TikTok Shows You How To DIY A Weighted Blanket To Keep You Warm During Winter

Weighted blankets have long been considered a great way to improve sleep quality. Thicker and with considerably more heft, the blankets are thought to slow heart rate, reduce stress, and allow for a better overall night's sleep. Weighted blankets, depending on materials, can also help with cooling or warmth. While weighted blankets are increasingly available from retailers, they can be expensive and usually cost far more than other blankets. TikTok user @tastyhome recently showed off an amazing hack for turning existing blankets into weighted blankets by adding additional batting and plastic pellets between two layers of fabric.

The DIY project is simple and relatively inexpensive compared to buying a pre-made weighted blanket and requires only a sewing machine, pins, plastic poly pellets or beads, cotton batting, and your fabric of choice. In addition, it allows you to work with blankets you already may have and love, or create the perfect custom blanket that matches your fabric preferences or design scheme. Doesn't that sound more exciting and fulfilling than shopping for a weighted blanket that's within your budget and fits your aesthetic?

To create your weighted blanket, you will need two pieces of fabric in your desired blanket size. You can also use two existing blankets or a larger blanket, like a king-size one, folded over. Stack the fabric pieces one atop the other, placing a sheet of thick cotton batting over the top. Pin the batting and the other layers of fabric together. Use a sewing machine to sew around the three sides of the blanket, creating a pocket. For a tufted look, and to keep the plastic beads you will be adding from moving around, create several lines down the length of the fabric with the sewing machine. Add the beads to each row of the blanket and then sew up the end.

There are other ways and materials to create the perfect weighted blanket, including other options if you do not want to use plastic pellets. They can be replaced by rice, but keep in mind that rice and similar materials are not ideal for a weighted blanket you can wash. You can also use other more eco-friendly approaches to blanket creation, including using upcycled denim, which already has a lot of weight, glass beads, or aquarium gravel instead. Small metal washers, while harder to keep distributed evenly, are also a great way to add weight. For a different look, try creating a weighted blanket from artfully knotted chunky yarn or using poly beads and quilting squares for a patchwork look.