Lovaloom Astra Geminidas Review

Lovaloom Astra Geminidas

59% Pima cotton / 37% Mulberry silk / 2% polyamide / 2% polyester / 330 GSM

23 months and 28 pounds 

I've long had an affinity for all things celestial in design. I was really looking forward to seeing the Astra design in person and it did not disappoint. The Geminidas colorway is black and ecru with very subtle golden sparkles. I immediately noted how dense and weighty the wrap is, one of the more substantial I've tested.

In hand there is a medium diagonal stretch, the wrap is soapy, with the black side slightly more soapy than the cream. Medium - high thickness, feels more substantial due to the dense, tight weave. Very flat texture, there is slightly more texture and grip along the inside rails, which are generous and have lovaloom written in the pattern on the cream side only. There is no rough feel from the subtle golden sparkles, just an overall soft and soapy wrap.

For me the Astra design is a whimsical classic. Especially in the Geminidas colorway, black and ecru, you can't go wrong. This is a wrap design and colorway you will not tire of quickly is my guess. In different carries you get a different look and feel, depending on if the large stars or moon are featured more prominently, or the connected constellations. Astra Geminidas is a wrap you can dress up or down, if you need a fun, but special occasion wrap this is a perfect choice.

I found this Astra very easy to wrap with, the soapiness really assists in getting a precise wrap job, but it is also a very forgiving wrap with sloppy carries too. For someone with a squirmy toddler sometimes you need a wrap that you can get your child up in under 30 seconds, but it will also be comfortable for more than 30 minutes! I am currently not a typical wearer with a back injury, so it says a lot for me if I can use a wrap for any period of time past a few minutes. I mostly wore this wrap in double hammock tied in front and it was a dream with my heavier toddler. It also performed well in a ruck, very solid and supportive. This blend was really a downright pleasure to wrap with, weighty yet soft, lots of glide and some wool like properties, though there is no wool content. It wraps very similarly to both Omnifera Wings of Desire, which I have previously reviewed, and Artipoppe Argus Signature Jack.

Astra Geminidas would be on the top of my list for my toddler if I was in the market for a wrap right now. The pattern will appeal to those who love classic and slightly quirky, but the blend is all over a stand out for heavier babies and toddlers. I would give it a pass for a newborn, but as we all know newborns grow up quickly and this wrap will be there for the long haul and long carries. I almost always personally prefer wraps in my base or longer, but this Astra will shine as a shorty too, there is very little stretch while wearing and no sag, so it will be a solid toddler worthy shorty. If  you need grip at all give this one a pass, same if you like an airier wrap, or thin in hand - This will not be the wrap for you. If you love luxurious blends, heavier weight, dense and tight weaves, glide and soapiness, Astra Geminidas is definitely a wrap for you.

Thank you Christina at Lovaloom for letting me experience the stellar Astra Geminidas!

Find Lovaloom's chatter group on Facebook here.

Bijou Wear Abstract Mirage Review

Bijou Wear Abstract Mirage
66 % Egyptian mercerized cotton / 33% standard cotton / 240 GSM
23 months and 28 pounds


Abstract Mirage is the third Bijou Wear I've had the pleasure of trying. Upon opening the package I was sure it was a shorty because of how compact the wrap folds up, but in fact it was not. Out fell a long, deliciously shimmery silver/white wrap in a modern and fresh feeling design. There is just a hint of sea glass blue/green in the shimmer that plays up differently in different lighting. Letting the wrap fall across my lap and moving it around in the light, the name Mirage seems at once apt.

 

In hand this wrap is textured with a very lovely sheen, due to the mercerized cotton, but it is also a dry wrap. The kind of dry that will make that slight creaky sound while wearing if you know what I mean. I would be curious to see how it breaks in, I imagine some of the dryness in hand will go away. Abstract Mirage is also exceptionally thin in hand with a medium-high diagonal only stretch.

The name suggests modern abstract paintings and the design shows a brush stoke effect. Looking at the wrap the texture is very evident and the mix of sheen and matte do well to further enhance the look of texture. That said this is a flat texture, the weave is smoother and on the denser side. You will find no nubs or slubs here. There is an airiness in the design, if you hold the wrap up to the light, it is not see thru, even for the thinness of the wrap, but light shines in along certain lines of the design. Style wise, if higher end fashion appeals to you, but you don't get to partake in real life, this is the wrap for you. It will elevate your look anytime you wear it.

