Have you ever picked something up in a store and just known it was expensive at first touch? You can feel the difference in quality without even trying it on. That was my first thought when I opened the package in the mail, I stuck my hand in and I felt something unlike anything else. Kokoskaa Royal Quill Midnight was a wrap like none-other. Of course I knew what was coming and I knew it was a cotton, silk, wool, and cashmere but to actually touch it was something else entirely. I've felt wool wraps before but midnight blew me away. I know I'm repeating myself here but it's just sooo different. It was a blanket it was thick and fuzzy and lush but it was so light and airy at the same time. I've worn silk wraps and I've worn wool wraps but neither could compare to the magic of it being all woven together. I was borrowing this wrap for a family wedding and its been gone for 2 weeks now, but I can still feel the texture and the weight in my mind it left such a huge impression. And the color and style oh man, Im gushing and I'm not even embarrassed to admit it. Midnight is so classy the navy is dark but vibrant and the ecru sets it off brilliantly, the high contrast really lets you see the intricate patterns in the royal quill design, and both sides are equally beautiful. I can't even handle it I loved this wrap so much! I miss it, a lot. Okay pulling myself together now, technically this wrap is fabulous too. Despite being a little grippy due to the fuzziness and texture its nothing an experienced wrapper can't handle, and the stretch and squishiness more than make up for it. I had the pleasure to wear both SG and LD in midnight and so i can also say it is definitely suited to a wide range of babies super snugly which at this point almost goes without saying but also seriously supportive. and wide! one of the widest wraps ive ever had which together with the strength made it the best ruck wrap I've had yet for LD. I wish such quality as this wasn't so hard to come by, but the few that have this wrap aren't readily letting go. I'm just so happy I got the chance to borrow it thanks to an amazing person. I can't wait to see more amazing things from Kokoskaa in the near future, maybe ill be lucky enough to get my hands on something else from Monika soon.
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"I found love in a hopeless place." I had a traveler come through, I fell in love. I knew he would be leaving me, I knew he was only mine for a short time, I should have tried harder to keep my distance, I should have built the wall around my heart higher. But I didn't. I let him in. We spent days upon days together, we formed a bond, I chose him over others, we made memories together. And now, now he is gone. Some might say he was just the latest in a string of affairs and in some ways they would be right, but I know, that I will never fully move on from the love I found with Firesprial Silver Linen Seafoam. Seafoam was a traveler that got to me right before we went out of town. I was a tiny bit apprehensive as it was a size 7 and that is a lot of wrap for me, but it was awesome! Medium thin and so soft that it really didn't feel overwhelming at all, and the design is so classy that it looked fabulous with long tails. I think the look of this wrap really was my favorite thing, the color of blue is just stunning, probably best described by me as indigo, its not quite navy, it leans a little purple and compliments the silver perfectly The design of sea spray is just so-so for me when laid out, but when it is wrapped up it is a bit abstract and whimsical and I just love it. I think it looks classy in every situation, and can be dressed up or down, and I also think it looks good on everyone. The only teensy bit negative thing I can think of in the design is that the "wrong" side isn't interchangably as pretty as the right side. My second favorite thing about this wrap is how it felt. The linen is amazing, it makes even a long 7 feel weightless, and its airy and breathable, I never once sweat(ed?) in this wrap. And I was also pleasantly surprised that it was still soft and comfortable on my shoulders, not at all diggy. Third was how durable this wrap is. As I mentioned breifly, I used this wrap above many others and I used it every day sometimes more than once a day and I used it with SG and LD and it was in and out of the carm and suitcase and it was great, it never snagged, it didn't pick up dirt or attract stay hairs and it didn't wrinkle much at all. I pretty much never had to worry about it. That all being said, it practically goes without saying that the wrapping quality was great as well. Easy to wrap with, easy to tighten, soft, cushy, small tight knots, supportive, strong. This wrap really had it all, and I was very sad the day I sent it on, but I'm happy that it will be continuing to spread the love. Thank You FiSpi for creating this wrap and Thank you Mama K for letting me fall in love even if it was just for a little while.
