Utter Magic

Today I did two things that blew my mind.  

1: I took a soft! dry! clean! cloth diaper and wrapped my baby's bum in it. 

2: I took wet clean clothes, tossed them into a magical piece of technology, turned a knob and pressed a button... And walked away. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, not only do I have running water and a functional washing machine... I now have a dryer! It uses electricity to run, but propane to heat and dry so there is no fear that it will short circuit our generator or the inverter in our off-grid power system. 

It's kind of amazing.  It's all kinds of amazing.  It is a game changer.  Both for the everyday laundry tasks that keep a household (with a baby!) running and for the wet-finishing process of yard upon yard of handwoven fabric that I anticipate coming off of my loom.  

With the exception of a blissful 6 days before the electric dryer blew out our generator's voltage regulator, we have been drying Avery's diapers (and all our clothes) on drying racks in the living room by the woodstove.  It is a functional system.  The water does evaporate from the fabric.  They end up stiff, with dog hair and lint still attached, and eat up the useable space in the house.  In the case of the diapers, not tumbling them dry decreases their potential absorbency.  Extra bum salve is necessary.  Long story short, an actual dryer is blissful to me.

Remind me, in a year or three, when I'm complaining about the never-ending task of keeping up with the laundry that I'm blessed to be able to do it.

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!

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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.


Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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.

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

It is backed in cow jumping over the moon quilter's cotton fabric.

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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.

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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.

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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! 


Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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! 

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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!

Good Night Moon Handwoven Baby Blanket | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

Rather than being quilted, the layers are tied together with the same cotton yarn as the warp.


Doubleweave Alpaca Cowl | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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! 

Doubleweave Alpaca Cowl | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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.

Doubleweave Alpaca Cowl | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

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! 

Doubleweave Alpaca Cowl | 14 Mile Farm Handwoven Babywearing Wraps and Heirloom Textiles

Rainbow yarns interlace with undeyed dark brown and cream alpaca yarn.  This cowl measures a generous 32" in circumference and is 7.5" tall.