A question about Bankies

[hedgehog]

You know - that little blanket a lot of kids bond to and drag around.

What's the best fabric to use? The bankie must stay soft washing after washing and stand up to 3-4 years of being dragged everywhere.

Flannel tends to pill and wear out quickly. I've seen woven acrylics fade away to nothing.

Crocheted or knitted blankets hold up well- any suggestions for a yarn that will stay soft?

What about polar fleece? Any experience?

[Warpy]

1. If I had a toddler in need of a blankie

I think I'd go with the Polartek. Not only is it made from old pop bottles, which makes it fairly green, it's as soft as a kitty cat's ear and ideally suited to being cuddled by a two year old. It doesn't fray or run and can be washed multiple times. Fabric softener keeps it and acrylics feeling much softer, especially if they're tumble dried, at least partially.

Unfortunately, the kid is who determines what the blankie is going to be. In my case, it was a bedraggled plush stuffed cat I found in the garbage when I was about two and a half. My mother couldn't pry it out of my hands for many months and when she did and washed it, I lost interest.

So good luck with supplying the blankie and keeping it clean. The kid might have other ideas.