Weighted lap belts, vests, small blankets, etc, all work by applying deep pressure. Kind of like a big hug without having to endure human contact. It is very calming and grounding. Some kids like to sit with a weighted blanket across their lap. I know a boy who likes it wrapped around his head, hoodlike.

Ours are made from fleece so they are soft to touch as well. They have channels that close with velcro. Inside each channel is a flattened tube shape filled with split peas. The tubes can be removed for washing, or to make the lap blanket lighter.

Making more is on my to-do list :roll:
So is making a puzzle quilt. Thanks for all the great links here!!

Thank you everyone for all of your help. I will soon have the pattern needed (coming in the mail). Everyone also had very good suggestions.

B.Zang you explained the deep pressure thing much better than I could and also made it more clear to me.

Thank you everyone; you are all wonderful.

I also have the pattern called JigSaw #201 by Lehmann quilting. But glad you are set. I'm always a day late and a dollar short!!!! :)
www.LehamannQuilting.com

This has been such an informative thread. Thanks to everyone's comments. I have a "surrogate" grandson that has just been diagnosed as "mildy autistic". This next while is going to be a very busy learning period for his parents, and for my DH and I as Gramma and Grampa. This little guy LOVES it when DH or I take him for tractor rides. He was so disappointed last week when he couldn't go for a ride...it was about 10 below, with a wind chill to about -35!!!!

Can't help you with the puzzle quilt but I have attached info on the weighted blanket technique I used. Several years ago I made a weighted blanket for my son who felt calmed by the weighted blanket (per his Occupational Therapists advice). Many children with sensory issues need extra amounts of stimulation to their skin to feel grounded, secure, and helps them concentrate.

I purposely did not quilt the blanket because the beads you use to weight it down with are impossible to quilt over. The only alternative I can figure to adding both together to make one unit is to add a quilt top to a weighted blanket by just stitching the outside border and maybe tieing in throughout the middle of the blanket.

I have seen an " I Spy" quilt where they sewed a pocket into the border to keep the "matching cards". The matching cards were simply scraps of each fabric used and laminated them into 3x5 sized cards. Hope this helps.

Thank you for all of the information on how to weight these quilts. My adult niece is autistic...when she needs to feel calm, she comes up to us and says "SQUISH ME!!" and we give her big hugs... I bet a weighted quilt would be very comforting for her inbetween "squishes" :D:D:D

Yes, and we've found that wrapping them up in a bean bag (think hot dog) and rolling them around is wonderful too!!

Glad to be of help. Let me know if you have any questions.

We had a member of our guild ask for really "ugly" fabric to use in a quilt for children with autism. She also did something special about texture. By doing this she was able to duplicate a very expensive therapeutic product. It is great that there are those of you applying an old craft to new knowledge. Thank you so much for your efforts. If you find an idea that works, maybe you can use some of use to make more for you by posting this in the appropriate site.

:hugs: for your efforts, I tried to make one recently for my nephew who just turned 6 and it was a huge flop...so maybe puzzles for next year, goodluck!!

I'm a nurse in a residential facility where three of our residents are autistic...One of them uses a weighted blanket to help calm her when she has behaviors...yes, it is confusing how it works, but it seems to help. I like the idea of a puzzle quilt; the weighted blanket we have is just that...a blanket of deep burgundy fleece or flannel.