Blankie emergency imminent - HELP!

[SorrelZG]

My fourth born has been the first of my children to develop a blankie attachment and it happened to be with a blanket that we've had since my firstborn was expected. The blankie was fine through three children but the love it has received from the fourth has it almost on it's last thread. I'm actually concerned it's a safety hazard. It's a machine knit blanket, possibly from Target, that is unraveling from one corner, hindered in one direction only by the sewn on tag that DS so affectionately grasps while snuggling up and sucking his thumb. I keep trimming the threads and tying them off but that doesn't stop it. I've been trying to encourage attachment to another blanket .. a pillow case .. a hand towel .. anything! He's having none of it. The child screams over the blankie being taken to the laundry room for washing, let alone when he actually needs to go to bed. I've searched Target and Walmart online and can't find another one.

 

HELP! What do I do??! Experts please advise!!!

[elfgivas]

not an expert here by any stretch, but we have found ebay to be our friend. one of ours became Very Attached to her bunny, in a way none of the others ever did. so we went on to ebay after a few years and found another one. we recently found two more, so now she is sleeping with "new old bunny" and "new new bunny" and "another new new bunny" so that they will begin to feel familiar. with another one, it was a blanket.... from australia.... that had been her father's when he was little. sigh..... believe it or not, we found material on ebay that was similar (NOT the same), and he and dd made a new one, which she adopted gleefully. old blankie is now in the doll's bed to comfort her.....

 

good luck; those "lovies" are important.

ann

[Dmmetler]

:grouphug:

 

Good luck! My DD7 has a "Draggy" obsession, Draggy being a particular folkmanis sea serpent puppet that she latched on to at 8 months that was retired before she was born. After having to drive back to the church where she was in child care and get someone to open the classroom to get the stuffed animal back because I had a frantic child who wouldn't sleep, eat, or settle at all until she saw he was OK, I started haunting ebay and buying them when I saw them, and rotating them so they hopefully would wear out evenly. That worked until she was 2, when she came out of my bedroom with an armload of scaly green tails. So now each Draggy has a specific name and personality, and she can tell them all apart, but the rule is that only one leaves the house at a given time.

 

I'm not sure how to encourage a different blankie. I know a one parent who, when she saw a blankie obsession beginning cut the blanket in half and hemmed each side (when her DS was still too young to pick up on it) so she then had two to rotate, but it may be too late at this point for that to work.

[ktgrok]

could you sew some new blanket binding on the side that is frayed? Or even glue it on or use iron on tape if you don't sew at all? He'd still have the original binding on the other sides, but it would be safer and prevent further damage.

[Cinder]

We had to let ours go its natural way. This was for ds1 who loved his blankie until he was about 10yo. By then it was super thin you could see through it. He finally decided it was time to put it away. We still have it stored, of course. ;)

 

But to help extend that time out you should put blankie in a lingerie bag for washing. It will help reduce the beating it takes in the wash.

 

I hope you can find something he will love just as much. We never could for ds1.

[Bensmom]

Yep. We had a serious blankie attachment here too. I found an identical replacement (except it looked new) and it was totally rejected!

 

The beloved blankie had a soft tag on it ("the ticket to dream land") which ds had worn to a small, stringy nub. I left the nub, but trimmed loose strings added a new "ticket" (the tag of my dh's undershirt). I repaired holes and patched worn areas all under the watchful eye of my ds. We talked about how blankie needed these repairs so that it could stay safe and lovable.

 

I would make sure your child knows that you are not taking it away and that you ask for your child's input about making changes. (like what color thread/yarn/material to use for repairs) Letting him know that it isn't being taken away and he has the power to make "important" decisions may reduce some of the stress. It is most likely okay if blankie undergoes some serious physical changes as long as your son is "in charge" and a part of the process.

 

Good luck!

[Down_the_Rabbit_Hole]

I would add a new edging. Trim it back and add new binding. Or you can try zig zag stitching it all around the edge and just inside the edge.

 

last resort...read the book Owen and do as the mom did.

