weighted blanket

 I had opportunity last week to construct a weighted blanket

for a friend whose daughter has some sensory issues.

This article explains the benefit of weighted blankets.

To make a weighted blanket as described here, plastic 

beads are encased in squares so that the appropriate 

amount of weight is distributed throughout. It's kind of like

a bunch of little bean bags all connected to each other.

This particular blanket had six pounds of weight 

sewn into it, so I used a food scale and put 0.8 oz.

in each square. The funny part is that the beads are

added gradually throughout the sewing process,

so the blanket becomes heavier with each pass through

the sewing machine. By the last row of stitching, I

could hardly manage the blanket and all the beads!