Got a baby who loves tags? Need that sensory stimulation? Make your own tag blanket “lovey.”
Ariel was partial to tags as an infant, so I made her a tag blanket as a “lovey” to take in the car and take to bed (of course I made two, one to carry while the other is in the wash!). It’s small enough to lug around in the diaper bag, but large enough for her to drape across herself to comfort herself, and to have lots of tag areas to grab – we are all familiar with the mattress tag in the close-up photo (haha).
These tags were all donated to me by friends in my homeschool support group who cut them out of their new clothing for me. The squares and backing were made from her granddad’s old shirts, soft from wear. You can see the striped oxford cloth shirt fabric folded over, with tags sewn into the back binding also. (Sorry about the wrinkles in some of the photos…I grabbed the spare blanket out of the baby basket to snap a few extra photos. Keepin’ it real!) I washed the tags to soften them slightly and remove any contaminants. Then I sewed them between rows or patches, varying the sizes and textures. I made sure to include some along the edges and the back.
At about 22 inches square, this tag blanket lovey fits tidily into a diaper bag, tucks into mom’s purse, or snuggles up by a pillow.
I also made a mini-lovey for a little boy who gave up his pacifier–I knew he could use a bit of night-time comfort, even though he was getting to be such a big boy! This little gift is simply one tag on a 3×8″ double-sided “minky” rectangle — gives him something soft and sensory, plus the one tag, and is small enough for him to stuff in a pocket if needed.
Do you know a child who would love a tag blanket or other lovey?
UPDATE: As I mentioned above, when my little grandson gave up his pacifier, I made him that little piece of a minky “lovey” to carry in his pocket or have at night for comfort – from a bit of his Blessing Blanket fabric, with a ribbon tag (he’s a very sensory kiddo). Not long after, he had his mom “help” him make me this one, with fabrics and a ribbon tag of his choosing, so I could take it with me to my “work hotel” when I traveled (often) so I wouldn’t be lonely. It stays packed in my suitcase and I try to remember, on most trips that I do alone, to send him a photo of the lovey on my pillow at my “work hotel,” to show him I don’t feel alone.