 

While wrapping the diagonal stretch isn't very apparent at all. There is zero sag once wrapped when wearing, and the wrap moulds quite nicely. The texture of Abstract Mirage translates to a grippy wrap, the type of grip that can hold a single knot, but the level of grippiness won't hold much of a challenge for more experienced wearers. In multi pass carries such as a double hammock a newer wrapper may need to put in more work, but the results are worth it. I am currently not a typical wearer due to a back injury and a toddler - I need a lot from a wrap, cush usually and a great deal of strength and support. There is not a lot of cush, nor bounce with Abstract, but no dig at all, and amazing strength and support. I also really enjoyed the lack of bulkiness on my shoulders and the easy and numerous pleats! Trying to think of what this wraps similarly too, and I think of Almitra Tattva Phirozi, which is a woolie, but equally thin in hand and also equally astonishing for the amount of strength and support.

 

 

I really enjoyed using this wrap in my base (ish) size and that would be my personal preference for this wrap, but it will perform well in a shorty. The lack of bulkiness, plus softness and smoothness makes this a good choice for a newborn wrap and it will work well beyond the newborn phase. This is a toddler worthy wrap, especially if you are looking for a thin toddler worthy wrap, you will find those are harder to come by. If you enjoy thin, denser wraps, with flatter texture, no nubby fibres, this is one to check out. Lovers of a lot of stretch, or very cushy, or blankety wraps may want to sit this one out. Though it may be one that surprises you too. My own wrap qualities that I love have certainly changed and evolved a bit the more I try.

Thank you Jaime for letting Abstract Mirage visit us!

Find Bijou Wear's chatter group on Facebook here.

Aquarelle Handwovens Still Waters Review

Aquarelle Handwovens Still Waters
Cotton warp / cottolin weft
22 months and 28 pounds


The first thing I noted with this tester is how vibrant and vivid the different shades of blue are and how the networked twill weave combined with those blues gives the illusion of tranquil waves of water. Also even at just 3.2 meters, folded up this is a bulkier feeling wrap.

In hand Still Waters is very textured, rather bumpy feeling and decidedly dry. There is very little stretch, but a solid feel. Still Waters has the characteristics of a densely woven wrap, though it is not quite tight and dense, but the complex weave has the heft of density. The texture, very apparent and raised will translate to a lot of grip while wrapping.

Back to those gorgeous blues, looking closely there are also some violets mixed in and a section all along the bottom rail with sandy brown blended in. The networked twill weave has a look of those Magic Eye posters I used to stare at as a child. Still Waters has a knitted sweater vibe and will fit in well with more casual styles and mix well with other textures and colors.

I used this wrap mainly in rucksack carry variations and it performed beautifully. I did have to put a bit more oomph into tightening knots, but this is also a wrap that could hold a single knot capably if needed, it's that grippy. I am currently not a typical wearer, I need a lot of cush and strength to wear for any amount of time with my toddler. I was able to wear Still Waters for good stretches of time. My toddler is also currently a bit of a seat popper and this wrap is rock solid, no losing seats, no slipping out of comfortable carries, once wrapped, no adjustments needed. I wore this on warmer sunny days and into the cooler Fall evenings and it did well with both. This is a medium to thick wrap, but for all the texture and weight there is a bit of airiness in the weave as well. The selvages are straight and neat, and the hem work cleanly done. Still Waters shows Elena to be an impeccable weaver.

If you are looking for a very toddler worthy shorty Still Waters is a great contender. There is loads of cush and wonderful support for heavier babies and toddlers. You will need to be okay with grippy, little to no stretch, and a heavier textured wrap - if those are wrap qualities you enjoy, you will get along very well with this wrap. This wouldn't be my preference for a squish, better from 6 months and up. Also I would advise those who prefer thinner, flat or smooth, and a lot of stretch in wraps to pass this one up.

Thank you Elena for the opportunity to try this blue beauty!

Find Aquarelle's chatter group here.

