You Are Braver Blanket for Your Niece, Made to Be Read

You Are Braver Blanket carries the line you are braver than you believe, and it sits in the top left panel with two companion lines, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think. You read the words the way you would read a card, one square at a time. The grid is built like a patchwork, and each panel holds its own short saying in a different typeface, so the eye moves from one to the next. The sayings are warm and direct, and they add up to the message that the person under the blanket is capable.

What the design shows

The center of the throw is a pink square with a large white sunflower, its petals drawn in fine lines and its middle dotted. Above the flower, the words My niece is sit in a curling script, and below it Super Awesome is set in larger, bolder lettering. Small hearts float around the flower, and a pale pink tone gives the panel a soft feel. Around that center sit smaller squares in black, white, gray and pink. Some hold phrases like I'm Proud of You, Ain't No Niece Like the One I Got, and Blessed to Have a Niece Like You. Others carry butterflies and hearts, and a few panels use a bold pink label that reads Best Niece Ever. The outer edge is a border of pink, black and gray geometric shapes that looks woven. Together the panels read like a set of notes stitched into one piece.

Who it was made for

The throw is made for the aunt, uncle, grandparent or family friend who wants a niece to hear the good things said about her. You will notice first the panel that says You Are Braver Than You Believe, because it is the line most people want to say to someone who is about to step into something new. A parent, a grandmother, or a close family friend may also read it and think of the niece who needs a little courage this year. The phrase You Are Braver Blanket works as a name for the feeling the throw gives. Someone who is studying for exams, starting a first job, or moving to a new city will see her own situation in those squares. Others who will feel at home with it are the women who grew up with a favorite aunt and still remember how much that voice meant.

As a gift and every day

A birthday is the easiest occasion for this throw, since many of the sayings speak to the year ahead and to how much she has grown. A graduation, a first apartment, or a new job also gives you a reason to wrap her in those words. Choose it for the moment she is worn out and needs a reminder that she is more capable than she feels. Many people keep the throw on the couch for movie nights, so the sayings are there every time she sits down. It also works on a cold night when she is reading or sleeping at her parents' house and wants a little comfort.