Photo Afghan Blanket or Tapestry Throw?

While the terms are oftentimes used interchangeably in the personalized photo products world the fact of the matter is that there is a difference between a photo afghan blanket and a tapestry throw. The differences are in the manufacturing process as well as in the final outcome of the actual product.

Woven products, such as photo afghan blankets and tapestries, are made by using yarn that runs in two different directions (horizontal, as well as vertical). In a photo afghan blanket, the yarn that is used on the horizontal direction is the same diameter as the yarn that is used vertically.

In contrast, a tapestry uses yarn of two different diameters. The thinner of the two yarns (which is called the “warp,”) is made up of 6 different strands of yarn, each in its own color. These strands of yarn can be combined in different ways to recreate the colors in your photo as accurately as possible.

What this means is that there will be some major differences in outcome of your photo afghan blanket or your tapestry throw, depending on what kind of product you’re getting. Here are some of the major differences:

• To get a full color throw, the product must be done as a tapestry. Otherwise, you can’t create all of the colors.



• Tapestry throws will always have better resolution than regular photo afghan blankets.



• Photo afghan blankets are limited to just two or three colors.



• Afghan blankets will also generally be thicker than tapestry throws.



• The fringes on a tapestry throw will always be in multiple colors. This is because of the different colored strands used to make the tapestry. This is the case, even if the tapestry is done in black and white.

Now, having said all of that, you might wonder why anyone would choose a photo afghan blanket over a tapestry throw. Well, for one thing, a photo afghan blanket generally will cost less than a tapestry. The process is simpler, and the materials are less expensive. If you’re looking for a black and white product, a photo afghan blanket can save you some money and some trouble.
In addition, some black and white photographs will just look better on a photo afghan blanket than they will on a tapestry. While the resolution will still always be less than what it would for a tapestry, some images just seem to fit the afghan style better.

When you’re deciding between a photo afghan blanket and a tapestry throw, make sure to consider all of these factors. Obviously, if you want a color photo, you’re going to want to choose a tapestry throw over a photo afghan blanket. If you’re considering a black and white photo, however, spend some time looking at both afghan and tapestries, and see which you think might best fit the particular picture that you’re wanting to use.