A custom photo blanket can be a great gift for a special occasion! As a gift with a personal touch, you can easily create your own design that has great quality without too much time and effort.
One reason why creating a personalized photo blanket can be so fun is that you have almost unlimited control over how you want your own blanket to look, from blanket size to the material it’s made of. Plenty of services can offer personalized photo blanket packages where all you need to do is to submit your photos, and they’ll do the rest.
Why Make Personalized Blankets?
There are plenty of reasons why you’d want to create a picture blanket, but one of the best ones is that it’s another way of storing photos and pictures that you cherish. Sometimes some things can’t stay in a picture frame. They’re also excellent personalized gifts: memories of kids for their grandparents, cherished occasions with friends, and events in your life that you’d like to remember.
These blankets can all vary in style, size, and material, so you can design the details in such a way where you get a functional yet meaningful photo blanket. Whether it’s just a memory of your loved ones, a pet that you’re fond of, or some other thing that’s meaningful to you, a self-made photo blanket can be a great way to express your appreciation of what you love.
The Basics Of Making A Custom Photo Blanket
Making a custom blanket is easier than it seems: there are plenty of online shops and businesses that can process your pictures and make them into picture blankets. But before you start sending in your photos, here are some things you should keep in mind first.
Select Your Photo Blanket Size
The first thing you’ll need to consider is how big your custom blanket is going to be. This is important because the size of your blanket will determine the pictures that you can use – the bigger the blanket, the more pictures you can use, as long as image quality isn’t too much of a concern.
Select Your Photos
Next comes the fun part: selecting images for your blanket! You literally have all the freedom to choose which images will fit best on your blanket, though keep in mind that the resolution of the photos will matter a lot once it’s printed on the cloth. For a collage blanket, you can customize the layout yourself or have the provider fix the images for you.
Select Your Blanket Material
Personalized photo blankets can be made in a variety of materials, but here are four of the most common selections you can find:
Smooth Fleece Photo Blanket
If you want all your images rendered in high quality, then using a smooth fleece photo blanket is your best choice. A fleece photo blanket is usually machine washable, though make sure to not put it on tumble dry and only use low heat so the blanket doesn’t shrink. If you can’t machine wash your blanket, you’ll need to ask your provider about the best way to take care of your particular fleece blanket blend.
Plush Fleece Blanket
If you’re looking for a super-soft alternative to a fleece blanket, using plush fleece photo blankets can work quite well. The downside to this is that the softer fiber often makes the print a little fuzzier, so it won’t be in high definition compared to smooth fleece. But if the image isn’t too detailed and you’re looking for comfort over style, then this works beautifully.
Sherpa Blanket
You can consider the sherpa blanket as the premium material for a custom photo blanket: faux sheepskin suede with fleece back lining makes this a warm blanket with stunning picture quality. However, most businesses won’t offer sherpa for double-sided printing because the colors on one side can get ruined during printing.
Woven Blankets
For those who favor the traditional touch, woven blankets are the best way to create a print of a photo without having to worry about color bleed or visual clarity. Keep in mind that there are woven blankets that are designed to look better with specific types of photos, so always check if the images you’re submitting will fit with the weave. If they don’t, you may need to have them go through processing.
Best Websites For Making Your Own Custom Blankets
If you want to simplify the steps as much as possible with creating your photo blanket, these websites can simplify the process.
Shutterfly
Shutterfly specializes in creating fleece blankets with high photo quality yet still feel soft to the touch. Their photo printing renders images with vivid colors, perfect for a family gift or as a collage blanket of personal moments.
One reason to use Shutterfly to create your own photo collage blanket is that they have an easy-to-use design tool that can customize your image. Add text, filters, or layout to your collage, or decorate your favorite pick from your photo collection.
However, one drawback of using Shutterfly’s product is that some users report that it doesn’t work that well for providing warmth. If you’re going to get a blanket for colder weather, this may not be the best choice for you.
Collage
Collage.com offers a wide variety of different materials for its photo blankets, which suits people looking for a perfect gift that can still be cozy enough for everyday use. Machine-washable, their fleece blankets remain soft and cozy after going in the wash, while still maintaining a sharp and crisp picture.
You can choose from several different designer templates to simplify the process of making your blanket, although you can also start making them from scratch. Choose different backgrounds, color patterns, or even add a photo to the back for a double-sided surprise.
Keep in mind that color differences will be more apparent if you pick an option like a woven blanket since the print is woven directly into the cloth. If you’re looking to have something like a lap blanket for room decoration, choosing sherpa or fleece may be better.
CanvasDiscount
CanvasDiscount uses polar fleece for their blankets, with the option of adding a plush layer underneath for an extra-cozy experience. Using a dye-sublimation process, the colors on your blanket not only look vivid but last for a long time as well. The company is careful to only use hypoallergenic print and manufactures each blanket with eco-friendly methods.
All you need to do is upload your chosen image, select the size of your blanket, and you’ll receive your blanket in one to two weeks. For those looking for a simple way to put their favorite memories into a blanket, this is a perfect gift that doesn’t require too much time or effort to make.
But for people who want more from their blanket creation, the limited options on this site can be an issue. Since there are only three sizes to choose from and not a lot of options with their layout design, those looking to add more visuals to their blanket should look elsewhere.
Walmart
Walmart Photo offers an easily accessible way to create your blanket, especially for a collage. With four different materials to choose from, Walmart brings the convenience and ease of making your own photo blanket at affordable prices.
There’s even the option of putting your photo on a comforter or duvet, though keep in mind that these options may have restrictions on the images that you can upload. Sizes are also more restricted with Walmart’s services compared to other businesses, though they deliver the final product faster than other brands.
One flaw that may stop you from going to Walmart is that the prints on their photo blankets don’t last long, and the colors (especially on the woven products) aren’t as vivid as the source picture. If you’re looking for high resolutions with your blanket, choose another website.
Vistaprint
Vistaprint helps you design your own blanket with its in-house design team, which is great if you don’t have a lot of experience in design. You can even choose to review the design in real-time to give them feedback on what you want to be changed, so the entire process is hands-on from start to finish.
The polyester fleece is soft and warm at the same time, with the large sizes fitting bigger beds. Machine washable for easy maintenance, these blankets are also some of the most affordable options you can get online – though shipping costs may drive up pricing depending on where you are.
People looking for woven blankets or other fiber mixes shouldn’t choose Vistaprint, since they only make their products exclusively with polyester fleece. While this does make them comfortable and easy to snuggle in, the texture of the image itself may not be to your liking.
The Perfect Images For Personalized Photo Blankets With The Image Restoration Center
Before you send your image for printing, you have to make sure that it’s of the right quality so the printed blanket looks good. If your photo doesn’t look good enough for custom blankets or you need some image work done before it gets printed, the Image Restoration Center can help.
We specialize in the preservation and restoration of photos and images, using cutting-edge restoration techniques to repair and preserve your cherished memories in full color. Whether it’s a photo of a beloved family pet or a collage of the best moments with your friend, we’ll make sure that it’s ready and compatible with your custom photo blanket. Contact us today to learn more information about how we can help you with your photos.
