The difference between a Quilt and a Blanket – this should be common knowledge!

Every quilter knows this. Every one else should know it too… there is a HUGE difference between a quilt and a blanket.

When my mom was a newlywed, she hand crocheted a queen sized afghan for her parents-in-law for Christmas. I crochet a little too because she taught me, and just thinking about the time that it took to make that afghan makes my head spin. A few months after Christmas she was visiting their home and she didn’t see the afghan. She looked around for it and finally found it – crumpled in a ball in the closet.

My grandparents were good people, but not makers. So they didn’t understand the love and countless hours she spent making that afghan. Needless to say, they did not receive any more gifts like that from my mom.

A quilt is different from an afghan, but both are handmade and both require many hours so I think I can appreciate how hurt my mom was.

Why?

Because of the many times I have been told, ‘Thanks for the blanket.’

Every time I hear those words I want to answer, ‘REALLY?’

Sometimes I want to take that ‘blanket’ back, because it’s not a blanket, it’s a QUILT!!!

So let’s just talk about the differences between a blanket and a quilt. Everyone should know this.

First: the Cost of a Quilt vs. a Blanket

A 90’’ x 90’’ queen sized quilt would require roughly:

• 10 yards of fabric for the top – $120

• 8 yards yards of fabric for the backing – $96

• 3/4 yards of fabric for binding – $9

• Batting – $40

• One spool of thread – $8

Assuming the quilter shopped for high quality materials at a quilt shop and paid $12 per yard for fabric and about average prices for high quality batting and thread, a the initial cost layout for a queen sized quilt would be approximately $273.

So how about a blanket? Here’s a nice looking 90’’ x 90’’ blanket that I found on Amazon.

The blanket is super soft and it’s reversible. It has lots of excellent reviews. Most would agree it would make a great gift.

And it costs $35.

Verdict: in terms of money paid, the quilt costs at almost 8 times as much as the blanket.

Second: Time Spent Making a Quilt vs. Buying a Blanket

This is kind of silly but I’m going there anyway.

All quilts are different, but let’s estimate the time it would take to make a 90’’ x 90’’ queen sized quilt:

• Piecing – 20 hours

• Basting – 2 hours

• Machine quilting – 8 hours

• Making and attaching the binding – 1 hour

• Finishing the binding by hand – 8 hours (I’m slow at hand sewing!)

Of course, one quilter is going to be faster than another at any of those steps so this is just a rough estimate.

My rough estimate is that a queen sized quilt would take at least 39 hours to make.

Now I’m going to time myself while I go back to Amazon and order that blanket.

Done.

I had already picked out the blanket (it took me about a minute to pick it out previously). And I didn’t click on the final ‘place your order’ button because I don’t want the blanket. But it took me 23 seconds.

So it’s reasonable that you can buy a blanket in 1 minute and 30 seconds.

On the other hand, some people might take an hour and a half to buy a blanket.

For the sake of argument, I’m going to say it takes 10 minutes to buy a blanket.

BUT THE QUILT TOOK 39 HOURS!

Verdict: It takes about 234 times longer to make a quilt than to buy a blanket.

Third, Fourth, and Fifth…

Is there more? Oh yes.

Quilts have historical value. They tell stories. They have museums dedicated to them.

Have you ever heard of a ‘blanket museum?’

Quilts get old and they are restored, preserved, handed down from generation to generation.

Blankets get old and we throw them away.

Only very special people can make quilts.

Anyone with a credit card can buy a blanket.

Conclusion: Only a very well loved (and very lucky) person will ever receive a quilt as a gift. If you recieve one, you must be loved so very much.

So do me a favor…. never, ever, ever call that quilt a blanket!!!!!

xoxo,

p.s. What do you think about the topic of Quits Vs. Blankets? Tell us in the comments below!