Materials...
Project Linus afghans and blankets are for kids, and kid things tend to get dirty faster than adult things. Blankets should be easily washable as well as durable, so you may want to keep that in mind when choosing the fiber content of your afghan and quilt.
Think soft. While wool has excellent thermal properties, many wools are scratchy. Some acrylics can be pretty scratchy, too. Knitters and crocheters can always make a swatch, then wash and dry it to see how it feels: if it's scratchy, don't use the yarn for a Project Linus blanket. Kids need blankets that are cozy and cuddly.
Consider the recipient. There are many fun yarns out these days that allow for attractive afghans. However, using a big, loopy stitch is better suited for an afghan for a teen or old child; for a baby or toddler, really loopy stitches can get caught on their fingers and toes, or, worst case scenario, on medical equipment.
Tips for Quilting
Tips for Afghans
Tips for Fleece Blankets
Think soft. While wool has excellent thermal properties, many wools are scratchy. Some acrylics can be pretty scratchy, too. Knitters and crocheters can always make a swatch, then wash and dry it to see how it feels: if it's scratchy, don't use the yarn for a Project Linus blanket. Kids need blankets that are cozy and cuddly.
Consider the recipient. There are many fun yarns out these days that allow for attractive afghans. However, using a big, loopy stitch is better suited for an afghan for a teen or old child; for a baby or toddler, really loopy stitches can get caught on their fingers and toes, or, worst case scenario, on medical equipment.
Tips for Quilting
- We recommend using cotton or cotton/poly fabric. Quilts need to be washable and durable since they will be washed many, many times.
- Fleece makes a great backing – it's economical, colorful, and cuddly!
- Lower loft batting is preferred. Secure the batting into outer seams and tie or quilt it every 4". Batting will disintegrate if quilted too far apart.
- Avoid using tapestry, upholstery fabric, burlap, felt, vinyl, any other stiff or scratchy fabrics, or laces.
- It's best not to use buttons or similar decorative items on a blanket meant for very small children, as they can present a choking hazard if the child removes them.
- Using paint to decorate a blanket is not a good idea, as the thick stuff rubs or peels off and we don't want a child eating it!
Tips for Afghans
- Use small knitting needles and crochet hooks to make preemie/baby afghans. Little fingers and toes, and medical instruments, can get caught in big stitches.
- If you prefer using larger size crochet hooks or knitting needles, please consider making bigger afghans in larger child and teen sizes. Big kids need blankets, too!
- Please securely weave in all yarn ends on crocheted and knitted afghans, do not just tie and cut them off.
- When changing yarns or adding a new skein of yarn, leave the ends at least 5 inches long so that they can be securely woven in when you are done. Ends that are 2-3 inches long have a habit of working their way out of the weave and popping up out of the afghan.
- Cut yarn and crochet thread ties to no longer than 1" -1½" in length.
Tips for Fleece Blankets
- Do not cut the fringe any longer than 3" - 4". Longer fringe tangles in medical instruments and tubes. Also, the longer you make the fringe, the less blanket area there is for snuggling!
- You don't have to knot the fringe - a neat plain fringe looks very nice without knotting. Knots are nice, though, so if you do knot the individual fringes, don't knot them too tightly: tight knots distorts the fabric into a sort of "bowl" shape.
- Be sure to trim the selvedges off the blankets before trimming – that's the thin fabric that looks different along each long edge of the fleece.