Turning Legacy Into Love: How One Military Spouse Transformed a West Point Blanket Into Heirloom Treasures
When Laura Reutinger received her husband’s wool blanket from his time at West Point—a gift from her mother-in-law—she wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. The blanket had PCS’d with them multiple times, taking up valuable closet space in Hawaii, yet it had never once been used. But getting rid of it didn’t feel right either.
It wasn’t just a blanket—it was a symbol of discipline, sacrifice, and the journey her husband had taken through one of the most honorable and challenging experiences of his life.
So Laura did something extraordinary.
The Heirloom Journey Begins
She reached out to the R. Riveter team to turn the West Point wool blanket into custom Heirloom pieces—one-of-a-kind, handcrafted bags and accessories that would breathe new life into the meaningful fabric.
“I was inspired to create an Heirloom bag out of my husband’s wool blanket from West Point because it had PCS’d with us a few times and never been used,” she shared. “We aimed to live simply since we’re often on the move, but the blanket was one of those things that carried memories that made it hard to let go of.”
Laura transformed the blanket into a set of thoughtful gifts: dopp kits for the men in the family, purses for the moms, and a few zipper pouches with the remaining fabric.
“[R. Riveter] Made so many thoughtful gifts out of something we never would have used otherwise,” she said. “[I] would do it again in a heartbeat—and I got countless compliments on the zipper pouches at a recent West Point Founders Day event!”
The process itself was seamless. “We were stationed in Hawaii when I reached out to the R. Riveter team, she said. They were super accommodating when it came to shipping my item to them and helping me choose the best styles and aspects of the blanket to showcase on my pieces.”
But the impact of the project went far beyond decluttering a closet or checking names off a gift list.
“To carry my heirloom bag is a quiet act of pride and love. It’s a grounded reminder of where this journey began, of his commitment and our resilience,” Laura reflected.
“Carrying it now is a way of holding onto the past while walking forward with hope, courage, and the constant reminder that I’m never really carrying it alone.”
Through R. Riveter’s Heirloom Project, Laura turned a forgotten military keepsake into a legacy—a daily reminder of love, pride, and the life they’ve built together. “It’s more than a bag,” she said. “It’s a personal connection to his legacy.”
Want to turn your own meaningful fabric into something you can carry with pride?
Learn more about our Heirloom Project and start your custom bag journey today.
