab the cuddle fabric better? I’m so excited to see this project. While, we don’t have autism, we all really love heavy blankets when we sleep. And we live in Florida! Thanks for all your awesome tutorials.
Great tutorial! All of your tutorials are so educational because you show what can go wrong and how to adjust or fix it. For instance, discussing the size of the needle, and your troubles with the smaller ones. Although I will probably never make this particular quilt, you taught me other things. Thank you, you are a very good teacher.
Great project, Rob! I would find out if the recipient likes the cuddle cloth texture before beginning–some people with sensory issues don’t like it. Then, as you said, flannel would work or even polartec? Any of these textures has fans and haters. I bet you could pre-load one leg of panty hose and stitch it off into chambers and then drop a leg into a column…ok it makes sense in my mind…
I’ve been planning on making one of these for a special little boy! Thank you so much for this article! I love the fold over on the top. I’m wondering if maybe a walking foot wouldn’t help feed the cuddle fabric through without pulling? As I read the previous comments, I love the idea of pre-filled bags! Thank you!
Thank you for this article! I’ve been struggling with how to make a weighted quilt for my son who is autistic. I was making it so much harder than it needed to be and your method is sooo simple which I need because my time is precious. Again, thanks! If I wanted to add batting would you suggest just adding it to one side of the fabric as I’m stitching the right sides together at the beginning?
Hi Rob … Love perusal you create beautiful quilts ~ When you’re doing the last row, why not put the bag & scoop by the machine & leave the fabric in the machine while you fill each bag & then you won’t have to run back & forth ~ thanks for sharing with us !!! thunderhorsemysecondlove mmc aka monica
Rob … I have been following all of your tutorials and must say that this is one of my favorites so far! I am a beginner sewer and this seems so doable. I love that the cape itself seems so easy, and then I can be as creative and challenged as I want with the applique. My oldest is just getting to the age where he will love this … I am so excited! Thank you!
Awesome tutorial. My little cousin has a persuasion of Autism, and his Mama made him a weighted blanket. You make it seem manageable! They are pretty fantastic. If anyone reading hasn’t ever tried one, if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend it. I understood the concept of what the blanket does for our autistic peeps, but actually laying beneath one for a short time sort of brought it home. It’s just the most snuggley, comforting feeling. They really are awesome. Side note, I dig the shirt in this vid too! lol
I am making 2 blankets. I did as you said and I even broke a needle. I used fleece on the back and one has cotton and one with flannel on the fronts. I did not take into account the weight of the blanket. I think I need to make it a bit smaller because it will be over 5 lbs which is the weight limit. Ugg. I love your tutorials. Thank you.
I used this tutorial to make a blanket for my soon to be adopted grandson. I just figured out how much to put in each square, and added the beads as I sewed the rows together. That was easier for me, rather than trying to get them down a tube shape. I am grateful for all your tutorials, and look forward to each new one. Thank you for all the help and inspiration.
I think I would elevate one side of the sewing machine so the weights would stay in place better. If you put sewing machine on a board then elevate the board on the end you are sewing on so the pellets stay put better. It would eliminate or cut down on needle breaks and also cut down on time pushing them all out of the way. A small flat item like a credit card or a piece of plastic cut to size if the blocks that you can run on the fabric one block at a time to push them all down out of your way.
Hi Rob, I am currently making one for a friend mine. The size is about 50 x 80. I am using flannel on one side and polar fleece on the other. I am having trouble just getting sewn together because both are slippery fabrics. I don’t know whether to sew the sides together first and then one end and turn or just sew all the around it. I am afraid if I sew all the way around it will not end up straight. Please let me know any suggestions.
Great article but just one comment, maybe a suggestion.. try not to use the words “autistic friends” but use instead “friends with autism” just because it can be offensive for some people because the way you said it in the article you put the disability before the person instead of the person before the disability. I’m a nurse and work with kids with disabilities and lots of times I hear from them that it offends them when the disability is placed before the person. I don’t mean to be rude it’s just not a lot of people are aware of the way we say things like this. Love your work and your teaching methods!
