Blanket Guidelines

General Guidelines

  • Crochet, knit, quilt, or tie blankets or finish the edges of polar fleece.
  • Click on Finish a Fleece Blanket for instructions and patterns for fleece blankets.
  • Make blankets from new, clean, washable materials in infant, child and teen friendly colors.
  • Blankets must be durable and washable as they will be laundered many times.
  • Use age appropriate fabric or yarn for the blanket you create  no ballerinas or pink bunnies for teen-sized boy blankets!
  • Low loft batting is preferred
  • Please check, double-check, and triple-check your blanket carefully for straight pins.  It's better you find that pin - not the child that receives your blanket.
  • You don't have to be an expert to create a blanket that is beautiful to a child.
Suggested Blanket Sizes

Baby                 36" x 36" - no smaller please
Child/Youth        40" x 60"  
Teen                  45" x 72"

  • Our hospitals prefer that baby blankets be no smaller than 36" X 36"
  • We give blankets to newborns through the age of 18 years old.  These are approximate blanket sizes - kids and blankets come in all sizes.
  • We always have a greater need for boy blankets and teen-sized blankets for boys and girls.  
Special Care . . . . .
must be taken to insure that blankets are free of smoke and chemical odors (including scented detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets) mold, mildew, and pet hair.  Many of the children who receive our blankets already have compromised immune systems and we don't want to add to their health problems.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quilts

  • Please make quilts from cotton or flannel.
  • Secure the batting into outer seams and tie or quilt every 4" - the only exception is if you're using needle-punched batting, e.g., Warm & Natural or Soft & Bright which can be quilted or tied further apart.
  • It is perfectly acceptable to use fleece for quilt backings.  You won't need to use batting if you do use fleece for the backing. The fleece backing makes a very soft, comfortable quilt.
  • Use permanent fabric markers to color fabric squares.
  • Appliques must be stitched to the background fabric.  If they're not stitched down - they will fall off.  This applies whether you use sew or no-sew fusible applique web.

Afghans

  • Use small crochet hooks or knitting needles and soft baby yarn when making baby afghans.
  • Little fingers and toes and medical instruments can get caught in loose, loopy big stitches.
  • If you prefer to use larger hooks or needles, consider making larger child and teen sized afghans.
  • Weave in all yarn ends on crocheted and knitted afghans.  Do not just knot and cut off the ends.

________________________________
Janet Walter, Coordinator
E-mail: craft_nurse@bellsouth.net
Phone:  502-316-8397

Don't

  • Don't make blankets out of tapestry, upholstery fabric, burlap, felt, vinyl, wool, wool yarn or any other scratchy fabrics or laces.  Also, please don't donate these items - we can't use them.
  • Don't attach buttons or other decorative items to blankets - they can be a choking hazard to children.
  • Don't use thick paint to decorate a blanket - it peels off and we don't want a child eating the paint.