The New and Improved Magic Blanket

About ten years ago, I made a puff quilt for John as a gift. It was christened "The Magic Blanket" as it was used when anyone was sick or had a nightmare or anything of the sort. It was heavy and warm and helped you feel safe. After many years of use and washing, the magic was gone and the fluff was coming out. It was time for a new one.

Puff quilts take a lot of time. First you have to cut out two squares for each block--a top and a bottom. Then you have to pin them together to form a pocket. Following that, you chain sew the rows together, leaving the top of each square unsewn. Once the sides are sewn together, you stuff and pin close each pocket. When the row is stuffed, you sew the tops close and then attach the next row. As the blanket gets bigger, it also gets heavier. The last one was 16 rows across and 23 rows long. John wished it was a little longer so it would cover his feet. The new one is 20 rows across and 30 rows long. It covers the top of our queen-sized bed and goes from his chin all the to the floor at the foot of the bed.

After attempting to give it to him for his birthday last October, I finally finished it two weeks ago. After I put it on the bed, we realized it's so big and heavy that you can hardly stand to stay under it. I folded it up and put it away. This past weekend, John got a fever. The magic blanket came back out and was able to keep him warm. I, on the other hand, had to make sure it stayed on his side of the bed or I would have sweated to death.

So if this one lasts another ten years, I won't have to make another one until after Griffin leaves on a mission!