How to Look at a Blanket

A blanket is a flat, woven textile that varies in size. A blanket is hemmed at the top and bottom. Blankets can be thin and light, whilst others are made to be intentionally weighted and heavy. Blankets come in an array of colours, patterns, sizes, and fabrics. A blanket could be made of cotton, wool, fleece, polyester, linens, or a blend of these textiles. The intention behind any blanket is to create an encompassing comfort for whomever it lands on.

© Copyright Hession, Michael. “one of our softest picks, thanks to its luxurious, fuzzy texture” Photograph. Wirecutter.

A blanket can be more than just a centrepiece for a sofa, hanging, folded, or simply thrown into a corner.

A blanket can not be a significant other, no matter how many nights it spends wrapped around you.

Blankets fall somewhere in a blur between these two extremities, between a decorative comfort, a physical one, and for some, a mental one. There’s nothing like sitting in your favourite comfy spot with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders that not only feels like home but smells like it too. A blanket can instantly provide relaxation and serenity, an unspoken agreement that occurs between you and your blanket the moment you climb into your comfort zone.

© Copyright Hession, Michael. “this blanket looks slightly iridescent, adding a sheen to the bed” Photograph. Wirecutter.

A blanket can be a representation of a family. Before blankets could be manufactured in a factory, they were handmade, knitted or sewn with reused pieces of cloth or rags, the size and pattern determined by what materials you had on hand. This kind of blanket would be used and reused, recycling good material for new blankets, or adding onto the blanket with fresh pieces. In our modern time, a blanket can be made or ordered with printed images or names as a centrepiece of a family’s living room. This is a way to visualize and present your family to guests, or a piece of memorabilia of your family’s past.

A blanket can be made in a factory and mass-produced. The manufacturing of a blanket is complex, and there are many steps taken to ensure the buyer is satisfied. Raw materials go through a process of blending, spinning, weaving, cleaning, dyeing, and more before a blanket can be packaged and sold. Looming has been a part of the fabric process for thousands of years and continues to be the main way of manufacturing.

Depending on the season, different textiles have better uses. In the winter months, it is best to have a fleece or a wool blanket, the material soft and heavy, hopefully not itchy. In the summer months, light cotton blankets are best, something breathable that moves with you.
Choosing a blanket is just as complex of a process as the making of said blanket. On top of what textile, size, pattern or colour you favour, there are a handful of weaving techniques that can ultimately be the deciding factor.

No matter the purpose for buying and owning a new blanket, the one thing that should be kept in mind is that a blanket is made purely for comfort, and after many years of refining the process, there are so many unique styles and types to choose from, and no choice will be wrong if it brings you warmth.

Works Cited

“Bed Sheet.” How Products Are Made, www.madehow.com/Volume-5/Bed-Sheet.html.

Elkins, James. How to Use Your Eyes. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print.

Johnson, Liz. “Learn About Fabric Weaves.” Sew4Home, 3 Oct. 2018, sew4home.com/tips-resources/fabric-color-texture/learn-about-fabric-weaves.

Reeve, Jackie. “The Best Blankets for 2020.” Wirecutter, 16 Oct. 2019, thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-blankets/.

Sarina, et al. “20 Types of FABRIC WEAVES {An Overview}.” Sew Guide, sewguide.com/fabric-weaving-types/.

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