[Dmmetler]

Could you sew it to a backing? My younger brother had a watermelon pillow that my mother had to sew a slipcover for when it started falling to pieces. I think he still has it-and he's 37!

[KatieJ]

Many of my grandkids have blankies. One of my jobs as the grandma who sews is to keep them mended. Often my grandkids who live in a different state, show up at my door with blankie in hand. "Grandma, can you fix my blankie?"

 

Where is the love symbol?

 

Sometimes I can just zigzag an area, sometimes I have had to add some blanket edging. And yes, one of them is attached to the tag and I have had to make it puts back on!

My grandaughter is in love with the flannel rag quilt I made her. I know one day it is just going to be in pieces in her bed when she wakes up! I did make her dolly a miniature sized one. She absoltuely refuses to get attached to that one, even tho I made it with the exact same fabric as her big one. It is so amazing how they just know!

[plansrme]

Is it a Baby Morgan blanket? I have been through a search for another of these (they are not made any more), and remember finding some recommendations via Google for a brand that is supposed to be identical. There were also some on eBay. The Baby Morgan blankets are the classic acrylic knitted blankie with the perfect satin edging. They used to be available everywhere, cheap, but they are practically collectors' items now, unfortunately for babies everywhere!

 

Terri

[nukeswife]

My kids are like that. My dd who is by far my most logical child was ok with just putting her blankie up in her closet, so she still has it but it isn't used. She had a replacement that was usable for her. No my oldest would had a crib quilt that he loved which was no longer made and we could find nothing similar, so I took him to the fabric store and let him pick out 2 different fabrics. I then went home and encased his beloved blanket in the new fabric (like a duvet cover but it doesn't come off) and he still has it to this day. He doesn't take it anywhere but likes to have it for when we take long car trips as it's just the right size to be a lap quilt.

 

My youngest son is getting to the point where I just don't know what we'll do. He has one of those waffle weave thermal knit receiving blankets he's attached to and although I've been mending holes I'm not sure what I'll do when it goes threadbare. The encasement procedure wouldn't work since it's the texture of the blanket he likes.

[gardenmom5]

That worked until she was 2, when she came out of my bedroom with an armload of scaly green tails.

.

:lol::lol::lol: I can just imagine the glee on her face.

 

1ds was given a stuffed orange tabby one year for christmas. dudeling was not quite two, and immediately decided it was his. I went on ebay and found a gray one. dudeling still sleeps with 'gray kitty' and can tell them apart in the dark.

 

depending upon age - with 1dd we "retired" her stuffed polar bear (the fabric was wearing out) to a place of honor on a shelf in her room. Then we took her to choose a new one. but she was older.

[sbgrace]

I had a child who accepted an ebay "extra" though his stuffed elephant wasn't on it's last leg at that point.

 

The other child attached to this dog pillow. I could not get him to accept even an identical. He still sleeps with that thing (at 8) and it's just a scrap of fabric now. If you can find a way to make it safe I would just let it be. I don't know if you can given the strings though. That would be hard.

[wapiti]

I agree, try ebay. Can you post a pic?

 

I performed blankie surgery recently by sewing on a new whole piece of fabric to replace the side that had shredded (I didn't even bother to replace the filling). Ds is happy with it. Maybe you can say you're trying to fix it? Try to tie up the loose ends? Sew a new edge onto it? I don't know much about knit things, but I'm imagining that perhaps you could fold over the frayed part and sew it down. Not elegant, but perhaps functional.

[SorrelZG]

DS isn't yet two and isn't aware enough to give input on any changes.

 

The blankie has no edging sewn on it.

 

I found a lingerie washing bag (or something like it .. I've never used it but I remembered MIL giving me something like a bag for washing stuff in and it turns out that I kept it - somewhere I could find it, even). It's in the washing machine right now. We had a diaper overflow issue this morning and it has been quite a morning. DS was robbing the washing machine while I was trying to load it but getting distracted by other children who needed behavioral counseling in the next room. Once it was in (and the child lock was engaged) I tried talking to him about how blankie needed a bath and would be out again soon while he watched through the window between attempts to bust open the door on the machine. I had to physically remove him from the laundry room and he's been crying on and off but right now he's thankfully distracted. The "conversation" starts right were it left off every time he sees me so I'm hiding out of sight.

