What is a storyblanket?

A storyblanket releases your inner storyteller. It’s a fantasy map, a storyboard, a play-mat, a picture-book…however you decide to approach it. You get to choose who the characters are, where they go, what they do, and what they discover on their journeys. You can tell different stories each time, changing what unfolds, or recount your favorite tales over and over. There are endless possibilities. No two storytellers will explore it the same way!

How do you use it?

Approach a storyblanket as you would a sprawling picture book, except there is no single “correct” place to begin or end the story: that can happen anywhere! Wander around following characters, or decide on a linear path across the places and scenes depicted. Curiosity and intuition are your superpowers! Ask questions about who the characters are, what is happening, what they do next, discovering adventure as you go… Please see the extensive How To section for inspiration and ideas.

Who is it for?

Dreamhatcher Storyblankets were designed for children (and inner- children!) at many stages of development. Improvising stories comes naturally as a part of open-ended play, and begins well before literacy. Kids and caregivers are able to share in this experience together, and the Storyblanket fosters imagination and wonder during solo exploration as well. We have also had many grownups purchase blankets as a gift to themselves! You are never too old to reconnect with your innate imagination and creativity.

Why a quilted blanket?

The natural warmth, comfort, and portability of a blanket is a natural medium on which to depict dreamlike scenes and fantastical beings. The scale of a blanket makes it more immersive for the narrative experience and encourages open wandering throughout the realms and worlds mapped out on it. A blanket can also be manipulated in a variety of novel ways, changing the way in which it is used to inspire story-telling (see the How To). It is non-technological, and as an object that will receive love for years, it can be cleaned and mended as needed.

What inspired the storyblanket?

I wanted a way to provide young imaginations with inspiration to create and share their own adventures during story time, so I combined the things that fascinated and inspired me most as a child: narrative murals, picture-maps, tapestries, and richly detailed paintings from history. Such objects have been used to remember and depict stories for as long as people have been telling them, but lack a sense of comfort, closeness, and tactile interaction. An illustrated blanket was the perfect article for the non-linear exploration I wanted to encourage. I envisioned a fantastical world of magical beings and strange, curious creatures, and designed the blanket to allow for both open-endedness and continuity, depending on which direction the storyteller wants to explore.

Where/How are the blankets made?

Dreamhatcher Storyblankets are designed, illustrated, and assembled by myself in Shoreline, Washington. The fabric is printed in the United States on imported cotton.