Pavo Textiles Love Birds Vespertine

Pavo Love Birds Vespertine

SilverSpun™ 85% Egyptian cotton / 8% silver / 7% nylon

21 months and 28 pounds

Wrapping up International Babywearing Week 2016 I've decided to review one of my most favorite wraps ever. The wrap that gives my wrappee the best seat in the house. When I love a wrap so much, and instantly, it feels like a good idea to take my time and see how I feel about it after a couple of months of wearing. This is not usually possible with testers, but I am fortunate with Vespertine.
 

 

When Love Birds Vespertine first arrived back in July I took it out of the tote and it was so soft I couldn't believe it was a loom state wrap. I even wore it once before washing! Oopsie! The other thing that struck me is how lovely and shimmery the wrap is, like a warm liquid metal, this natty just glows! I've often said no one does cotton like Pavo, with their complex weaves, but no one does natty like Pavo either, there is magic woven into the process somehow. Vespertine already reminded me of another classic Pavo natty, Acanthus, and it may just end up ranking right up there with it.

  

Vespertine is thinner in hand than previous Love Birds, such as Socorro. Also for how soft the wrap is, the texture is still very pronounced, grooved and spongy between my fingers. Soapy is a term that took me awhile to figure out when I first started babywearing. This wrap is textbook soapy, the fabric glides easily thru my fingers, never catching and glides nicely against itself too, but it is not slippery. There is very high amount of diagonal stretch, which is a long standing favorite wrap quality of mine. Though Love Birds in general is a denser weave, this version is airier than others. Squeezing the wrap in my hands the airiness and sponginess is evident.

 

 

From the Pavo Customer Appreciation group, "Love Birds is based on a historical document. It is our signature design for Guild, it represents our relationship with the Oriole Mill and the revival of American textile manufacturing through the babywearing community.

Pavo is a bird, Oriole is a bird. We make a Guild." - Erinea Arnason.

The design of Love Birds is classic and timeless. Truly a babywearing textile that you can hand down to your children to wear their children in and it will still look elegant all those years later. The contour binding in the negative space between the birds and other smooth elements of the weave adds a dimension and complexity in the appearance and will translate well to wrapping and wearing experience. Love Birds as a natty takes the design to the next level in my opinion. I was long DISO (desperately in search of) a long Dove Birds, everything about those natty birds looked like perfection to me. Add in SilverSpun™ by the Feel Good Yarn Company and these birds take flight. The shine to me resembles liquid metal, just luxurious and lovely. The drape and how the wrap puddles further looks like liquid metal. This woven wrap will fit in with many style aesthetics because really you can't go wrong with a natty.

 

Love Birds Socorro was the first wrap were double hammock finally clicked for me and was enjoyable and easy, so I had high expectations for Vespertine. I've also been very curious about silver in wraps, I mean what sounds more unicorn like than silver yarn? Best wraps are so subjective. My own favorite wrap qualities are thin in hand, high amount of stretch, soapy, cushy, I also need amazing support for a toddler - in short I don't ask for a lot, haha! Love Birds Vespertine delivers solid 10s on all my favorite wrap qualities. I've used Vespertine in many double hammock and ruck variations as well as FWCC and it is solid in all carries. Wrapping with it is close to effortless, moulds to you and baby perfectly and hugs tightly. Recoil here is also a 10! Pleating and tightening also happens ease. The most important thing for me is how cushy the wrap is. There is zero dig and solid support for my toddler wrappee, but the cush is just unbelievable for me. I am currently dealing with a back injury and this is one of the few wraps that doesn't cause me pain and I can wear for more than 10-20 minutes at a time. How Vespertine moulds to my baby and creates a solid perfect seat that bounces along as we move, is a revelation. I've often had to adjust seats with other wraps as my wrappee is in that leg straightening, seat popping stage, but this wrap is surprisingly a bit of a toddler prison, even though it is thinner than what one would expect a toddler prison wrap to be.

