Blanket Guidelines

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• Crochet, knit, quilt, or tie blankets or finish the edges of polar fleece.
• 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.

Baby                 36" x 36"
Child/Youth       40" x 60"  
Teen                  45" x 72" 

• 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.

• 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.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

• 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.  
• 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.