Thank you for showing how to make the weighted quilt for the Aspies. with a whole house here this quilt will be much appreciated and I will make some for other mums with Aspies too, because not every mum likes sewing l like I do. We have had ours for a few years now and they were quite expensive then, but thanks to you I can make and replace ours. Our old ones have metal discs in to weigh it down but I do like the beads more and it will give a lovely texture to feel too.Thank you, your a great man with a heart of gold
I think this is a wonderful thing you are doing. Your website is the only sewing/craft/quilting website I’ve seen who has posted ideas for those who have friends or family that struggle with special needs. I commend you for that and I pray that God always bless you, your family and your business. You have a good heart and a zeal for learning and teaching that we enjoy to see. Thank you!!
My daughter is on the autism spectrum. She gets so nervous around new people. She clings to me, playing with my necklace or shirt. She loves different textures. I had thought about making her a quilt. A hybrid one at that! I had read that these weighted blankets are awesome. My oldest struggles with anxiety as well. I think I’ll make 2 of these!
Rob, since the pellets don’t take up the entire square, you could push them out of the way. Then you could put a couple of pins in each square; about an inch or so from and parallel to the seam line. I think this would really help keep the pellets out of the way of the needle! Love your articles – Like a lot of other viewers, I heard of you through Missouri Star 🙂
To keep the beads from shifting so easily, I found if I used a ruler or anything with a thin edge I could push the beans further down in the pocket and by pinning they did not shift and interfere as you sew. It does take a few minutes longer, but the chance of needles breaking is much less to happen. Thanks for the help, my grandson is on the autism spectrum and has a real issue with texture – he loves soft.
I made my grandson a weighted blanket for Christmas last year. He really liked it. Now his brother wants one. He isn’t on the spectrum, but really liked the weighted feel when he borrowed his brothers. It looks like sewing another weighted blanket is in my Christmas plans. I put my poly pellets in a gallon plastic bucket. This helped with the spillage.
This is a great article. Anything weighted is great for all children. I have used poly pellets to stuff in soft, plush animals as well as with a lap pad. These are great because it provides proprioception to the body and provides pressure and sensory input. It can be used as a calming tool and for sleep. It doesn’t work for everyone. I had a friend who did not like it because she felt that she was in an enclosed space which caused some anxiety. Each person is different but I love these type of weighted projects.
I love perusal and listening to Rob. I’m an occupational therapist with much love of sensory intergration and people that benefit from deep pressure, I love that he did his research on the weight ratio and weight of the pellets. And it’s washable! And 1/4 cup scoop = 1.25 oz! Thanks Man sewing, and whoever your fabulous assistant is!
You didn’t use ‘WAY TOO MANY WORDS….’ as I know some that need it explained further…. LOL Yes, my friends and I have special problems learning at times. BTW, I’m going to start making these, with mine first! I have to have heavy blanket for comfort! I can do with a thinner blanket, if it’s heavy enough to drape. I have to have it around my legs which have arthritis from the hips to the ends of the toes, and a freezy cold house! This will hopefully allow me to cuddle up and crochet for hours instead of having to get up and move around to get out the soreness from the cold, or having to have three blankets on me!
excuse you!? “most autistic folks are males” is absolutely damagingly inaccurate!!! AMAB people are more often given a diagnosis of autism – accurate. AMAB people are more easily given a diagnosis of autism – accurate. AMAB people tend to have more debilitating autism symptoms and/or are not socialized, scrutinized, and forced to “behave properly” but are instead believed, and receive both treatment and help for their autism much more commonly – true. But to simplify down this complex and long-standing issue by making the casual proclamation that “most autistic folks are males” is damaging and inaccurate. If you really want to be supportive of the autistic community you need to not perpetuate that kind of genuinely harmful stereotype. There are an incalculable number of AFAB people in this world with high functioning autism who are socialized gruelingly to cover up and develop ways of repressing significant symptoms through life who never receive a diagnosis or any help with their symptoms at all -and the false and stigmatizing idea that “males are more often autistic” is something that was created by a man who only believed and perpetuated the idea that boys are the only kids who have autism. As a result of this idea, the stigma and repression of women and AFAB people in this world who suffer from autism is rampant – AFAB people and women have an incredibly difficult time receiving accurate diagnosis AND the statistics representing the number of “males” vs “females” vs non-binary people in this world who have autism is absolutely not a correct reflection of autism as defined by gender lines.
