Thursday, November 12, 2009

The touch the feel of cotton, linen and alpaca....

When we were selecting blankets to carry at Beadboard I wanted the following: They had to be beautifully made, unique, washable, and of a quality that would be passed down from one generation to the next. The other criteria was this: They had to be made in a place where it is COLD.

It is cold in Maine. And, in my opinion,Brahms Mount in Hallowell Maine makes the best blankets there or anywhere else in the US. They are unique because they have thick threads and are made on old looms from the 1930's. Much of today's technology can't handle the sheer weight of the thick cotton, linen, and alpaca they use. Besides I didn't want to say our blankets were made in someplace hot like Miami...



Each loom has to be hand set for a different pattern. Shown here is the ticking weave in black and natural.



Above is their 100% linen blanket. Look at the texture.......Don't you just want to wrap up in this??????? They also make linen towels.....




This is a cotton throw with the hand tied knots. It almost has a nautical feel to it.





100% white cotton in the Checkmate pattern. When Claudia Brahms and Noel Mount, the designers and founders of the company, select the weaves and patterns they always hit the mark. This checkmate pattern is also available in the most awesome crib blankets.



My favorite pattern is Starry Nights. We had this throw in the shop as a blanket on a bed in the front of the shop. Snowy white. A gentleman was considering purchasing it and left to ponder.
The next day a customer came in with a "to go" box from the restaurant next door. Evidently she had had capellini with tomato sauce for lunch because as she was looking at something else in the shop the sauce poured out in a stream on the snowy white blanket in a diagonal across the corner. Uh Oh. I saw it after the fact and snatched up the blanket and socked it with Orange Clean and water. I threw it to Robespierre, who prompty hustled home and washed it in cold water in La Blanc Towel wash and stuck it in the dryer. It turned out perfect. And of course the gentleman came back the following day and decided he wanted the blanket. So I confessed and told him I could order him one and spilled the beans about the episode. He was amazed. He asked me "that happened to THIS blanket?" I replied "YUP".
Then he said, " No I want THIS one."



A favorite of the shop the Ribbed in Natural.


No wonder they named this pattern "Starry Nights"......
Sweet Dreams.....
ZZZZZZZZZ..

15 comments:

  1. Those are all to die for... one of those and a good man to snuggle up with would be heaven!

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  2. I just so completely love the rougher, weightier linen...don't know what took me so long to come around to it. The humbleness and beauty of the fabric is incredible. Merci! Trish

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  3. Maryanne,

    I am thrilled that you found me! Thank you for making my day. It is beautiful and sunny here, but a wee bit chilly. Your lovely blankets would be perfect.

    Marjorie

    P.S. The Garden Club of Carmel had their annual estate and garage sale yesterday. The lines were across the parking lot and down the street. You'd have loved it.

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  4. I am mad about your blog. I know what you mean about catching up.

    The minute I sign off here I'm putting you on my favorites list. As you know I'm already a follower.

    I love your taste. Our house is beige on beige on beige albeit difference textures and hues. The walls are covered in fabric in a shade that changes beautifully with the light. I do think we need a few more accent colors. The tiny library is the only room with color, a toile de jouy in red and a small sofa with a Pierre Frey beige background with fleck of red (badly described, but pretty).

    I'll be visiting regularly.

    Thank you for your visit.

    Warmest regards,
    Tish

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  5. Those blankets look oh so cozy! I'd like one of each, I think. And what a funny story about the takeout box disaster!

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  6. Love these cotton throws! I am a believer that the more throws the merrier! Makes a home so cozy!

    Coco
    Cococozy
    http://www.cococozy.com

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  7. I can NEVER have enough throws! These make me want to curl up with a good book! Ahhhhh. --Delores

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  8. I love these blankets...especially the linen one, xv.

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  9. These are so yummy, I would love several of them for the sofas and the bedroom! I love the colors, patterns and the fact that they are not wool - which I am so allergic to. It is really hard to find such beautiful throws that are not wool or chenille!

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  10. Thank you for the lesson about the best blankets! The linen ones are fabulous!

    What a funny story about the take-out food and the gentleman who knew what he wanted!

    OX Mon

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  11. Hello Maryanne, I wanted to meet you before we gather together at Jermaine´s beautiful thanksgiving table setting, we both were invited by sweet Jermaine. It has been a pleasure browsing through your blog and finding so much inspiration.
    Muchos cariños
    María Cecilia.

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  12. Maryanne - We were just in Maine and I showed my husband these blankets in a shop in Rockland. Even he, who really doesn't discriminate in such areas, was impressed! Beautiful photos. Happy Thanksgiving !

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  13. Hi Maryanne,

    It was lovely to discover your blog, via Jermaine's wonderful Thanksgiving dinner.
    You have a lovely blog and I have enjoyed my visit.
    thank you.

    Carolyn

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  14. Good morning Maryanna, thank you so much for your visit today and for your lovely comment.
    I´m so happy I have a new friend!!!
    Muchos cariños
    María Cecilia

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  15. I love that they are natural and made on old looms! Beautiful. Ax

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