 

I wouldn't say that I sew. I do have a machine and I do happen to have a walking foot for it which could make it an easy job, I'm thinking, to just zig-zag the edges where it's fraying. I think I remember how to do that. It was actually all packed up to be given away but providentially, it's still taking up space in my closet. I guess now I just need to figure out when to do this since my nerves can't handle me trying to work a sewing machine without silence, which means after bedtime, but baby doesn't do bedtime without blankie and if baby doesn't do bedtime, no one does bedtime.

 

Wish me wisdom and favorable providence. :tongue_smilie:

[SorrelZG]

I agree, try ebay. Can you post a pic?

 

I performed blankie surgery recently by sewing on a new whole piece of fabric to replace the side that had shredded (I didn't even bother to replace the filling). Ds is happy with it. Maybe you can say you're trying to fix it? Try to tie up the loose ends? Sew a new edge onto it? I don't know much about knit things, but I'm imagining that perhaps you could fold over the frayed part and sew it down. Not elegant, but perhaps functional.

 

 

I may try to post a pic. If someone recognized it and could help me find one and so save me trying to sew I would be ecstatic.

[wapiti]

I guess now I just need to figure out when to do this since my nerves can't handle me trying to work a sewing machine without silence

 

Isn't that the oddest thing - I need silence too, and find myself barking at the kids, with no patience whatsoever, when they interrupt me at the sewing machine. Especially if I'm trying to figure out whether I inserted the bobbin wrong :glare: (it's all I can do to get the machine threaded).

 

I like the idea of trying to zig-zag

[Tap]

Ds17 had a quilt that was falling apart. He loved the top of the quilt so we finally cut away everything but the top. The top was so thread bare that it wasn't worth putting a new back on. We then folded up the top panel and tucked it in his pillow case at night. He could put his hand in the pillow case and feel it iniside, or he could take it out, but every night it returned to the pillow case. Over time, it came out less and less and eventually it moved to a shelf in the closet. It was a good transition for him, that he could have immediate access to it if he wanted it, but it was proected a bit also. It is still in his closet, and I think even if he wanted to get rid of it.....I don't think I could. :0)

[Dustybug]

My oldest (now 6) became super attached to a cheap dollar store stuffed puppy that my niece gave her when she was 8 months old. We've lost him a few times and it was tragic (this thread even made me go back and read the blog post I wrote about it several years ago!). We hunted and hunted to find a replacement just in case and when my MIL finally found one, my DD gave him away to my DS! :tongue_smilie: The puppy, named Einstein is still around and she STILL carries him around and sleeps with him!

 

Good luck!

[Tap]

Do post a picture though, maybe someone here has one they would be willing to send you.

[SorrelZG]

This is it (with view of damage .. that stain isn't coming out):

 

 

Tag says it's an "Elegant Baby" blanket and it's 100% cotton. I've been searching and have found Elegant Baby blankets that are the same color and cotton but different knit patter - do you think he'd notice?

[Tap]

This is it (with view of damage .. that stain isn't coming out):

 

 

Tag says it's an "Elegant Baby" blanket and it's 100% cotton. I've been searching and have found Elegant Baby blankets that are the same color and cotton but different knit patter - do you think he'd notice?

 

What color is it? Beige, cream, grey? I can't make it out from the picture.

[SorrelZG]

What color is it? Beige, cream, grey? I can't make it out from the picture.

 

It's getting difficult to tell in person, too.

 

It's (was) light baby/powder blue.

[Tap]

It's getting difficult to tell in person, too.

 

It's (was) light baby/powder blue.

 

I will stop by the second hand store on my way to work. Never know....It couldn't hurt to try. LOL

 

 

BTW....I have seen that blanket before in a beige color. I don't know if we had one, or what, but I remember the pattern vividly. Does the blanket have a bit of weight to it? Not heavy or anything, just not ultra-light. The one I remember did. When the kids used it, it seemed to fall around them and snuggle up to them. LOL I am a blanket lover....can you tell. :D

[pfamilygal]

You could fold the edge of it over and zigzag stitch. That should stop the unravel.

