Voronoi Scandium, Tweed Amalia, Silver Ghost – reviews in brief

I have become something I never thought I would be; a bit of a churner when it comes to my stash.

There is a great sense that I’m on limited time for carrying and with so many beautiful wraps out there to be tried, I’m a regular friend of the post lady as packages fly back and forth. In addition I’ve had the joy of hosting wraps here on holiday; this is when someone sends you a wrap that needs breaking in or they just want to share the wrap love. An enjoyable mark of parts of the HE community that this happens.

I’d love to be able to fully review every wrap that has lived here but I don’t have time to do in depth pieces so here are some mini reviews.

London Sling Company – Voronoi Scandium

  
This is the first release from Tahira Faye’s new venture, the London Wrap Company and one that I greatly anticipated as I had seen previews and really loved the subtle colours and design. The company has an ethical approach to production, they use UK textile mills and the wrap is made from 85% organic cotton and 15% ethical cashmere.

The design is a representation of a mathematical formula with abstract intersecting lines forming shapes that remind me of giraffe skin. The colours are a muted mid blue (cotton) and a teal/slate blue grey (cashmere) which gives the wrap a lovely soft texture and slight shimmer. It is a weighty wrap – about 360g m/sq and in part this is down to the super wide rails that Tahira uses to give extra comfort to little legs. It is also down to the very tight weave used which results in a good drape and pleasingly makes it less prone to pulls. Overall it has a medium feel, not beastly in the slightest. Lastly it has my favourite touch, flipped rails, which I’ve only seen on Mokosh wraps. This speaks of a truly reversible wrap, inviting you to have either side out. I wish more wrap companies focused their designs in this way. 

  
Working with VS is a breeze, it’s wrapping qualities give it a bandage-like, soft and supportive result and my size 3 makes it the perfect ruck wrap. The wide rails cause no issues on my narrow shoulders and though I had feared the slightly silky feel would mean it doesn’t grip well I find this isn’t so – it can hold a half knot with ease.

A ruck is my go-to commuting carry and VS does this effortlessly; in fact I learned to ruck better because of VS as I have achieved the highest, neatest and most comfy rucks using it. Impressive. I’d particularly recommend VS for larger babies through to whenever they don’t want to be carried anymore however it’s medium weight feel suits all ages. I have used it with both girls and it’s super comfy on my shoulders. I’ll be watching future LSC releases with great interest.

You can stalk the next release which is in the pipeline here.

Artipoppe Tweed Amalia

I happened to be working at home one day when a most unexpected visitor dropped by in the form of this beautiful and striking Artipoppe Tweed wrap in a size 6. Amalia came visiting unannounced for a few weeks and though I usually feel panicked by unplanned visitors, Amalia was quite relaxed about the state of the house and felt like staying for as long as I felt playing.

  
Amalia has been a surprise in many ways and it’s been a journey of discovery. First of all I have never met the Tweed pattern; a classic in fashion but on this scale it reminds me of McQueen circa 2008; it’s no dowdy suit that’s for sure. It’s further updated through the use of a fresh mint green on white which makes a change from my usual colours. Second, the blend is 37% Egyptian cotton, 30% bio-cotton, 21% linen 12% viscose bamboo; something I have never tried before as I tend to be a wool and silks woman. In hand it felt heavy, thick but still airy and the blend suits it perfectly for spring/summer.

I initially found it beastly and used it with my eldest instead but I had just washed it and it needed a little use to resoften again. The first wrap job felt like velcro and I had to get my husband to help maneuvre  over the second pass for a really shonky double hammock. Once in place the wrap didn’t budge and it supported the weight of my four year old effortlessly. It was wonderful fun and we went for a run around the garden of the cottage we were staying in for a week (the holidaying Amalia holidayed to Scotland). My daughter loved it, whooping with happiness and felt very comfortable – that’s the good thing about older wrappees, you get verbal feedback.

A couple of wears in and it’s beautifully sturdy and supportive but also soft and very gentle on the skin. I’ve been wrapping Smallest in it for the commute and she’s been exceedingly comfy in it too, snuggling right in. I’ll be sad to see Amalia leave.

Mokosh Thistle – Silver Ghost

I had seen the mythical Silver Ghost only pictured as a scarf as it had been offered in a Mokosh competition but never released. I had lusted and dreamt of this wrap and hoped one day a scarf might show up until one day I thought to email Amata and ask if she had any wraps to sell. She did, a 2 and a 6 so, overjoyed, I requested the 2 and it came a couple of weeks later.

I’m guessing SG was never released due to the liability of the silk to shrink slightly on its first wash, which it did, but not a huge amount (10cm). The contraction of the silk warp added a slightly wrinkled texture to the wrap that stretches out when worn.

  
It is a pleasure to wrap with and surprisingly gentle on the shoulders and supportive for such a thin silk blend. My go to carry with a 2 is a ruck tied at the shoulder and it can often be a diggy carry if you don’t get it right. I’ve never had this problem with Silver Ghost and it’s wrapped wonderfully everytime, including rainy and hasty wrap jobs in car parks when, as it’s a 2, the tails have never touched the ground. Hooray. I can ruck Smallest very high with it, the knot is neat and the leftover tails are lustrous. I had feared the silk would make it a very slippy wrap to use but the textured cotton means it holds well. I’m in love with Silver Ghost and so very happy to have a perfect summer size 2 in my stash.