Nine Big Cotton Blankets in Advancing Twill

My idea for these blankets was brewing for awhile, so I was happy to receive my order of cotton yarns and dive in. The lengthwise stripes are threaded in diamonds of advancing twill, which creates shadowy and sometimes rather mysterious effects that I really like. These blankets are 100% cotton, hemmed, machine washable and dryable, and lovely to use in the summer.

C343 | 100% cotton | 183 cm x 135 cm (72" x 53") | Sold

C345 | 100% cotton | 188 cm x 133 cm (74" x 52") | Sold

C344 | 100% cotton | 183 cm x 133 cm (72" x 52") | Sold

C346 | 100% cotton | 176 cm x 135 cm (69" x 53") | Sold

C347 | 100% cotton | 190 cm x 135 cm (75" x 53") | Sold

C348 | 100% cotton | 177 cm x 135 cm (69.5" x 53") | Sold

C349 | 100% cotton | 180 cm x 133 cm (71" x 52") | Sold

C350 | 100% cotton | 186 cm x 133 cm (73" x 52") | Sold

C351 | 100% cotton | 169 cm x 133 cm (66.5" x 52") | Sold

Let me know if you're interested in any of these blankets. You can leave a comment below or email me at: cariboojane "at" shaw.ca

New Cotton Blankets for Spring

After a long winter, with February setting a record daily low temperature in my area, signs of spring are most welcome. I've just finished nine cotton blankets in shades of green, blues and yellows. There is also one blanket in bright diamonds and two are in taupes and greys with black, a common request I receive.

Here are the blankets with measurements and price. And where a photo doesn't really reflect the colours well, I added a description. All blankets are machine washable and versatile for year-round use.

C334 | 100% cotton | Light teal, seafoam and light green with narrow white
186 cm x 135 cm (73" x 53") | Sold

C335 | 100% cotton | 178 cm x 135 cm (70" x 53") | Sold

C336 | 100% cotton | Dark green, shamrock and olive with light green stripes
(180 cm x 135 cm (71" x 53") | Sold

C337 | 100% cotton | Four shades of green with bright green stripes
188 cm x 135 cm (74" x 53") | Sold

C338 | 100% cotton | 185 cm x 135 cm (73' x 53") | Sold

C339 | 100% cotton | Navy, royal and bright blue with light blue stripes
186 cm x 135 cm (74" x 53") | Sold

C340 | 100% cotton | Greens with black stripes
185 cm x 135 cm (73" x 53") | Donated to Island Mountain Arts fundraiser

C341 | 100% cotton | Dark grey herringbone with bold borders in black and grey
183 cm x 135 cm (72" x 53") | Sold

C342 | 100% cotton | Fringed | 188 cm x 135 cm (74" x 53") excluding fringes | Sold

Gosh, those were fun to weave!

Big Cotton Blankets in Diamonds and Waves

Cariboo Handwoven cotton blankets have been very popular and they've sold well both in BC and Ottawa. In early January I really wanted to weave more, so I warped up my old loom (which has sufficient heddles on all eight harnesses) with a simple palette of soft colours - cream with pale blue and pale grey for the wide stripes. I found the gentle contrast subtle and calming. I threaded the wide stripes in two twills to create some variety with diamonds and waves.

I aim to weave all my big blankets to have a finished length of six feet (72") or 183 cm, which most of these achieved. These blankets are all 135 cm (53") wide, so the overall size is really generous.

The more I use cotton blankets in my home, the more I love them. They're soft and cozy but never too hot, which wool can be at times. I do love my wool blankets, they're heirlooms to last for decades, and they're the best for really snuggling up. But cotton blankets are more versatile through the seasons, and the machine wash and dry treatment is very easy.

And so here are my latest cotton blankets:

C311 | 100% cotton | 180 cm x 135 cm (71" x 53") | Sold

C312 | 100% cotton | "Sage and Sand" | 180 cm x 135 cm (71" x 53") | Sold

C313 | 100% cotton | 188 cm x 135 cm (74" x 53") | Sold

C314 | 100% cotton | 183 cm x 135 cm (72" x 53") | Sold

C315 | 100% cotton | 180 cm x 135 cm (71" x 53") | Private collection

C316 | 100% cotton | 183 cm x 135 cm (72" x 53") | Sold

C317 | 100% cotton | 180 cm x 135 cm (71" x 53") | Sold

C318 | 100% cotton | 170 cm x 135 cm (67" x 53") | Sold

Love and Gratitude in 2017

This year goes down in my life, and maybe for many others, as one of exceptional love and gratitude. For me it went both ways. I felt and expressed a lot of love and gratitude in 2017 through various personal losses, wildfire evacuations, happier adventures and friendships. And I received a lot of love and gratitude, for which I am very thankful.

