Blankets, Especially the Wool Variety

[Mazderati]

Put your walker to the side, take off your velcro shoes, and tell me about the best blankets you own. Wool, in particular. I'm talking cozy. I'm talking thick(ish), soft, and machine washable. Something not made in a sweatshop. Or, if it is, a sweatshop in the first world. I guess Pendleton is the default but is there something better? Faribault Mill has some nice looking stuff. Fells Andes, too, but they're stock is sparse. Something from SA or the antipodes?

[singlecross]

LL Bean… Ayuh, Bub.

https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/123275?page=washable-wool-blanket-plaid-twin&csp=a&feat=85373-recsbottom.pdp&ri=rbpIFI2&pos=2

[idahospud]

We used to live near a Pendleton outlet and would fairly regularly drive through Pendleton proper, so that gets my vote. Come the revolution, it'll be the Pendleton collection that gets us thrown up against the wall.

As far as machine washable, not sure about that. We tend to just rotate through whichever most desperately needs a trip to the dry cleaner.

Once you get locked into a serious wool blanket collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can.

LL Bean… Ayuh, Bub.

"Exclusively woven for us by legendary Pendleton Woolen Mills"

[Soups]

I have a nearly 80 year old "Orrlaskan" hudson bay blanket made by the Orr Felt and Blanket Company in Piqua, Ohio. Found it in my grandmas attic in a cedar chest when we were cleaning it out after she died. My parents think it was a wedding gift, it was brand new. Just folded up and stuck in the chest for 70 years.

Its amazing, would never machine wash it though.

[ötzi]

That's pretty cool^^

[dunfree]

I inherited a Hudson’s Bay point blanket bought from the HBC, which is I think the default, and thebay (what Hudson Bay company rebranded into) sells them still, claims they are woven in England. Not cheap or machine washable. Don’t know if they ship to the us

warm, but heavy.

That Orrlaskan is cool

[PB]

Yeah ...... machine wash wool?????? Take some 10th level Jedi shit to pull that off.

[Danno]

This has to be a question for KQ.

[ötzi]

I inherited a Hudson’s Bay point blanket bought from the HBC, which is I think the default, and thebay (what Hudson Bay company rebranded into) sells them still, claims they are woven in England. Not cheap or machine washable. Don’t know if they ship to the us

Johnson woolen mills in Vermont carries those blankets from England but say they're out of stock and don't know when they'll have them back. https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/produ...oint-blankets/

[evdog]

I've got an old wool blanket that I got from the boy scout store when I was a kid. Pretty warm though getting a little thin. I've washed it many times with no issue.

Quick search - mine is gray, no logo. Otherwise looks the same. https://www.scoutshop.org/bsa-green-...et-656813.html

[neufox47]

We own two pendletons but 90% of the time I go for a relatively cheap fleece blanket that is 20x softer than wool blankets.


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[highangle]

I'm not a wool expert, but a buddy owns one of the more respectable woolen mills in Ireland and I crash on his couch whenever I'm busking there.

Wool is hair, protein, not cellulose plant material or a polymer, so you can wash most wool yourself to the benefit of almost everyone. Gotta be careful with detergents though, as a lot contain Subtilisin and other enzymes made to dissolve protein-based stains, which also dissolve wool proteins.

Preface "smartlabel" to a search of your detergent's brand name should give you all the ingredients and what they're there for, in layman's terms. Be leery of enzymes in general, but protein enzymes in particular. PH too high like borax isn't good either, nor is low PH like vinegar. You can look for a Woolmark symbol on liquid detergent bottles, or go to their site and some of the laundry and hand wash detergents they certify for wool are economy brands, which is nice.

You can also use shampoo to wash wool, and conditioner to soften and scent wool. Conditioner will also de-shrink wool, and make it relax and tend to stretch if you have something a size too small, or that got accidentally shrunk in a hot dryer.

Wool hates being hung up, and vacuum bags. Store folded loose, with sachets, in a cedar chest if you can. If you can't, a bay leaf in the pocket of your Pendelton shirt or a couple in your Hudson Bay blanket should keep the musty away over summer. Be careful of flower sachets, as some have a lot of sap and essential oils which might leech into your wool and stain.

[schuss]

My dad wanted one to replicate some stuff he had when he was a kid that he loved - we ended up getting him one from here and he loves it: https://www.faribaultmill.com/
Spendy though.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Last time we were in the Pendleton store in Pendleton they had bolts of their flannel wool for a really good price. They had undyed and patterned. Pieces large enough to make a few blankets or even several shirt jacks or Mackinaws.


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[Meadow Skipper]

Again, not inexpensive, but I have an alpaca throw blanket that is my first choice over my Pendleton. It’s really nice, warm, light, and soft - outstanding texture. Highly recommended.

No harder to clean than wool.

