Glossary
Yoga blanket
A firmly woven blanket folded for extra padding, warmth or elevation under the hips or knees.
A yoga blanket is a firmly woven, often cotton blanket, folded into different shapes to pad, elevate or warm up parts of the body during practice. Unlike a soft throw blanket, it holds a folded shape under weight, which is what makes it useful as a prop rather than just a cover for savasana.
Common uses include a fold under the knees in kneeling poses, a fold under the hips to elevate seated positions, and a layer over the shoulders and torso for warmth in restorative poses where the body is still for a long time. In a heated room a blanket also doubles as a warmth layer to grab before or after class when the body cools quickly.
The usual mix-up is reaching for a bed blanket instead, which is too soft to hold a firm fold and flattens out under weight within a minute. A dedicated yoga blanket, made from denser woven material, keeps its shape through a whole restorative hold instead of collapsing partway through.