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Restoring a Childhood Blanket?

A worn pink blanket.
Restoring a beloved childhood blanket is an important project. If you do not want to cut it apart and remake it anew, consider backing it with a piece of fabric and sewing the two pieces together to reinforce the childhood memory item. This is a page about restoring a childhood blanket.
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3 Questions

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Gold Post Medal for All Time! 846 Posts
October 2, 2008

A worn pink blanket.I have a pink and white old fashioned design twin size blanket that I've had since age of eight in 1963. Guess you could call her a sort of baby blanket ;-) Anyway, she is threadbare now with a few holes (one large and the other handful are small). The binding came off years and years ago. I just can't bring myself to dispose of her because of all the memories she brings.



Yet am afraid to use her anymore even just to snuggle on the sofa because she's become so delicate that she just sits on the shelf in the closet. Any ideas what to do with her or how to possibly restore so she's not closet bound anymore?
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Deeli from Richland, WA

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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 149 Feedbacks
October 2, 20080 found this helpful
Best Answer

I zoomed in but can not tell by the photo what type fabric it is made of? But I would do as the post by Glenn's Mom suggest and cut it into squares and make a rag item out of it. Ragged items are very popular now and can be done into rag purses, totes, table runners, or in this case you used it to stay warm you could make a ragged throw from it.

I saw its pink & white so you must like pink and it has a squared off design to it in sections. So just cut out as many of those squared design from your loving old quilt as you can that are not torn and then get fabric that is comfy to match in solid pinks and even white like flannel or fleece and cut them the size of your squares from your old quilt and follow the directions for doing a ragged design and you will end up with a beautiful new lap throw or what ever you choose, and can pass it along as a treasure to your loved ones like kids etc.

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The ragged look it raw selvages but is so pretty and country looking. here is a site that tells how to do it.
quilting.about.com/.../rag_quilt.htm

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By Pat Eno. (Guest Post)
October 4, 20082 found this helpful
Best Answer

I think that I would purchase a lightweight blanket or flannel sheet in pink or white and use this to reinforce the childhood blanket. Lay the two on the floor or a bed together, pin around the edges and sew together all around. You can then stitch around the holes to the reinforcing blanket so these will not grow larger. I would tie the two layer together with heavy pearl cotton or yarn at intervals of 5" or so. The blanket would not look elegant or new, but should be usable and this shouldn't change any of the special feeling that you have when you use it.

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October 13, 20081 found this helpful
Best Answer

I, myself, would purchase a fleece or flannel backing and use fusible webbing (Wonder Under) to adhere both pieces together using a hot iron and a damp cloth as you are fusing. Find a material as close as you can possible find to match the blanket and cut slightly larger than the holes, place between the blanket and the backing. Adhere those first, then iron (fuse) the rest of the blanket, working from inside to outside edges.

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Just to be on the safe side because flannel has a tendency to stick to hot iron, use a cotton material to cover the parts of the blanket that the iron may touch where the damp cloth doesn't touch (hope that makes sense) this will protect that blanket. Also another tip, if you pin all of this together ahead of time, this should aid in keeping the blanket and the backing as straight as possible. Should the edges not quite match when you are finished fusing, use seam binding and sew around edges, salvaging as much as you possibly can without cutting any edging off what so ever.

This is really more simple than is sounds. I just made a roller shade using Wonder Under and fused two different fabrics together. It turned out really well. Please let us know what you decided to do and how it turned out for you! Elaine

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January 2, 2022

Hi!! I have a blanket I stole from my brother that sadly passed away, I stole it when I was really really young, and it's getting to where you can see light through it, it's stretchy, and it has a lot of stains on it from when I was younger and still wet the bed, it's pretty big, and it's soft on one side and kind rough I would say, it has little fuzzys coming off of the rough side, and I don't want to cut it. I've tried to put it up but I can't I keep taking it down, and I don't want it to get holes in it, I really miss my brother most of the time, and I can't get rid of the blanket trust me I've tried, it's the only thing that I have left of him. My grandmother hand made it, I don't know if that will change anything or not but, please help me!!

 

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Silver Answer Medal for All Time! 425 Answers
January 2, 20221 found this helpful
Best Answer

I'm very sorry you lost your brother.

Usually, a blanket that gets so thin you can see light through it, is pretty much impossible to "fix". If you can find tulle (a very fine nylon mesh fabric -think ballerina's tutu) wide enough or pieced, you could sew a flat cover like a bag, to completely enclose the blanket, and quilt through all layers to hold together. Not perfect, but usable. My suggestion though, is to fold it over itself to a size for a lap quilt and stitch the layers together.

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That way, you can still use it in a smaller form and keep it longer. BUT, the best thing to do for this keepsake, is to either put it away in a clean white pillow case, OR fold it small enough to display in a shadowbox frame -either on a wall or as a coffee table-top frame. You could also add some photos of your brother (if you have any) to the shadowbox.

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April 11, 2019

I have a very old old blanket that I have had all my life. It is more of the size of a rag and in 2 pieces. What would the best way to keep it? I hold it in a ball and play with the pieces in my fingers.

I know it seems weird, but I can't imagine it gone. And if I should sew it where do I find a fabric with the same old feel. It was made in the early 80s.

Restoring a Childhood Blanket - very old worn blanket
 

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Gold Post Medal for All Time! 677 Posts
April 11, 20190 found this helpful

I dont think you can restore it. I would cut around the edges with pinking shears to prevent further raveling.

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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks
April 11, 20190 found this helpful

You could cut a piece of muslin and zigzag the pieces of your blanket to it to stabilize it and prevent further fray.

You could also bid the pieces back together overlapping them and zigzag to prevent fraying.

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The first way offers stability, but you would only feel the original texture from one side. The second way you would feel the texture from both sides but it would be bulky at the seams which may make it harder to ball up.

Use a matching thread both color and material.

Hope one of these work for you! Blessings!

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Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 196 Feedbacks
April 12, 20190 found this helpful

This should say sew the pieces...my tablet seems to make up words
:(

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January 14, 20200 found this helpful

My blankey looks exactly like yours thats so crazy

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January 14, 20200 found this helpful

My blankey looks exactly like yours thats so crazy

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