AIBU to ask for help in saving Blankie's life?

[ItNeedsCleansingByFire]

My 23yr old DD has a childhood blanket she still sleeps with and snuggles.

Its name is Blankie (well of course it is ). It was originally a white flat cot size classic cellular blanket with a satin ribbon trim. Twenty three years later it is a grey ratty bundle/knot approximately the size of a hand, with a couple of strips dangling off. Like tentacles. (See attached photos for similar type "blankies" as DD's is too embarrassing outing to put a real photo up).

It is shrinking every year and she is worried what will happen when it is too small to snuggle. I have offered to sew it into a pillow/cushion type thing (after donning a full hazmat suit) but as it's a knot rather than flat fabric, it wouldn't really work. We have considered sewing it into the tummy of a toy like a teddy but apparently the blankie needs to be "touchable". So the grey ratty Blankie knot needs to be kept touchable whilst stopping the shrinkage.

We are at a loss. I don't really have any other ideas - well I do, but they involve a flame thrower and DD is resistant to this, but I know MNers will have genius suggestions...

(I would also like to make a Gordion Knot joke at this point but sadly I'm not intelligent enough. So any suggestions on this would also be welcomed )

Like this?

I'd just overstitch either visibly or with matching colour with embroidery thread to try to give it a bit more structure? Look at visible mending on Instagram but you can do things that should stabilise it. Try Hikaru Noguchi for inspo

@ItNeedsCleansingByFire DNR!!!

I make memory bears (and other animals) and often incorporate 'strange' bits into them. I think if you lined it you could use it as one piece (or body part) of an animal especially if you pick the right style. Then it would still be available for snuggles but in a much more stable format. (If you want to PM me with a picture I might have other suggestions!)

Very quick post from waiting room, I really appreciate people taking time to reply, even mardy ones

I need to say @Mmr224 I actually can't thank you enough - DD has just actually bought that blanket you linked to (although this is still a light hearted thread there are reasons why comfort and childhood are on mine and my families minds atm) With the new one she is going to gradually make the transition from Blankie to just a decent looking but reminiscent of Blankie blanket on her bed.

I have advised her in 23 years time to ask here should she have found herself with the same problem! I have every confidence she will receive excellent advice (I'll advise her to calculate her age in months first just as a precaution!)

Thank you all

I'd buy a new blanket and sew the old blankie knot to the middle of it with the most unworn side outermost. Hopefully the new blanket can become as mucky and health hazard comforting over time as the old bit .

First, the people who have no sense of appreciation for tradition or attachment are awful. This is something your daughter values and taking the time to find a way to preserve it for her is an expression of your love for her.

this is going to be scary, but it’s time to get some very sharp fabric scissors and cut Blankie into strips. Then use a blanket stitch to embroider each strip onto a new blanket. Use a random pattern because you aren’t going to end up with anything really coherent. She will now have a sturdy blanket with texture strips of Blankie.

What about crocheting or knitting a big white blanket/square and inserting Blankie into the middle? You could also add new white ribbon to the edge of the new white Blankie. If you can't knit or crochet, you can go along to a local knitters group and ask for help, as those groups are usually bursting with people with amazing crochet/,knitting skills and you might even find a volunteer to do it for you! Good luck, my 10 year old still has his noon noons.

I was dreading this with my boys blankets blank & fluff so I’ve brought the exact same 2 again sad I know 😭

So glad blankie was saved/an acceptable replacement found. I'm 59 and still have Panda (he sometimes needs a new fur). Long live beloved childhood cuddly things.

Quite. The thought of a grown man or woman being so attached to a tatty old comforter is so weird to me, barring additional needs. I completely understand liking the sensory thing of touching something nice as you fall to sleep. But at that age that usually means a partner! 😆

Well-adjusted adults with no additional needs or childhood trauma usually have no need to keep hold of baby blankets and teddies as comforters to use when they sleep. They naturally grow out of them as they move into the next stage of emotional maturity and happily leave the last stage behind. Maybe it might be kept in a drawer for nostalgia purposes or as an heirloom but to still NEED it at 23 is very unusual.

Ds 10 sleeps with an old cardigan of mine and if he did so in his 20s I wouldn't think he was weird.

Blankie needs to go to, if not blankie heaven, then at least a blankie nursing home.

Jokes aside, I was your DD. I slept with a raggy old teddy bear until I left home to go to university. I didn't take it to uni with me but we were always reunited in the holidays. In my mid 20s I ended up moving back in with my parents for quite a long time and he resurfaced, being hidden away every time my boyfriend came to stay. Finally I left home once and for all. He lives in a secret hiding place at my mum's house and I have finally kicked my snuggling habit. But usually when I've been visiting my parents and it's time to leave, I get him out of his hiding place quickly for a snuggle.

I would encourage your DD to put blankie away in a special place and only get it out on very rare occasions. She doesn't want to still be sleeping with her blankie when she's 30, but the occasional sniff won't do any harm.

Maybe ask Jay Blades if he can help. I hear he has a bit of time on his hands at the moment.

Attach it to a new blankie as the 'head' then add eyes and ears and your daughter has a new friend.

Still touchable.

Like this story. 🥰

Just coming on to say I think you sound like a very lovely DM 😭

I like the pocket idea best.

My blankie and I are 523 months old. She still requires much sniffing and hugging. Satin rubbing had stopped many, many months ago. I found an Esty seller who made replicas of my blankie, and while she's very different in texture to the original, on feeling the ribbon, my hands went straight to threading it through my hands like I did when I was little.

For conservation reasons, hugging is a bit more sparing than it used to be and she tends to sleep next to me rather than hugging all night. I travel without her.

There's probably definitely Reasons why I still have my blankie, but it beats most other avaliable coping strategies in life like upmteen forms of addiction and causes no harm to anyone.

@ItNeedsCleansingByFire

You're my kind of person ☺️

Take no notice of the mean girls

i don't think you can do much really though before it becomes Triggers Broom.

@RedToothBrush

Youre the gift that keeps giving 🙄🙄

I still have mine at 34. He's the size of a postage stamp and lives in my jewellery box. Occasionally comes out for a smell and face stroke if my blood pressure really really needs to come down and I can't deal with anyone around me.

My advice is to her is have it only at bedtime then gradually reduce to only weekend bedtimes until she doesn't need him at all.

@usernother I don't imagine anyone that knows you would feel comfortable telling you

@usernother

poor teddy

astounding how people need to feel superior & what they think makes them so superior, when it just makes them look lacking.

So I'm assuming that the edges are knitted and need stabilising as they are unraveling, in which case get someone to sew around the edges to secure all the stitches and it will stop falling apart but remain as it is. I think it would be fairly easy.

@Glimber I didn't think you did!

I'm 480 months old, as is Teddles. I like to be able to feel him as I fall asleep.
Although if he was actually falling apart I would find something else rather than risk his actual life!