Why Everyone Needs a Magic Blanket
The awesome power of a magic blanket
Some days, the world is just a little too much. Maybe you’re sick, maybe you didn’t sleep well, maybe you’ve lost someone you love, or maybe you’ve been blindsided by unexpected news and it feels like your whole world is crumbling. At that point, what you need is to wrap yourself in love, comfort and healing. This is where the magic blanket comes in.
The story of my magic blanket
I’ve had my original magic blanket since before I can remember. It’s kind of hideous, knitted out of strangely coloured wool ends with the odd neon stripe. I believe my grandmother knit it (correct me if I’m wrong here Mom…it could have been you) and it has followed me through all my adventures in life. Most of the time it lives in the cedar chest by my bed. But some days, when I need a little something extra to get me through, the magic blanket comes out. For full strength effect, it must be paired with cozy pj’s and the Anne of Green Gables movies.
My daughter can attest to its power. When she was little and wasn’t feeling well, out would come Anne of Green Gables, The Princess Bride or The Lord of the Rings and the magic blanket and we’d cozy up on the couch. Sure enough, every time, that recipe for feeling better worked wonders.
When she got all grown up and moved out on her own, she got her own magic blanket. This one was made out of quilt squares that my grandmother had made two decades before and were from the quilt Grandma had made me for my 16th birthday. My mom and I put it together one Thanksgiving weekend, I hand stitched the edging and an Auntie quilted it up to finish it. There’s love in every stitch and it’s just the right size for cozying up in. I hope she doesn’t need it very often. But I’m very glad that she has it — just in case.
How do you know if your blanket is magic?
This one is easy. Wrap yourself in it and close your eyes. Do you feel safe? Cozy? Can you feel the love seeping out of the fabric and into your soul? Do you feel like you’re wearing a hug?
Yes? There you have it. Magic.
No? Well, keep looking. The perfect fit is out there somewhere. And now that you know what you’re looking for it’ll be that much easier to find it. Or make it.
The handmade ones do seem to have the strongest powers (I think it’s the extra time, love and care that goes into making it) and there’s nothing that says you can’t make one or buy one for yourself. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece of fabric engineering or a piece of art. It just has to feel cozy and special to you.
What does your magic blanket look like?
Do you have a magic blanket? If so, what does it look like? Where did it come from? Tell us the story of how you found each other.
xo Crystal