Top to bottom L to R as much as possible here is what we have in Pile today:
Poe Woven Harlequin Platine, Custom Dyed Didymos Indio, Poe Harlequin Neige, Didymos Lisca Karabik, Pavo Veronica Etini, Pavo Chocotini, Bebe Sachi Twilight, Didymos Goldfish, Pavo Holly Etini, Tekhni Portico Twilight, Kokoskaa Royal Quill Iris, Kokoskaa Royal Quill Midnight, Pavo Lilac Fable, Handwoven, Didymos Jade Indio. Harlequins felt thin and a bit rough in hand but surprised me with their stretch and cush. Dyed Indio I didn't try because it doesn't belong to us Lisca is my wrap and an all time favorite so so soft and squishy like wrapping in a sweater. The Etinis: I think veronica is absolutely gorgeous. Chocolate and Holly just aren't my colors personally but I know this makes me crazy, they aren't my favorite. Too thick and not enough bounce, but If I spent more time with one I might change my mind. Bebe Sachi a great wrap with value beyond its retail price. Goldfish is thin and soft and floppy it feels light and airy but supportive, and glides really well. I think it's a great warm weather and beginner wrap. Tekhni Portico is my least favorite wrap. Other tekhnis are great but Im just not loving this one. Its very tight, no bounce little stretch and very grippy. Some people might love it, but it's not for me. Kokoskaa Iris and Midnight the royal quills definitely have my heart right now. Iris is all cotton and soft and textured and grippy and slippy and bouncy and cushy and everything good in a wrap. Midnight is a quad blend with wool and silk and it is soft beyong belief. it feels thick and heavy in hand but is not warm at all. Its wide and its like wrapping up in a blanket, it has stretch and cush and to top it off it is the most striking and beautiful wrap. Pavo fable was just in the door and into the washing machine so no wrapping with this yet. It belongs to our churner so I hope I'll get to see it before it goes back out the door. Handwoven I just didn't get to sadly. Jade Indio is another awesome wrap I actually really want to add this one to my stash. The color is so pretty, the weave is really tight compared to other indios I've tried. It is light and airy and strong thanks to the tri blend of cotton linen and hemp. I think this is a perfect summer wrap. I love all of our wraps and how we each bring something different to the pile. I think Ill keep you updated as it changes over time. Let me know if there is one of these wraps you want a more in depth review on and Ill see if I can borrow it for a few days A new review for your wrap nerd pleasure; Starring Me, LD, SG and Ovolo Fletching Honey size 6.
It was a crazy week in the life of a mom, in a time not so long ago, in fact just days, only a few. With a three month old and a little boy about to turn two. There was a Walk to be walked: for money to be raised: for hunger to be stopped, A playgroup to be played, and party supplies for which to be shopped. What should a mom do with hands of only two? Just as many children and so much to do. Our hero in yellow really quite a fellow, he comes to the rescue. He is sturdy and strong and acts as the arrow walking the narrow, carrying straight and true. On a rainy sunday which was supposed to be a fun day, she had to walk a mile. It was for a good cause, to give hunger pause but even that could not make her smile. With SG in the stroller, the rain to block, LD the older and braver, goes up in a Double Hammock. For the first time in forever, it's flawless and light as a feather, with twenty six pounds on her back and wind in her face it doesn't sag and she doesn't lag. Monday night follows as it's known to do and brings along challenge number two. Our hero is off to the library with helpers zero and the boys to carry. Its playtime for LD and mommy needs two hands free, of course she wraps up SG. The other moms all stare and she's quite aware, to the attention she is not impervious, in fact it makes her a little nervous. SG is crying throughout she's sure this will bring "helpers" about. But they stay away watching in awe and soon he snores like a saw. Everyone applauds or at least they give nods, and two others strike up conversation. As SG snuggles in a tight cross carry mom silently stands giving ovolo his ovation. A few more wears just here and theres and Fletching does not waver. He's thick but does not stick, He even has a little bounce, despite his heavy ounce. He can stretch but a sag you will not catch. Once he's on, he's there to stay, with you every step of the way. This life is not work to him, by wearing Fletching, you do him the favor. Should I have this wrap you may ask? Is he up to my task? Is he going to last? Slow down ladies, not so fast. When it comes to Fletching you can safely go forth to your fetching. Hahaha! Don't you just love looking at your own selfies!? I know I do, It's so hard to take pictures of yourself wrapped up though, I mean like with my Marble photoshoot I took the time to set up my tripod and shooting trigger and everything, but in normal day to day wearing, I don't have time for all that so I'm usually using my cell phone, or LD's camera (my older pocket digital.) Anyway so funny, but its not about me anyway, what you should be looking at is that perfectly round and bald squish head all wrapped up in the gorgeous Lucy Slykerman handwoven wrap. I mean come on, those blessing threads are too gorgeous. Seriously the whole wrap is to die for. I wish I could say I own this one too, but it was on loan from E. She has an amazing stash that is now in the process of being destashed (so keep your eyes open, this one might be for sale soon) As you might have guessed this is the Lucy Slykerman, it is a 100% cotton twill weave in a size 5. Gray purple and blue stripes in a combination of diamond and squiggly (which I'm sure is in fact the technical term) patterns, with a blessing thread middle marker. It is as you can see for yourself, absolutely gorgeous. This wrap is one of those wraps that wraps itself as people like to say. I just couldn't get a bad wrap job in this thing, seriously. The passes glide aka it's easy to tighten, but they don't slip. It's thin enough that its not bulky and doesn't bunch up or suffocate you, but it's not diggy. It has just the right amount of cush and bounce, right in the middle really, all the best of both worlds. I did my best fwcc's with SG and It had tons of sleepy dust, he was just so cozy in it, it's so soft. But it is also really sturdy and supportive and I had no complaints carrying LD. This is my first experience with a higher-end handwoven and it's really hard not to get jaded from all other wraps. I could conceivably, if I had a stash, sell it all to fund one handwoven like this one, I wish I could keep this one. Don't get me wrong, there are great machine woven wraps out there, lots of them, and I plan to get back to some more of them, but there is just a deeper connection with a handwoven wrap. You (or maybe it's just me) can feel that human hands crafted them and as wonderful as machined wraps are, you can't beat that feeling.
