When I fled my pandemic cloister to rebuild my life in a nearby town in the spring of 2021, I needed a few basic items for my tiny apartment — a throw blanket for my bed was at the top of the list. Because I sleep without sheets, I knew I wanted something that would cocoon my weary body in warmth, with enough weight to make me feel grounded and held. But I couldn’t use an actual weighted blanket, because it would be too heavy for my toddler daughter, and I wanted to avoid fleece, knit fabrics, and wool: Fleece can be too light, knits too unstructured, and wool a dry-cleaning hassle.
During a midnight scrolling session, the Casaluna Heavyweight Linen Blend Quilt popped out at me because it met all those criteria. The linen-rayon construction and cotton-sateen finish on one side would give it the softness I wanted, while the 100 percent cotton fill meant that it wasn’t just a flimsy cover for decorative purposes. And it was machine-washable, a necessary feature when living with a young child. There was also the moderate price point ($99 for a full-queen size), color options (I chose the “natural” shade from more than ten neutral tones and warm pastels), and a nontoxic stamp of approval from OEKO-TEX.
When the quilt arrived, I immediately noticed how the cotton-sateen gives the blanket a softness that makes it feel almost secondhand, while the traditional boxed quilting pattern looked like the blanket could actually pass as a family heirloom. The heft and solidity are just right, too — when I’m under the blanket, my body feels secure, but it’s still light enough that my daughter can join me without feeling squashed. And when she does inevitably spill on the blanket, like she did during a recent Frozen II viewing, the chocolate-milk and egg-yolk stains come out easily with a squirt of Shout and one normal cycle in the washer.
As autumn slips into winter, I turn to this quilt every night for full-body warmth, thanks to the cotton fill, which traps heat without creating a sweaty environment. But at 90 by 94 inches, the ample size also gives me options for year-round use: I fold it in half when the temps drop (this method works best for one person who doesn’t flail in the night). And in spring, I’ll use a single layer — this time in sage green.
Some more quilts and blankets we've written about
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