[PB]

I'm not a wool expert, but a buddy owns one of the more respectable woolen mills in Ireland and I crash on his couch whenever I'm busking there.

Wool is hair, protein, not cellulose plant material or a polymer, so you can wash most wool yourself to the benefit of almost everyone. Gotta be careful with detergents though, as a lot contain Subtilisin and other enzymes made to dissolve protein-based stains, which also dissolve wool proteins.

Preface "smartlabel" to a search of your detergent's brand name should give you all the ingredients and what they're there for, in layman's terms. Be leery of enzymes in general, but protein enzymes in particular. PH too high like borax isn't good either, nor is low PH like vinegar. You can look for a Woolmark symbol on liquid detergent bottles, or go to their site and some of the laundry and hand wash detergents they certify for wool are economy brands, which is nice.

You can also use shampoo to wash wool, and conditioner to soften and scent wool. Conditioner will also de-shrink wool, and make it relax and tend to stretch if you have something a size too small, or that got accidentally shrunk in a hot dryer.

Wool hates being hung up, and vacuum bags. Store folded loose, with sachets, in a cedar chest if you can. If you can't, a bay leaf in the pocket of your Pendelton shirt or a couple in your Hudson Bay blanket should keep the musty away over summer. Be careful of flower sachets, as some have a lot of sap and essential oils which might leech into your wool and stain.

Excellent info; thank you Obi-wan!

[BCMtnHound]

Again, not inexpensive, but I have an alpaca throw blanket that is my first choice over my Pendleton. It’s really nice, warm, light, and soft - outstanding texture. Highly recommended.

No harder to clean than wool.

I brought back a few alpaca-based blankets from Venezuela many moons ago. They are the nicest blankets I have.

[dunfree]

Johnson woolen mills in Vermont carries those blankets from England but say they're out of stock and don't know when they'll have them back. https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/produ...oint-blankets/

yeah none of the us places that sold them do now, no idea why. I guess they relaunched it in Canada or something
https://www.thebay.com/product/hbc-stripes-multistripe-point-blanket-0600001019439.html
the detail that’s notable

• Woven in original wool mill in England since 1800

turns out there are two here, made decades apart, only difference is the label.

[Mazderati]

Is there history on the HBC and Orrlaskan striped colorway?


Here is a shot of two 100% wool shirts. Left is a TNF mid/heavy-weight circa 2009. Super soft. Some type of jersey knit? Machine washed and dried a bunch and still looks like it does. One of my favorite shirts. Right is an Icebreaker or Ibex.; the screen-printed tag is nearly gone. Lightweight. Not as much washing and drying and has more pilling. This one is like a tissue weight. A blanket in the TNF material would be really nice.




Some felting is fine and likely inevitable over time but I prefer the cleaner look of less. Faribault Lakefront.

[TBS]

Last time we were in the Pendleton store in Pendleton they had bolts of their flannel wool for a really good price. They had undyed and patterned. Pieces large enough to make a few blankets or even several shirt jacks or Mackinaws.

Pendleton weaves the huge bolts in OR/WA then sends them to Mexico for sewing into final product.
At least they are paying royalties to tribes for their designs now.

Again, not inexpensive, but I have an alpaca throw blanket that is my first choice over my Pendleton. It’s really nice, warm, light, and soft - outstanding texture. Highly recommended.

No harder to clean than wool.

Dine’ & Zuni weavers do a decent job as well…

For the mass market in addition to Pendleton, you might look at Filson and Woolrich. Ms TBS has a 90s era Woolrich blanket coat that she loves for warmth and style

[TurxSki]

I've got an old wool blanket that I got from the boy scout store when I was a kid. Pretty warm though getting a little thin. I've washed it many times with no issue.

Quick search - mine is gray, no logo. Otherwise looks the same. https://www.scoutshop.org/bsa-green-...et-656813.html

In that link, they use term "wool blanket" a lot...but the blanky is 70% poly, 30% wool...[emoji53]

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[J. Barron DeJong]

Is there history on the HBC and Orrlaskan striped colorway?

Yes. That color way goes way back with HBC:

https://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/fa...-point-blanket

Pendleton currently licenses it from HBC.

[snoboy]

Recently had to buy a nice blanket. Lots of options on Amazon etc, but many mixed reviews. Ended up here:

MacAusland's Woollen Mills

Really nice, thick, soft blanket. Haven't washed it yet, but I don't see that it will be any problem. Would buy again.

[evdog]

In that link, they use term "wool blanket" a lot...but the blanky is 70% poly, 30% wool...[emoji53]

Ha, I didn't scroll down. Shouldn't be surprised it's not all wool I guess. Also can't see where it's made.

[Cisco Kid]

The Pendleton 4 Point we have on our queen bed has served us well for 45 years. Stored under the bed in summer and dry cleaned every few years it'll last a few lifetimes. Nothing is warmer than wool IMHO.