Hey guess what? I'm finally reviewing a wrap I actually own! This is my Inda Jani Reyado 3. Inda Jani wraps are handwoven in mexico, there are many different weaves, and colors available. They are very affordable (under $100 usually) to buy direct, but they sell out very quickly when they are available, and the 100% cotton Reyado is one of their most popular wraps. I was extremely lucky to score this one and I'm so glad I did it is one of my favorite wraps ever and worth so so much more than I paid. When I first got it I didn't use it right away. They arrive in loom state (freshly woven) and have to be washed before using so I threw it in the wash but when it came out it was still fairly rough so I braided it and hung it up as a hammock and I left it there for a few weeks. I just wasn't reaching for it so I decided to throw it up for trade. I put it on for action pics and realized I kind of really liked it and while I got amazing offers for it I wore it every day and realized there was no way I could let it go. This wrap is not perfect, it came with "flaws" it has knots and pulls and its not perfect but it's so real. I feel so connected knowing that another woman out there made this wrap with her hands, probably to earn money to care for her own children. But beyond that none of the so called flaws matter because it's beautiful the colors are so vibrant and the texture is to die for. The weave is open and airy and the wrap is the cooshiest smooshiest pillow. It has stretch and bounce. It snuggles my squishy SG and supports LD too, I love everything about it. There are a few things that some people might not love though, It is fairly textured and grippy, It has blunt ends and it's fairly thick in hand, yielding a large knot. It has only one middle marker and It is also prone to pulls. But none of that bothers me, in the end I recently temp traded it for 3 weeks and I'm so glad it's home now. I might send it out again sometime, but it's permastash here. Definitely the best value I've found so far in a wrap.
Oh Beech, I loved my raven and I think I could love other Oschas as well, but my feelings for you are so complicated. To be honest It was not love at first sight or first wrap; your color is not my color, your design is not my first choice, and when I first wrapped with you, you hurt me. But as we've spent more time together and gotten to know each other better my feelings for you have grown. You are so soft and you cradle my little ones so gently. You are thinnish and tightly woven so I don't feel like I have to baby you which I appreciate because two human babies are enough right now. You don't smother me or crowd me, you feel nice and light and airy on. You are flexible and moldable, but you are tough too; you give me support in difficult situations. You like long walks and you like to hang out with my kids. But you are difficult, you can be picky and unforgiving. You sometimes put a lot of pressure on me and I can feel like the weight of a toddler is on my shoulders. You are so serious and solid, not boucy, and frankly my dear you just don't have the squish and cushion I usually look for in others. I know it might sound bad but these are all reasons I've grown close to you. You are the first wrap to really challenge me, to make me work at my jobs and perfect my skills. You push me and expect the best from me, and that means something. I'm not sure if it's love yet. If I'd met you in my earlier days I don't think it would have worked out, but now I'd like to spend more time getting to know you. I also have some stuff to work on myself and it might take me a while before I can give you the love you deserve but I'm glad we gave each other a chance. You have a lot to offer, I hope we meet again. Sincerely, Me A new visitor is here and his name is Taj. (It just sounds like a boy name and the wrap feels like a boy too I think) So very first thought out of the package, "looks just like marble but so much thinner." My DH even said "Didn't you just have that one?" Anyway it does look like gotham marble as its the same fibers, ecru cotton and mercerized but at 280 g/m2 to Marble's 280 they feel so different in hand. Now this is a first impression, I have not even wrapped with it yet as today was just not a wrapping day, [it happens] so I'm excited to see how it compares to marble once it's actually being worn. Stay tuned!
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AuthorA stay at home mom of two boys under 2 living in Upstate Ny. I love wraps and wrapping and all things babywearing. Archives
May 2015
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