Dahlia Wrap Classique Review

Dahlia Wrap Classique

100% cotton / 260 GSM

1 year and 25 pounds

As a Canadian babywearer I am always excited to test for a Canadian wrap company. It's nice to have more options where you don't have to worry about our dollar conversion and customs costs. Classique is a soft periwinkle blue/violet on ecru with a delicate geometric pattern, much prettier in person than photos convey.

 

In hand Classique is a thinner wrap, not kitten soft, but has a silky feel and with use it should become softer. The weave is medium dense with a feel of moderate grip.

Classique will appeal to lovers of geometrics and soft curving patterns. The colors are also soft and delicate and together look like a well washed and loved pair of faded jeans. There are also some thoughtful details with creative hems and middle marker placement that mean Classique has no "right" or "wrong" side.

I used Classique in FWCC, FWCC tied under bum, double hammock tied at shoulder, and ruck. Classique perfomed well for all carries, but more work is required to get those second passes into place, there is a medium amount of grip and one you have everything in place it's solid and secure. While wrapping there is also a nice amount of stretch with tight recoil, no sag at all. Wraps similarly to Pavo Fable and has a similarity to many Pavos with it's generous width. There is cush here, but not an excess of cush, and for a ruck I would recommend precise wrapping and perhaps a candy cane chest belt to add some support and alleviate pressure from shoulders, especially with a heavier toddler.

Overall Classique shows that Dahlia Wrap knows what they are doing with an all cotton wrap, it is a great all around wrap that I would recommend to new wrappers as well as veteran wrappers. I am always impressed with a good cotton wrap, particularly a thinner one and Dahlia Wrap has impressed me here. Especially impressive is that this is also a budget friendly choice!

Thank you to Dahlia Wrap for the opportunity to test!

Find Dahlia Wrap on Facebook here.

Fiolia Handwovens Vintage Gem Review

Fiolia Handwovens Vintage Gem
Cotton/ lyocell 285 GSM
1 year and 25 pounds

I was immediately impressed with how soft and airy Vintage Gem was when I first opened it up. The colors feel a bit different and unexpected, robin's egg blue and tones of magenta purple with some creamy nudes.

In hand Vintage Gem is silky soft and smooth. The weave is not dense, but loose and airy, overall it is a light feeling wrap, not weighty. The pattern is a herringbone twill pattern, but not a lot of texture as I ran my hand over, very slippery feeling due to the lyocell content.

 
This wrap will appeal to those looking for more unconventional color combos and the extra depth of hand dyed wefts adds a lovely color shift depending on lighting. The lyocell also adds a slight shimmer. The colors work equally well for cooler and warm seasons in my opinion.

I wore this wrap in FWCC, double hammock different variations, and ruck with my 25 pound wrappee. Drapes beautifully and so easy to work with, passes glide with ease. This is a wrap that needs a slightly more precise wrapper, tightening is easy to start, but you have to be careful to maintain tension well as the wrap has a good slip to it. I would have loved to test this one in Summer, I think the light and airy feel would be wonderful then. I preferred to use Vintage Gem in multi pass carries with my wrappee, rucks had tolerable comfort, but I could definitely feel it in my upper back and shoulders for those longer periods of wearing. For me this was already a soft wrap that got softer and floppier with use. The negative side of how airy this wrap is, the loose weave is pull prone, I had some close calls, though no actual pulls while it was in my care.

If you are looking for a quality, well made handwoven wrap that is light and airy and feels thin in hand with low texture and little to no grip, look no further than Vintage Gem. Very nice and neat selvedges and hems, you can tell the weaver has a good eye for details. What impressed me the most about Vintage Gem though was how tight and smooth I was able to get my chest passes with no bulkiness whatsoever, something I can appreciate both in Winter when I am wearing bulky layers already, and in Summer when I do not want a thick wrap. I do not recommend Vintage Gem to wrappers who don’t like lyocell/Tencel and texture lovers can also pass on this one. I recommend Vintage Gem in your base size for the best support and most comfort. I think this would make a lovely squish wrap, the softness and mouldability is really there for a newborn and it will work well as baby gets older.

 
Thank you to Rini at Fiolia Handwovens for allowing me to test the lovely Vintage Gem.

Join the chatter group on Facebook here.

