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From the Pavo Customer Appreciation group, "Love Birds is based on a historical document.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.

Omnifera Wings of Desire Sandalphon Review

Omnifera Wings of Desire Sandalphon
78% Pima cotton/14% Mulberry silk/8% baby camel / 300 GSM pre wash
1 year and 26 pounds

*Note tested and photographed in March 2016.

Wings of Desire is a weighty wrap and upon arrival I could feel that and that there is also very low texture and a smooth dense feel. The name made me smile as I am a long time fan of the Wim Wenders film of the same name. Wings of Desire Sandalphon on first feel is a high quality, luxurious blend.

Back to the low texture, running my hand over the wrap I didn't anticipate much if any grip while wrapping. There is a low amount of diagonal stretch. Wings of Desire is medium thickness and dense, but holding it up to the sun it shows as less dense and there is a floppiness to the wrap as well, which I felt would translate to easier wrapping.

Wings of Desire Sandalphon will appeal to those who dig retro colors and vibes. The brown is a cool toned milk chocolate and paired with creamy ecru the other vibe here is classy. The wing pattern dominates the wrap, but because of the colors it doesn't look busy or overwhelming.

I wore the wrap with my 1 year old main wrappee in double hammock with a CCCB, ruck tied Tibetan knotless, and FWCC. The low texture translated to almost no grip while wrapping. It's really easy to tighten, but extra care is needed to maintain tension. I did have to adjust my carry a few times, in ruck especially and double hammock. Wings of Desire has no itchiness from the baby camel content, I have previously tried Artipoppe baby camel blends and this is very comparable. Because the wrap is floppy and moulds very well it feels less like a heavyweight, but the width of the wrap keeps me from wholeheartedly recommending to newborn wearers. This wrap will shine as a shorty for toddlers, the cush and support is there, and if you did a carry like ruck or ruck tied under bum and it was very tight you wouldn't have to readjust and could wear for extended periods of time because of how cushy and supportive Wings of Desire is. If you are looking for easy care, or a grippy wrap, this one isn't for you. If you enjoy luxury blends and need a lot of cush for your shoulders this wrap performs well and with a toddler in single pass carry you will be able to carry for extended periods comfortably. We enjoyed our time with the wrap, cushy and bouncy, and full of sleepy dust.

Please check out the Omnifera Facebook chatter group here.

Kokoskaa Delano Manhatten Review

Kokoskaa Delano Manhatten
55% cotton / 45% Tencel / 280 GSM post-wash
1 year and 26 pounds

*Note tested and photographed in early April 2016.

When Delano first arrived I was immediately taken with the high contrast graphic design and how soft in hand the wrap felt. The cool toned grays mixed with the bold white were true to the photos I had seen of the wrap and even more depth to the pattern in person.

I could definitely tell Delano is a Tencel blend from the softness and the feel of slip in hand. I didn't anticipate a lot of grip, though I could feel texture in the pattern. Slightly more textured feel on the "right" side versus the "wrong" side. Pulling the wrap diagonally there is a good amount of stretch, medium to high.

The Art Deco inspired design is bold and detailed and will appeal to those who like sharp and complex geometric shapes and designs. This wrap is also for the monochrome lovers. If you have more vintage or ornate style leanings Delano will fit right in, but it can also be the standout if your fashion choices are more minimalist.

I will admit Tencel had so far never won me over in wrap form, but this blend really impressed me. With Tencel in particular I am worried about a wrap being too slippery and saggy, not the case here with Delano. This is an amazing double hammock wrap, slippy from the Tencel, but there is a nice bit of low grip from the texture, so you have excellent glide, but your wrap job stays rock solid with no adjustments needed. Chest passes are so easy to get super snug and it's very cushy on the shoulders. Snuggly soft and floppy, there is a bit of a fuzzy feeling and I would suspect it might be a bit pull prone because of the Tencel content, but I didn't experience any pulls or issues with using the wrap over a 2 week period.

The highest praise from me is saying I could see adding a wrap to my stash and I can definitely see Delano fitting into my stash. That is also saying a lot because I am not a Tencel lover, but this is a really special Tencel blend. I am a double hammock lover and Delano shines in a double hammock. My size recommendation would be base size for double hammocks, because Delano rocks a DH. If you love snuggly soft and floppy wraps that are very mouldable this one is for you. If you are looking for a lot of grip and a thicker solid wrap, you will want to pass. I would recommend this wrap from newborn to younger toddlers. The wrap handled my 26 pound wrappee and was very comfortable with a lot of cush. Delano is unreleased and I will be watching for release information on this one.

Thank you to Monika at Kokoskaa for allowing me to test this wonderful wrap.

Check out Kokoskaa's chatter group on Facebook here.

Moth and Moon Fibreworks Fickle Nature of Faeries Review

Moth and Moon Fibreworks Fickle Nature of Faeries

50% Egyptian cotton/50% cotton / 5.2 metres

1 year and 25 pounds

*Note tested and photographed in February 2016.

Upon opening the package I was immediately taken with the rich colors, more vibrant and bold than I was expecting from photos I had seen of the wrap. My eye is drawn to the magentas, purples, deep reds, flowing into marine blues, but the colors of the deep forest are well represented with earthy greens evoking bracken and moss, and clay browns with the chocolate weft woven thru. Fickle Fae arrived with a red cedar wood chip engraved in detail with the Moth and Moon Fibreworks logo. I appreciated this additional token with the scent of the forest and the power to transport one to the magic of a woodland scene with one sniff.

The texture of the wrap feels lush and fairly smooth running my hands over it, but the look of broken point tabby twill conveys there will be some grip while wrapping and provides an extra depth of beauty with the rich colors.

If ever there was a wrap for an earth mama this is it. If you dream of homesteading on the edge of the woods, tramping through the underbrush, carrying your little one and searching for mushrooms and berries, this is the wrap for you. For those that appreciate the work and effort that goes into creating handwoven wraps there is plenty to appreciate here. You can tell Fickle Fae was woven with love and great care to details. I found no irregularities, but neat and beautiful weaving.

In hand Fickle Fae is weighty and substantial. While wrapping it is smooth and glidey, passes move and tighten easily, and chest passes hug close. There is grip evident in how passes and carries are held tightly as you are working to wrap, and lock snugly into place. The standout quality of this wrap for me was the cush. I wore my little in FWCC, double hammock, and ruck for long periods of time and it was so cushy and comfortable on my shoulders, even after a few hours. There is an airiness in the weave, tho it was one of the heavier handwoven wraps I've used, so I suspect Fickle Fae would perform well in warmer weather, but for me it was a perfectly lovely cooler weather wrap, cozy and soft.

Lovers of handwoven wraps would do well to take note of the weaver behind Moth and Moon Fibreworks, Brianna Getz, her love of the craft and skill shines in Fickle Fae. I recommend this wrap from newborn to toddlerhood. There is softness for newborns, but it's a real standout for heavier babies and toddlers with how cushy and supportive it is.

Thank you Brianna for the opportunity to test this beautiful and well made wrap!

Website: https://www.mothandmoon.ca

Chatter group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/680534515381967/

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.