Thanks to Liz B., Montgomery, Ohio, for these blankets.
If you can knit or crochet, you can support My Very Own Blanket by creating blankets from colorful, soft yarn.
We accept new yarn blankets that are knitted or crocheted from machine washable/dryable yarn. Please do not attach anything to your blankets such as buttons that could be a choking hazard, or ribbons, strings or other items that are more than 4" long.
Blanket Sizes and Appearance Our blankets are given to children and youth of all ages -- infants up to teenage youth. Approximate dimensions for knitted or crocheted blankets: 36” x 36” (small), 40” x 50-60” (medium), 60” x 80” (large). These measurements are suggestions and can vary.
All colors, themes and patterns appropriate for children & youth are acceptable. We do ask that you avoid themes related to violence or war (guns, knives, soldiers, etc.), drugs/alcohol, or logos/images related to causes (such as cancer ribbons). Blankets should not have any embellishments such as pockets, beads, zippers or buttons. All blankets should be machine washable and dryable.
Vivian O. in Ontario, Canada, sent us this photo of her blankets. They were picked up by a local Children’s Aid Society worker and delivered to children in the Belleville, Ontario area before Christmas 2023.
You do not need to wash your completed blankets before donating them unless they have come in contact with pet hair or were made in an environment where someone smokes.
Here are some of the beautiful yarn blankets we have received recently from our Blanket Angels.
Special tags – you can order our special tags online, to be picked up from our workshop or shipped if you live more than 30 miles from Westerville. You can attach them to the blankets, and they will be ready for you to donate to children in foster care in your area! It’s simple to do. Here’s how:
Leave the FIRST line BLANK. Sign your first name with permanent marker on the SECOND line of our special tag after the heart that says “Handmade by.” On the THIRD line, we encourage you to add a message to the child. This will show the child in foster care who receives your blanket that someone truly made this “just for them!”
To sew the tag on the blanket: The tags are sewn on the back of the blanket, near a corner, at least 3” from both edges. You can use a straight or zigzag stitch, sewing ¼ - ½” in from all four edges of the tag. You can use white thread or thread that coordinates with the blanket color.
A NOTE ABOUT YARN BLANKETS. Sewing a tag on a yarn blanket is a little more difficult than other types of blankets. Tags can be attached to some yarn blankets with a sewing machine. You will need to sew more slowly, and the tag does not lie perfectly flat. You can also sew the tag on by hand if that gives a better result. Either method is fine.
If you do not live near our workshop, we encourage you to donate your blankets directly to an agency in your area that helps children in foster care. We have made contact with at least one agency in each state in the U.S.
Check out our DELIVERING BLANKETS AGENCY LIST to find an agency near you and for suggestions and options if you cannot find a nearby agency.