[redsquirrel]

I just want to give all you mamas a big :001_wub: You are so wonderful for taking The Blankie seriously. You are working so hard to make it work.

 

My brother had a blankie and, even though he has kids of his own, he can still tell you how much that blanket meant to him.

 

You have lucky kids.

[pfamilygal]

Here are some similar ones:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elegant-Baby-Blue-Cable-Knit-Crib-Blanket-/221059464434?pt=US_Baby_Blankets&hash=item33782bbcf2

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ELEGANT-BABY-BASKET-WEAVE-KNIT-BLANKET-U-PICK-COLOR-/230627262332?pt=US_Baby_Blankets&var=&hash=item35b274bf7c

[KatieJ]

This is it (with view of damage .. that stain isn't coming out):

 

 

Tag says it's an "Elegant Baby" blanket and it's 100% cotton. I've been searching and have found Elegant Baby blankets that are the same color and cotton but different knit patter - do you think he'd notice?

 

I think this is the one my Grandson has. I have mended it many times. Start with just a zig zag ( 3 step ZZ is best.) Removed the tag and put it back on after you have done the repairs, preferably in a different spot/side so the wear will move around the blanket.

Eventually I had to put a satin binding all the way around.

[Tap]

I really, really doubt that it would work but do you think you could introduce a new friend. Just to help smooth the way to retirement for the blanket?

[kricau]

Thsi does not always work. I spent $10 to try and "replace" my daughters blankie...but she totally knew the difference and now she carries around both LOL

 

 

not an expert here by any stretch, but we have found ebay to be our friend. one of ours became Very Attached to her bunny, in a way none of the others ever did. so we went on to ebay after a few years and found another one. we recently found two more, so now she is sleeping with "new old bunny" and "new new bunny" and "another new new bunny" so that they will begin to feel familiar. with another one, it was a blanket.... from australia.... that had been her father's when he was little. sigh..... believe it or not, we found material on ebay that was similar (NOT the same), and he and dd made a new one, which she adopted gleefully. old blankie is now in the doll's bed to comfort her.....

 

good luck; those "lovies" are important.

ann

[SorrelZG]

You ladies are so awesome. I'm not sure there is a word for how awesome y'all are.

 

I'm holding on to all these thoughts and ideas and am working through them. Just pray I don't mess up the beloved blankie though I guess I do have the ebay links. I'm getting the impression that at least some of these ebay sellers are trying to take advantage of these exact situations. Great business idea but not awesome for me.:tongue_smilie:

 

I got his blankie and pillow (his boppy-like pillow is his second place lovie) out of the dryer in time for nap time and can you believe he complained because it was warm? He stood back up and held it out to me exclaiming, "Hot!" (it wasn't - it was deliciously snuggly warm and quickly cooling).

[Twigs]

Have you looked at the Elegant Baby website? None of the blankets I saw are just like your blanket, but maybe one would feel similar. You also might get one and leave it out all the time for your son to get used to, if his blankie finally does become completely unusable.

 

Best wishes.

[kricau]

Yeah, I ended up sewing my daughters too. Her's is a double sided cotton, so I just flipped it inside out sewed it up (left a little opening) then flipped it right side and stiched up the little opening. It is now a couple inches all around smaller than it was. I told my DH if she keeps using it like she does, and I keep having to stitch it, she will be taking it to college as a hankerchief LOL

 

You could fold the edge of it over and zigzag stitch. That should stop the unravel.

[Cinder]

Oh, the yarn's just unraveling. Your blankie looks very salvageable. Zigzag around to stop the unraveling. Maybe consider one of those satiny bindings too for added protection.

[SorrelZG]

I really, really doubt that it would work but do you think you could introduce a new friend. Just to help smooth the way to retirement for the blanket?

