Vintage wool blankets - care, restoration and uses
Sourcing
VINTAGE: Keep an eye out in op shops, Gumtree, eBay etc. These blankets are great finds, incredible value for money, and with a little care, are durable and useful. They were once common in all households, a traditional wedding gift and family heirlooms. The comfort of vintage blankets resonates with all of us who grew up with them, or we have fond memories of them in our grandparent's home. I have some of my grandparent's blankets that I absolutely treasure.
NEW: Waverley Mills in Tasmania makes recycled wool throws and blankets as well as new.
Care and Restoration
Wash your wool blanket on a wool cycle with Olive Laundry Liquid for Wool & Silk and dissolve ½ teaspoonful of Wool Care in approx. 30-40ml of hot water and pour the solution into the fabric softener compartment of the washing machine. Dry outside on a fine day.
Organic olive oil is a superb mild and effective soap that restores the protective hydrolipidic film of wool and Wool Care restores the natural lanolin in wool, making the blanket, or garment, beautifully soft.
Also available is Olive Laundry Liquid for Wool & Silk sensitive. For the sensitive range we have not used organic essential oils for their aroma, so the products are fragrance free for babies, children, allergy sufferers and sensitive souls.
Uses for your restored vintage blanket:
- As a throw to keep you cosy on the couch.
- Couch cover.
- Under your bottom sheet and over your mattress. Wool is an insulator and will keep you warmer, under as well as over.
- At the end of beds, to pull up on a cold winter's night.
- Should you and your bed buddy have different night time thermostats then a wool blanket folded in half longways is perfect for the person that feels the cold.
- Keep one in your car.
Wool blanket benefits:
- Wool is flame resistant, durable, breathable and compostable.
- In cold temperatures, wool removes (wicks) moisture from the skin whilst at the same time its insulating qualities trap dry air and warmth.
- In warm temperatures, wool’s breathable qualities draws in air which removes excess heat and moisture from the body, helping the wearer stay cool.
- Wool is naturally water-resistant, repelling moisture vapour through its fibres and making it resistant to rot, mould and mildew.
- Dries quickly after washing.
- Naturally anti-allergenic, because it doesn’t collect static which attracts dust and dirt. Those with allergies to dust mites find wool a good choice for this reason.
Moth prevention:
- Drop essential oils of lavender, clove (sparingly), rosemary and thyme on a cotton ball in your linen cupboard as a moth repellent.
- Alternatively, in Shannon Lush Pest Solutions, she recommends a bowl of cedar wood chips in the linen cupboard to keep moths away.
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