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Cowls : tangible warmth and tangible love
I mainly weave baby wraps, and I love the merging of engineering (weight bearing needs, wrapping quality preferences) and artistic expression that baby wraps as a product line requires of me. However, we all know that eventually babes become children and our wearing days wind down to a close. When that inevitably happens, I'd be sad to entirely lose the textile-based connections and friendships I'm forming with my customers. Additionally, there are many people in my life outside of babywearing who have asked how they can get a piece of what I make.
And so, I have been experimenting with scarf designs. This cowl/hood is a full wrap width deep and nearly a meter in circumference. I love the generous way it drapes around neck, covering the heart or warming tense shoulders depending on how it is placed.
I think I'll add this to the smaller (more affordable) tube cowls that I have been offering as a regular product line here at 14 Mile. As makers must, I'm already thinking ahead to the holiday season: is this something you'd be interested in gifting to someone special this year? Keep an eye out here and on the 14 Mile Farm Facebook page for listings!
P.S. I'm excessively smitten with the way that my new hair matches the tones that I dyed into Unconditional.
Good Night Moon baby blankets and an alpaca Cowl
I've been busy, in pockets of free time, seamstressing up a storm! I would definitely classify myself as a beginner seamstress, but I love the way that needle and thread and a few judicious cuts can transform handwoven cloth into something even more lovely to wear and to use. So in the coming months, I plan to spend more time making friends with the sewing machine so we can continue to have a variety of items for sale!
I've got three pieces for sale for you today: these two baby blankets made from the Good Night Moon warp, and also an alpaca doublewoven cowl! They are all being offered via draw to purchase. The draw is closed.
This baby blanket measures 28" x 29" and was woven with tartan color play wefts. Sections of green weft alternate with section of brown and yellow weft for an overall gradation. 100% cotton warp and weft, 100% cotton backing.
It is backed in cow jumping over the moon quilter's cotton fabric.
The two layers of handwoven and quilter's fabric make for a nice and light in-hand feel, with enough softness and mouldability to tuck around a sleeping baby.
The two layers are joined with a random stripe pattern of vertical quilting lines. You can also see here that the backing is in two joined pieces.
There are two spots where the handwoven top 'caught' in the quilting process, making for a minute bunching of the fabric that is tied down by the stitching. It was a good learning point for me! I'm pretty sure I know how to make it not happen again for the next batch of baby blankets!
This baby blanket is larger, measuring 27" x 37.5". It is also a warmer blanket, with a layer of 100% cotton quilt batting between the top and the backing. Its a fluffy soft blanket, perfect for a chilly evening or car ride!
The warp is 100% and the weft is a natty hemp/cotton blend that will only get softer and softer as the blanket is loved!
Rather than being quilted, the layers are tied together with the same cotton yarn as the warp.
This cowl is woven of 100% alpaca yarn in a deflected doubleweave pattern. I wove this fabric a number of years ago, the warp was designed by my teacher Penny Wakefield.
One of the wonderful things about deflected doubleweave is that it can create a VERY warm fabric. The interlacement of the two layers creates many small air pockets that act as extra insulation. It is definitely an Alaska-worthy scarf!
The cowl is lined with 100% cotton jersey in a royal purple. The alpaca is just scratchy enough that you'll appreciate the softness of the cotton against your skin! This is absolutely a handwash-only item.
The contstruction of the lined cowl was a bit of an experiment for me. From the outside it looks like perfection itself, but close scrutiny of the inner seams shows a little bit of ahem creative sewing!
Rainbow yarns interlace with undeyed dark brown and cream alpaca yarn. This cowl measures a generous 32" in circumference and is 7.5" tall.
