Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. We are born into blankets. They keep us alive and they cover us in death. We pull and tug on blankets to see us through the night or an illness. They shield us in mourning and witness our most intimate pleasures. Curious, fearless, vulnerable, and critical, Blanket interweaves cultural critique with memoir to cast new light on a ubiquitous object. Kara Thompson reveals blankets everywhere--film, art, geology, disasters, battlefields, resistance, home--and transforms an ordinary thing into a vibrant and vital carrier of stories and secrets, an object of inheritance and belonging, a companion to uncover. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

This is a tale of a three-hundred-year-old blanket made in the mid-1700s in Sweden and follows its travels and adventures to England and then to the New World. It was with the Sons of Liberty when "the shot heard around the world" was fired. It was in the evacuation of Charleston in 1863 and trekked to Ohio afterward. It then traveled west to Arizona and was with those who settled in the state, from Tombstone to Tucson and then to Prescott and Glendale, near Phoenix. It was with Teddy's Rough Riders at San Juan in Cuba. Pieces of it found their way to WWII and Vietnam. "The story is told from journals and news accounts that were saved by the many owners as it was handed down from family member to family member. It is a fun read and interesting slice of American history, which you may not have studied in the public-school system." By Stan Williams 2020

A two-region thermal breeder consisting of a homogeneous core of U233O2SO4 in D2O and a blanket of thorium metal rods suspended in D2O is investigated from the standpoint of the economics of such a reactor as a central station power producer. Blanket thickness and thorium concentration are optimized, and the optimized thorium rod blanket reactor is compared with a similar reactor having a ThO2 slurry blanket. From this comparison, power costs are found to be about 9% higher in the case of the thorium rod blanket. A novel blanket design consisting of rotating cylindrical assemblies is suggested as a method for reducing Pa233 losses, and some aspects of the design of such a blanket is considered.

Providing everything you need to know about the use of weighted blankets to help with sensory integration, improve sleep, ease chronic pain and more, this book includes: · What a weighted blanket is and how it works · An exploration of deep pressure and how weight on the body affects the mind · Guidelines for using weighted blankets at home and in professional environments · Studies into the effectiveness of weighted blankets · Advice on how to select an appropriate weighted blanket or sew your own. Based on the latest research, this book dispels the online myths surrounding weighted blankets. It delivers clear information for occupational therapists and anyone considering using a weighted blanket to help with sensory processing disorder, autism, sleep disorders, fibromyalgia, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more.

Spinning, carding, and dyeing yarns, constructing a loom, tension, and the weaving processes are discussed in this guide to the art of blanket and saddleblanket weaving

As crocheters, we are drawn to a project when it has aspects that will keep us interested in the work: color! design! variety! And yet, we all have loved ones who eschew those very things. How do we reconcile their tastes with our desire to crochet them something special? My own husband, when I told him I wanted to make him a blanket, responded with “ok, but only if it’s all one color.” He knew full well I would sooner make him nothing at all, then spend a few months crocheting with a single, lonely color. Oh! It bores me just to think about it! But I didn’t give up on him. In fact, what he said gave me an idea. If I kept the components simple, and I made them all in different shades of the same color, that wouldn’t be too flamboyant for him, and it would keep me interested in the project at the same time. And so the Neutral Squares Blanket was born. There’s no reason why you need to stick to browns here. Blues would still result in a simple, soothing design. Or grays. Or really any favorite color. If you have a more adventurous recipient in mind, by all means, use a variety of bright colors. If I make another, I’m considering a beach theme: 3 sandy colors, 3 blues, and 3 aquas. REQUIRED SKILLS The project is great for beginners! If you can: make a slip knot chain stitch slip stitch double-crochet stitch then you can do this. And if you can’t do these things, I’ve included resources that will help you learn. TOOLS AND MATERIALS This lap blanket measures 42”x51” and consists of fifteen rows of twelve squares. Roughly 3000 yards of Berroco Vintage (or other worsted weight washable wool blend) G (4mm) hook scissors yarn needle TOPICS COVERED More than just a simple crochet pattern, this ebook is like a mini-class. Each topic includes step-by-step instructions and photos where appropriate. You will learn: How to make a granny square How to join granny squares together as you go How to add a border to your blanket Plus: Choosing an alternate color scheme Thoughts on how to put together the squares (use a very specific order, or randomize?) A frugal variation Links to resources to help you learn more