Before I saw this I sent off letter to Autism.com. but I am learning to use my computer and made it easier to search for weighted blankets, and I so like perusal Rob man sewing. You made it seem very easy for me to make one for my grandchild. My only question is what if you want it larger, say 45 x 60, how would you evenly get the pellets, or do you have to wait till child weighs more to make larger? I may need to watch again and take notes as to weight for it. Thanks if you could help. Grammy Lois
a friend of mine has a grandaughter that works with 5 Austic children, 4 boys and 1 girl, and a small child with Downs Syndrome. I made a smaller size weighted blanket for a child about 35 lbs for her to see if it would be useful. She loved it, nearly cried, she had been wanting these for the children for a long time. I have 5 more to make now. Thank you for this article. It helped me to help another.
Hi Rob, my autistic son had a weighted blanket at primary school which if anyone doubts if they work, they do. It gave him the time to calm and get himself on an even keil again and just letting him be able to cope with all the noise and brightness of a classroom. Rory, my son is very much a textures person and because of all the differences in materials of this blanket, it would appeal to children like that. People think that it is only babies that need to feel the various textures, but to people on the autistic spectrum it makes the biggest difference and lets them cope in their own way with all that is going on. Rory once told me it was like someone banging triangles, drums, the opening and slamming closed of filing cabinet drawers all going on at the same time, while trying to listen and learn what he was supposed to be doing. Thank you Rob for raising awareness and bringing such a great blanket to peoples attentions, because unfortunately you just don’t know who is affected by such a debilitating disorder. Crafty hugs from Norah, Central Scotland
may I suggest an idea for filling columns…use a canning funnel to help reduce spillage. you can also use 1/4″ hem tape on each of the rows, attach it after you have set your seams to the quilt top, remove the backing, fill the columns, flatten out the area your working & iron the hem tape again. this should secure it well enough to keep whatever filling is used away from where it could get caught under the needle, especially if your just straight stitching. if you plan on using a zig zag or other decorative stitching, I would recommend using 1/2″ hem tape. of coarse after all sewing is done, iron over the seams on the whole thing again to really seal the stitches.
I’m going to make one of these for our special needs preschool in our town and was wondering if I could put the pellets in small plastic bags and close the bags and then drop the bags into the pockets. It would keep them from scattering all over while I’m sewing the pocket closed. I don’t think these will ever be washed, and will always stay at school. If they are washed, the plastic bags probably would stay in tack, I hope anyway.
A tip to help keep the poly pellets in the pocket while sewing … use a wooden dowel (1/4 to 1/2 inch thick) and tape it on the top of the sewing area (front to back) about an inch to the left of the sewing foot. This will help keep the open pocket side above the stitching area and the material on a ‘down hill slope’ as you sew your seam. Do not place the dowel to close to the sewing foot … as the needle moves up and down the screw that holds the foot in place moves up and down, you do not want it to be hitting the wooden dowel, chop sticks, skewer or whatever you are using … it might cause the needle to break or bend. Thanks on the math on the proper weight for the blanket to the weight of the person you are making it for. One question, please. I’m not familiar with poly pellets … will they melt in the dryer?