 

 

If you are a Pavo Love Birds fan you will need to add this one to your babywearing bucket list. It's very similar to previous Lovebirds, but Vespertine feels airier yet heavier in a weird way - like wrapping with a cool, dense cloud. So soft, thin in hand, soapy, floppy, mouldable, with great bounce and recoil. If any of that appeals to you, look no further. Love Birds Vesperine is a wrap I would recommend wholeheartedly for a newborn and all the way up to a heavy toddler. Normally a wrap that is as soft as this for new squishes I wouldn't think would be toddler worthy too, but this one really, really is. If you have an issue with pull prone wraps, well, run away. Vespertine in my experience has been very, very pull prone, to the point I can wear no jewelry while wrapping with it, but the weave structure is such that pulls don't stand out too badly and because there are long floats they are relatively easy to fix. Additionally if you like dry, grippy, or blankety wraps, you are going to want to pass as well.

 

 

Thank you so much to Jennifer and Erin at Pavo for letting me experience this epic wrap!

 

Vanamo Wovens Solki Usva Review

Vanamo Solki Usva
55% Merino wool / 45% organic cotton / 231 GSM
1 year and 27 pounds

Liinalapsi - Wearababy wrap shop was founded in 2008 and the owner Niina started making woven wraps under the name Vanamo in 2014. They are based in Finland and the wraps are all lovinglyw made right there. From the Wearababy website, Usva means mist or fog: a light cloud of mist that can sometimes be seen floating over a field early in the morning. I was surprised at how small the package was and how small the wrap folded up for being a wool blend. The bright and saturated purple color contrasts nicely with the white and makes the Solki pattern stand out. The pattern on first look has a very handwoven look and feel. I also noted immediately how soft this wrap is, especially for the high wool content, there is no hint of itchiness here.

Solki Usva is very thin in hand and the weave is airy when you hold it up to the light. The wrap has a very flat feel as you run your hand over, but almost a micro texture is also evident from the weave pattern. Smooth and soapy in hand as well the wrap is also extremely soft and no wool itchiness present. There is a very obvious right side and a wrong side, the wrong side white dominates and more of that micro texture is felt. The diagonal stretch here is medium high, but pulling in other directions the stretch is low.

Vanamo Solki Usva has a classic "old school" woven wrap look and will appeal to those who like a subtle all over pattern where the colors are what stands out and shines. The purple is a clear and bright medium purple and the bright white really compliments it and helps the purple and the pattern stand out, but still not feel dominating.

This wrap is super easy to wrap with. Very thin in hand with lots of drape. Glides beautifully, though some extra care is required to create seats in back carries that do not need further adjustments to maintain. With both double hammock and ruck I needed to be more precise creating my seat, not too loose or overly tight. Since the wrap is so thin and soapy, you just cannot be sloppy for some of the steps. I wore Solki Usva in FWCC, double hammock, and ruck. To have a wool wrap be so thin in hand and light and airy, there will be drawbacks to that and I would recommend this wrap more in a base size and for multilayer carries. In a ruck it can start to feel a bit diggy with heavier babies and toddlers, but that is not unexpected with how thin the wrap is. The thinness translates to more ease with experimentation for bunching or sandwiching passes, you won't have much bulkiness no matter what you do and can adjust a few different ways for comfort and support. 

Because this Solki Usva is easy care and machine washable I recommend it wholeheartedly for newborn and up use, it has the softness for very young babies and will not be overwhelming either as it is so thin and moulds so well. Also measuring the width it's 26", which can work for all size babies, but is especially ideal for smaller babies. For me Solki Usva shines in FWCC and does very well in double hammock, the wool has a good bounce and because of the thinness and airy weave it will do well year round. I wore this on some of the hottest Summer days and it performed very well in the heat, excellent breathability and temperature regulation. If you are wool curious, love thin and soapy wraps this one is for you. If you love grip, want a thicker and more toddler worthy wrap, particularly a shorty for toddlers I would pass on this one. Vanamo has since woven a thicker weave Solki Usva which may be more suitable for toddlers. For a thin and super soft wool wrap though this version of Vanamo Solki Usva cannot be beat.

Thank you so much to Niina at Vanamo for letting me test this lovely wrap and for generously offering it up as a giveaway! The winner from the Instagram and Facebook entries is: askforthesea

Please check out the Vanamo Wovens Chatter group on Facebook here and look for Liinalapsi on Instagram here.