yesterday was the day after my mom's birthday, so she came up to the mid-coast region to hang out for the day. we went a bunch of places, the highlight being: swan's island blankets.
at the swan's island blankets show-room, they show you everything from the sheep to the yarn to the dying room to the loombs. it is unbelievable. the blankets are highly expensive, think baby blankets starting at around $200, but they are beautiful.
some of the wool comes from sheep that live untended on a little island in penobscot bay. it is called nash island and the sheep are its only residents. the owners of SIB travel out with a flock of volunteers to round up the sheep and shear them.
i can't even imagine the hours that go into each blanket. i really want one. all the dyes are natural, so the colors are really simple but lovely. the blankets are designed after blankets that used to be a maine staple, they are woven in a way so that they are the perfect weight for year round use. SIB now also makes winter weight blankets, which are sort of quilt/comforter style, with two individual layers that are woven together regularly to make these, i guess, pockets. anyhoo, check it out. it is amazing.
look at how beatiful this mitered square blanket is!