Sling Studio Bracken Blue Lagoon Review

 

Sling Studio Bracken Blue Lagoon
75% cotton/25% linen / 225 GSM
1 year old and 25 pounds / 2 years and 38 pounds


Bracken Blue Lagoon arrived impeccably packaged. Carefully thought out details, such as patterned tape, soft gray tissue paper all work together to provide a high end unboxing process. Opening the box after being impressed with all those little details the wrap itself was breathtaking. So soft and shimmery and luxe. The weave appears tight and fairly flat, but the pattern provides texture that I imagine will translate to grip, and holding the wrap up to the light there is an airiness apparent. The Blue Lagoon colorway is a bright and cheerful turquoise that looks especially lovely with the shimmery silver gray warp. I am pleased with the tote bag, simply one of the best totes to accompany a wrap, large and roomy to carry all your essentials and a few wraps as well. I also noted a sticker in the box that 5% of proceeds are donated to Tommy's, a charity that funds research into pregnancy problems. I really admire wrap companies that give back.

 

"wrong" side

The softest, silkiest linen I've ever experienced. Bracken Blue Lagoon arrived finished and floppy, no need to break in at all. It got better after a wash and with use of course. There is a medium to high amount of stretch when pulling diagonally. The silver gray dominant "right" side is a touch smoother and has a feel that should enhance glide. The "wrong" side has a more textured look and feel. The turquoise color is not so saturated, but adds more to the look of texture and gives a feel that signifies grip.

The design named for moorland ferns and underbrush also makes me think of frost patterns as well. Just exquisite and perfect as anything inspired by nature often is. The colors and design of Bracken Blue Lagoon will have wide appeal, but I can especially see babywearers who have a classic style with a hint of edge gravitating towards this one. Lovers of luxurious textiles should also take note, the feel is absolutely high end and quality. For me the colors and wrap design, well just looking at it makes me smile. The overall effect of color, texture, and design is beautiful and luxurious feeling.

I primarily wore Bracken Blue Lagoon with my younger main wrappee, but the obvious strength of the linen got me curious on how the wrap would fare with my heavy toddler. I wore him in a ruck of all things and the strength and support was definitely there. I don't wear my toddler for longer than half an hour usually, that's all he has the patience for, but a lovely bounce and cush was evident. For a wrap so light and thin in hand being toddler worthy in a ruck is quite the feat! With my main wrappee we put this one thru the paces of FWCC, double hammock many variations, shepherd's, kangaroo, and ruck. Moulds well and cocooned my baby perfectly. There is an amazing glide to grip ratio. A silky like slip makes second passes glide into place easily and just the right amount of grip to hold those passes and knots in place. The knots that tighten easily and hold are also small and neat. Wearing this wrap I was constantly surprised and astounded that it's a linen blend. When I think of linen I think crisp and needs to be broken in. Sling Studio "lazy linen" is so silky soft and fluffy with the combined cotton and just easy right from the start. I wore Bracken Blue Lagoon for long periods of time with my 25 pound wrappee and the bounce and cush kept me and my shoulders comfortable and happy for our 2 hour plus wear sessions. No adjustments needed either while wearing.

Sling Studio has fully converted me into a linen lover with this wrap. Linen wasn't something I ever actively sought out, it's not a fibre I felt I needed or wanted. How wrong I was! Sling Studio linen is simply lovely, exceptionally soft and silky feeling, while strong and supportive. Bracken Blue Lagoon is for everyone, new and experienced wrappers alike and will perform beautifully from newborn to toddler. Kitten belly soft for new babies, with the strength of linen for toddlers. I also recommend Bracken Blue Lagoon in all lengths, there's great strength and low to medium grip for a shorty, and it's light and airy for base sizes. If you are a lover of very thick and blankety wraps, or are looking for high grip and texture, you will want to pass. If you want minimal stretch, again pass. If you are looking for soft, light, and airy look no further. This is the wrap for you if you want linen, lower GSM, and luxury. This wrap is also for you if you want easy care, the linen is easy to launder and doesn't require an iron to function well and look good, plus with the fairly flat weave Bracken Blue Lagoon isn't pull prone. For me Sling Studio Bracken Blue Lagoon is a joy to wrap with and wear.

 

Thank you to Alicia for allowing me to test this exquisite textile!

*Sling Studio provided this wrap to me for review, but my feelings and thoughts on it are my own.*