 

That's cute! I noticed amazon has some Elegant Baby blankets also. I'm left wondering what is so great about rib and cable knits that they apparently took the place of the basket weave (or whatever it's called) knit?

[justLisa]

Do you knit/crochet at all? I would just knit or crochet a small swatch, and then crochet it on to the existing blanky.

[kricau]

:iagree:I think fixing this one is the best idea. He WILL know the difference if you try to do a swap.

 

 

I think this is the one my Grandson has. I have mended it many times. Start with just a zig zag ( 3 step ZZ is best.) Removed the tag and put it back on after you have done the repairs, preferably in a different spot/side so the wear will move around the blanket.

Eventually I had to put a satin binding all the way around.

[EducationX2]

No advice, because I am quite possibly the least domestic person on the board, :lol:, just :grouphug:. I hope something works! I had a blankie as a kid- they are important!!!

[melissad2]

We've had an Elmo that ds1 just loved almost to pieces. He finally got put up in a box. Ds2 has a security blanket that I got at Walmart on a clearance rack and he calls it "baby". Why do they always pick something you can't easily replace anyway?

[BatmansWife]

You could fold the edge of it over and zigzag stitch. That should stop the unravel.

 

That's what I was going to suggest. Just sew a new edge at an angle. It probably has many years of life left in it. :001_smile:

My sister had (or should I say has) a favorite knitted baby blanket. It had one corner that was fraying and that's what she would use to rub over her nose as she sucked her two fingers. It was very soothing to her. She now has 3 kids and still has that blanket. She sleeps with it every single night with it under her pillow. :001_huh:

 

 

I really, really doubt that it would work but do you think you could introduce a new friend. Just to help smooth the way to retirement for the blanket?

 

That's really cute!

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Ds2 is attached to his Froggy Friend, which is one of those "lovies" with a stuffed animal head and a mini blankie body. When it became clear that we would be in serious trouble if that thing were ever lost, we bought another one and kept it on hand. Sure enough, he lost Froggy Friend, and we tried to substitute with the new froggy. No go. He kept calling it Fake Froggy Friend. Fortunately, we found the original Froggy Friend, so now he has both Froggy Friend and Fake Froggy Friend. He just turned 8, and I don't think he's getting rid of either one of them any time soon.

 

I had a blankie I was attached to as a child. By the time I was ready to give it up at 10 years old, it was just a rag tied into a knot.

[Sparkle]

My nephew is 5 and has his stuffed monkey friend "Albert". My sister was smart and bought 3 Alberts, and he carries all three around. The original one is looking pretty disgusting but he still loves that thing.

[MamaT]

My youngest dd still sleeps with her "mankie" and she will be 13 this month. It has been sewn together many times and her siblings call it her "rag." It is disgusting looking at this point. I finally just decided she will give it up when there is nothing left to hold on to. :001_smile:

 

She left today for gymnastics camp more than 600 miles away, and mankie is going too.

[ZooRho]

protect it at all cost.

 

My oldest had a lovey, probably the least baby proof thing we owned. He slept with the elephant well until he went to college. I think he has it at his own apt now.

 

I did just take extra care of it.

 

We never found another one even close to it.

 

I did make the rule that it did not go with us on the day to day travel. Overnights we took it with us.

 

for him at 2 the rule was Onie got car sick so he couldn't go in the car.

[three4me]

I haven't read all the replies yet. But I just wanted to say that even if you find a back-up, he still won't love it like the original (which I'm sure you know!). When DD's beloved blankie started going downhill fast we introduced a new blankie that was similar. Now we keep the well-loved blankie in her top dresser drawer and it comes out ONLY when the new one is being washed. That helped because she knew she wasn't saying goodbye to it forever since she still gets it for a nap or bedtime occasionally. But it saves that blankie from the wear and tear of everyday life.

[Harriet Vane]

A friend of mine had a child with an attachment like this. Over time the blanket was reduced to a nasty, tattered pile of shredded blanket strips that were tied and retied together. My friend chose to let the blanket disintegrate, become increasingly smaller, and die, and thus ending the child's attachment at the natural course of the blanket's demise.