For Cariboo Handwoven, 2017 wrapped up with a beautiful comment recently posted in a June blog of cotton blankets. Here it is (beginning with a lovely salutation):

Hello Goddess of the Loom, 

My daughter knew exactly what she wanted to get her brother when he went away to university: a blanket. When we saw your creations at the Immaculata Craft Fair in Ottawa we were sold on the first of the cotton blankets in your blogpost. We bought it.  

When my son opened the box on Christmas morning, he couldn't believe how beautiful the blanket was. He took it with him out to our friend's winter wonderland of a Quebec cottage and we took turns wrapping ourselves in it all day and night.  

I know he will cherish this blanket for many years. It already has a name: couette sans bout. As his dear baby blankie was called couette avec bou, as it was a quilt (couette) with (avec) a little edge seam (bou). This is his blanket (couette) without (sans) the little edge seam (bou), although I tried to tell him that there is a seam.  

Enough of that. I just wanted to let you know that your blanket will bring much comfort to a hardworking and slightly lonely McGill student over the next many many months.

Awfully nice! And this is the blanket:

I've been in touch directly with the commenter, and we've had some fun with emails and photos. She is not only warm and kind, but very appreciative of my work.

Perfect way to end 2017 with love and gratitude - in both directions.

Thank you all.

More Cotton Blankets for Summer

This is the time of year to laze in the shade, enjoy the long days with their early mornings and late evenings, and weave with cotton. After my last batch of eight big cotton blankets, I soon warped the loom for more. They are hemmed, can be machine washed and dried, and are useful in summer - both outdoors and in.

Here are six of the latest cotton blankets:

C303 | 100% cotton | 190 cm x 133 cm (75" x 52") | Sold

C304 | 100% cotton | 217 cm x 135 cm (85" x 53") - extra long | Sold

C305 | 100% cotton | 193 cm x 138 cm (76" x 54.5") | Sold

C306 | 100% cotton | 188 cm x 135 cm (74" x 53") | Sold

C307 | 100% cotton | 192 cm x 135 cm (75.5" x 53") | Sold

C310 | 100% cotton | 155 cm x 135 cm (61" x 53") | Sold

Interested in any?  Just let me know.

New Cotton Blankets for Summer

Eight new cotton blankets are ready to present. These are all large (except for the last one) and meant for lazy summer afternoons and evenings on the hammock or chaise lounge, through the night as light warmth, or year-round for wrapping up in. I love these blankets and so do many owners from what I often hear.

We have five in our household, and I washed them today and dried them on the line.

Sometimes a guest falls in love with one of my blankets and it leaves to a happy owner. That is a huge compliment. However, I can only let mine go that way, no one else's. ;-)

OK, here are the eight. They are all hemmed, and machine wash and dry. They are cozy and soft and last for years.

C295 | 100% cotton | 196 cm x 137 cm (77" x 54") | Sold

C296 | 100% cotton | 183 cm x 137 cm (72" x 54") | Sold

C297 | 100% cotton | 180 cm x 137 cm (71" x 54") | Sold

C298 | 100% cotton | 188 cm x 136 cm (74" x 53.5") | Sold

C299 | 100% cotton | 182 cm x 137 cm (71.5" x 54") | Sold

C300 | 100% cotton | 173 cm x 136 cm (68" x 53.5") | Sold

C301 | 100% cotton | 188 cm x 138 cm (74" x 54") | Sold

C302 | 100% cotton | 132 cm x 132 cm (52" x 52") | Sold

As always, let me know if you're interested in any of these blankets.

Latest Project of Small Cotton Blankets

Cariboo Handwoven's small cotton blankets are intended mostly for babies and children, but they are lovely little lap blankets so they're good for all ages. I totally enjoy making them, particularly if there's a little one in mind who might use it for many years. And my earliest blankets are being passed on to the next generation.

All of these cotton blankets are about 140-145 cm (55"-57") long and 92 cm (36") wide. They machine wash and dry really well. Other than the first one below, all are woven in what I call waffle squares which is very comfortable - not too hot and not too cool. 

Here they are!

CS271 | 100% cotton | Twill pattern | Sold

CS272 | 100% cotton | Private collection

CS273 | 100% cotton | Private collection

CS274 | 100% cotton | Sold

CS275 | 100% cotton | Sold

CS276 | 100% cotton | Sold

CS277 | 100% cotton | Sold

CS278 | 100% cotton | Sold

CS279 | 100% cotton | Sold

Update: Only one left - CS272 near the top. Its colours are blues with plum.