The Fascinator Throw: which size, which material, and how to wash it

A mattress protector protects your mattress beautifully and feels like a hospital bed. The Fascinator Throw does the same job with a velvet top, which is why it stays on the sofa or at the foot of the bed instead of disappearing into a cupboard. That is exactly why it gets used more often than the protector you dig out once a year.

Why a blanket works better than a mattress protector

A mattress protector wraps round the mattress and is meant to be invisible. A Fascinator lies on top, feels good against the skin and comes off in one movement when you are done. The waterproof layer is worked into the fabric, not a plastic sheet underneath, so it does not crease and barely rustles. No waterproof fabric is completely silent, but the difference from a plastic sheet is large.

Which size you need

The Throw is the size for a double bed. It covers the working surface with room to spare and stays put when you move. The Mini is the size for solo, for travel and for the sofa or the chair. If you are torn between two sizes, take the bigger one: a blanket that is too small means you end up watching the edge, and that is the last thing you want.

Microvelvet or faux fur

Microvelvet is the cooler choice and dries faster. Faux fur lies warmer and feels more luxurious, but it holds more heat, which matters if you warm up quickly. Both versions have two sides: a velvet side and a smoother back. Most people put the velvet side up, against the skin, and the smooth side on the bed.

Washing

Wash cold, dry low. Because the waterproof layer is sewn in, the blanket is a good deal heavier wet than an ordinary throw and can knock a small drum out of balance. So wash it on its own, not with bedding.

Lubricant

Both water-based and silicone-based lubricant wash out, and neither attacks the waterproof layer. Cheaper covers are a different story: there silicone eventually eats into the coating.

Where else it comes in useful

On the sofa, on the floor, on a play bench or at someone else’s house. Because the waterproof layer runs across the whole surface, it protects whatever is underneath, not just a mattress. And since it looks like an ordinary throw, you can leave it lying folded.

Which one it will be

For a bed: the Throw. For yourself, or to take with you: the Mini. If you are unsure about colour, black or anthracite is the safest choice, since it stands out least in a bedroom that also has to stay a bedroom.