Travel blanket with arm support

1. A travel blanket for covering a person while in a seated position, the travel blanket comprising:

a fibrous sheet having a top edge, bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, the fibrous sheet further including an axis extending between the opposing side edges, the axis being generally closer to the top edge than the bottom edge, the axis dividing the two opposing side edges into front opposing side edges and rear opposing side edges;

an elastomeric opening positioned along the axis and surrounded by the fibrous sheet, the elastomeric opening adapted to be stretched to allow positioning of the elastomeric opening of the travel blanket over the head and around the neck of the person;

a front portion defined by the bottom edge, the axis, and the front opposing side edges, the front portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the front portion of the fibrous sheet covers the arms and the upper portion of the legs of the person when in the seated position;

a first interior pocket positioned on the interior surface of the front portion of the fibrous sheet and adapted to accept a first hand and a portion of the forearm of the person;

a second interior pocket positioned on the interior surface of the front portion of the fibrous sheet, adjacent the first interior pocket and adapted to accept a second hand and a portion of the forearm of the person wherein the hands are adjacent the vertical centerline of the person and the forearms of the person are oriented substantially parallel to one another when the persons hands are inserted into the interior pockets, and

a rear portion defined by the top edge of the fibrous sheet, the axis, and the rear opposing side edges, the rear portion extending a length from the axis suitable for trapping the rear portion between the person's upper back and a back portion of a seat when the person is in the seated position.

2. The travel blanket of claim 1 , further comprising an open bottom end located between the top edge and bottom edge when the travel blanket is draped over the person.

3. The travel blanket of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric opening includes an elastic lining.

4. The travel blanket of claim 3 , further comprising the elastic lining being formed from sewn-in ribbing.

5. The travel blanket of claim 3 , further comprising the elastomeric opening being positioned a fraction of a distance from the top edge to the bottom edge.

6. The travel blanket of claim 5 , further comprising the fraction being from approximately ⅓ to approximately ¼.

7. The travel blanket of claim 5 , further comprising the fraction being approximately ¼.

8. The travel blanket of claim 1 , further comprising at least one exterior pocket located on the exterior surface of the front portion.

9. The travel blanket of claim 1 , further comprising the interior pocket being positioned at a distance from the elastomeric opening to allow the person's forearms to be supported inside the interior pockets.

10. The travel blanket of claim 1 , wherein the first interior pocket is at least partially above the second interior pocket.

11. The travel blanket of claim 1 , further comprising the fibrous sheet being formed of a fleece material.

12. A travel blanket for covering a person while in a seated position, the travel blanket comprising:

a fibrous sheet, the sheet having a top edge, bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, the fibrous sheet further including an axis extending between the opposing side edges, the axis being generally closer to the top edge than the bottom edge, the axis dividing the two opposing side edges into front opposing side edges and rear opposing side edges;

an elastomeric opening positioned along the axis and surrounded by the fibrous sheet, the elastomeric opening adapted to be stretched to allow positioning of the elastomeric opening of the travel blanket over the head and around the neck of the person;

a front portion defined by the bottom edge, the axis, and the front opposing side edges, the front portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the front portion of the fibrous sheet covers the arms and the upper portion of the legs of the person when in the seated position;

an interior pocket positioned along the interior surface, of the front portion of the fibrous sheet and having two openings, the pocket adapted to accept the hands and a portion of the forearms of the person such that the hands are adjacent the vertical centerline of the person and the forearms of the person are substantially parallel to one another when the persons hands are inserted into the interior pocket; and

the interior pocket being positioned to allow the person's left and right forearms to be supported in the interior pocket

a rear portion defined by the top edge of the fibrous sheet, the axis, and the rear opposing side edges, the rear portion extending a length from the axis suitable for trapping the rear portion between the person's upper back and a back portion of a seat when the person is in the seated position.

13. A method of using a travel blanket to cover a traveler's shoulders, torso and a portion of the legs when the traveler is positioned within a seat, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a travel blanket, the travel blanket comprising a fibrous sheet, the fibrous sheet having a top edge, bottom edge, and two opposing side edges, an axis extending between the opposing side edges, the axis being generally closer to the top edge than the bottom edge, the axis dividing the two opposing side edges into front opposing side edges and rear opposing side edges, an elastomeric opening positioned along the axis and surrounded by the fibrous sheet, a front portion defined by the bottom edge, the axis, and the front opposing side edges, the front portion having an interior surface and an exterior surface wherein the front portion of the fibrous sheet covers the arms, torso and a portion of the legs of the traveler when in a seated position, a rear portion defined by the top edge, the axis, and the rear opposing side edges, and a pocket positioned along the interior surface of the front portion of the fibrous sheet and having two openings, the pocket adapted to accept the hands and a portion of the forearms of the traveler inserting the head of the traveler through the elastomeric opening; and

pulling the travel blanket down over a traveler's torso and legs as the traveler's head extends through the elastomeric opening; and

positioning the traveler's hands and a portion of the traveler's forearms into the openings of the pocket so that the hands of the traveler are adjacent the vertical centerline of the traveler and the forearms of the person are substantially parallel to one another, and

trapping the rear portion between the traveler's upper back and a back portion of a seat when the person is in the seated position.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising tucking the opposing front side edges of the front portion between the traveler's torso and a back of a seat.