I made a weighted blanket for my self as I have restless leg syndrome I’m a alost 62 years old I first used a half duvet cover then made an outer cover from jumbo corduroy I made ten websites each being ten square inches on the inner duvet I put my poly pellets in a catering sized lidded bucket used an empty overlocker spool as a funnel and so as not to waste the dropped pellets I removed the dust bag from my Henry hover thoroughly cleaned it inside including the hose then every now and then hovered up then put the pellets in the bucket again and I sleep much better without my legs being jumpy all night
I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome which means that myelin sheath on my nerves is disappearing. this causes different symptoms on different days but one of the worst is the shaking. when I was a little girl I used to sleep under handmade quilts from my grandmother and they were so heavy. Now I just pile blankets on. This weighted blanket is a great idea, now I need to save up for for a sewing machine, LOL😳
I love your tutorials Rob!! I can’t wait to start this project, I am waiting on my I Spy fabric to come in from MSQC. My question is this: what age would you recommend making these for? Could a light one be made for say a one year old or newborn? Any feedback from others is appreciated as well! Thanks.
I love to watch you see I’ve sewn a couple thing that you made the toy bag it came out ok and the sewing machine cover that came out real good thanks to your direction. I gotta say I’m a brand new sewer Iess then a year so I need tons of practice. Hey I got a question for you when you quilt can you use stencils instead of those real expensive acrylic templates like I said I’m really new at sewing so I hate to spend a whole bunch of money on those templates
I personally have a hard time sleeping unless i have all my blankets ( 5 of them) on me and its because of the pressure not cause i’m cold.. it helps me sleep.. so i was looking for an alternative cause it is a bit too warm and so i have to have it pretty cold in my room to sleep.. i thought that perhaps there would be such a thing as a weighted blanket and its awesome that there is!.. I imagine this might help me out a bit.. I appreciate the tutorial thanks.
Thank you! Thank you! My son has a weighed blanket that’s nearing it’s end. I’ve been dreading spending the $120 to replace it! Now I can make him multiples so there will be no more melt downs if we forget his blanket at home. This article just gave me so many ideas and took a lot of stress off my shoulders, thank you again!
I’d be willing to bet that the rates of autism are pretty evenly divided along gender lines. Girls are often missed, because they’re seen as shy and quiet rather than autistic, or misdiagnosed with other issues like bipolar disorder or something else. Doctors seem resistant to the idea that girls are also autistic.
Great article! I made a weighted blanket for myself about two years ago. I don’t use my blanket regularly, but it does really help me when I’m feeling anxious, stressed, etc. I also made a little weighted lap blanket that I keep in my car. I often just place it on my lap while I’m driving and its light weight is really comforting and calming. As far as keeping the Poly Pellets away from the needle while I was sewing it, I used the length of a ruler to push against the pellets and keep them where they needed to be, and that worked really well. I think a lot of people can benefit from the deep touch pressure provided by a weighted blanket, not just people with Autism, and while the project may take a little time, the benefits of the blanket are completely worth it.
My adult son, Ian, has Asperger’s, which is a type of autism. He had a weighted vest to help him concentrate in school while he was younger. Ian’s best buddy has ADHD, and his folks found out that Derek did better/was calmer in school when he used the weighted vest too! So this project can potentially help many children in addition to those with autism. Thank you Rob, for all the effort you put into helping us. God Bless! PS: At 19, my son has learned so many wonderful coping skills that most people are not aware of his challenges. The many efforts on the part of his Special Education Teachers, Counselors, & Occupational Therapists have given Ian a much better life than we ever imagined for him. So a HUGE shout-out to all those under-appreciated angels! You all ROCK!!!
loving the weighted quilt, am trying my first attempt with a pillow case before i do a fleecey one. Hope u don’t mind me mentioning, that the male female autism ratio is actually much closer than 85%, more like 50-75%, (according to dr Tony Atwood and other autism specialist ) its just that females offten get missed and much later diagnosis ( mine was 40 yrs old, 43 now) because the female traits are slightly different (as every person with autism is) and females hide and mask better. (Many many reasons, but mentioned basics!) sorry, had to correct u as that’s one of my traits! Thanks for the article!x