Recently, we talked about what the creel is. Today, we’re going to talk about what happens next in a fiber’s journey to becoming a textile.
From the creel, the 600 combs are all hand fed to 600 individual reeds in the warper. The warper is responsible for the vertical fiber in the textile: the warp (the horizontal fiber is called the weft).
Below, you’ll see the Brahms Mount warper in the foreground and the creel in the background:
Warper and creel
Once all of the yarn from the creel has been fed into the warper, it gets to work. Watch below as Arthur explains how the warper puts all of these fibers on to the racks.
Linen and cotton, both natural vegetable fibers, make great materials for blankets and throws. Both fibers are absorbent, durable and become softer with use. Even with all of their similarities, there are some significant differences between the two fibers that may help you choose the right fabric for you.
Cotton
Harvested from cotton plants, the cotton fiber tends to wrinkle less than linen. Known for being softer and warmer, cotton holds its elasticity wash after wash. Cotton blankets also tend to feel more substantial.
From the flax plant, linen is typically a little smoother than cotton. An incredibly strong fiber, linen feels cooler than many other fabrics. It also weighs less and has more texture.
At Brahms Mount, our blankets start off as yarn on a spool (what we call combs) – pictured below. All of our material comes this way, from cotton to linen to blends. So how do we take this raw material and make blankets and throws from it?
Comb of yarn
Our process starts with the creel (below), which holds all of the combs for any given textile. Our creel holds up to 600 combs, from where we pull (by hand) the individual 600 pieces of thread through a specific groove to the warper: the next step in the process.
Creel
Watch below as Arthur explains exactly how the creel works at our mill:
Congratulations! You’re the proud new owner of a Brahms Mount blanket. Whether cotton or linen or a blend of both, you’ll love how easy it is to care for your new throw.
Cotton Blankets and Throws
Washing
A front loading machine is ideal to give plenty of room for circulation.
Wash on a short, gentle cycle on low heat, with as much water as possible to allow for movement.
Avoid harsh detergents. Use a liquid detergent without bleach or brighteners. Always pre-dilute your detergent.
Drying
Careful drying is very important.
Tumble dry on delicate setting, medium to high heat.
Tumbling helps keep a soft drape. It’s best not to line dry.
It’s better to remove the blanket slightly damp from the dryer; that way, you’ll avoid baking and breaking the fibers.
Linen Blankets and Throws
Washing
A front loading machine is ideal to give plenty of room for circulation.
Wash on a short, gentle cycle on low heat, with as much water as possible to allow for movement.
Avoid harsh detergents. Use a liquid detergent without bleach or brighteners. Always pre-dilute your detergent.
Drying
Careful drying is very important.
Tumble dry on delicate setting. With linen, use low or no heat; with linen/cotton, use medium heat.
Linen will become brittle if it’s dried at a high temperature or for an extended period. Whenever the fabric rubs on itself in a “dry” condition, it will abrade and show fiber on the surface.
Tumbling helps keep a soft drape. You can line dry, but the fabric will initially be very stiff.
It’s better to remove the blanket slightly damp from the dryer; that way, you’ll avoid baking and breaking the fibers.
Whether you’re heading to a baby shower this summer or have a little one on the way yourself, baby blankets are the perfect gift for every bundle of joy. Brahms Mount has 4 beautiful blanket designs, all in 100% cotton – for a fabric as soft as your baby’s skin.
The Checkmate blanket is 100% cotton that comes in a beautiful checker pattern with 1″ blocks on a white background. A standard size (36″ x 46″), the color will neither bleed nor fade in the wash.
The Checkmate blanket is available is five unique colors, including: pale blue (shown), lemon, pale pink, white, and natural/white.
The Hopscotch blanket is 100% cotton in a rainbow pastel checker pattern of 1″ blocks on a white background. Available in standard crib size (36″ x 46″), the colors will neither bleed nor fade in the wash.
Starry Nights on White, a 100% cotton blanket, is a flat weave with the vintage texture of a hand embroidered needlework piece on a white background.
Sized in a standard crib (36″ x 46″), the Starry Nights blanket’s color will neither bleed nor fade in the wash. Available in pale blue, mint, pale pink, white, and yellow (shown), you’ll be able to find the perfect color for the special baby girl or boy in your life.
You’ve probably heard of linen, but do you know why it’s one of the best fibers for both clothing and bedding? Sit back and relax as we run down the top 6 reasons why linen is such a great fabric.
1. Environmentally friendly
Made out of flax, linen is a replaceable resource that has little impact on water quality compared with all other fibers.
2. Healing abilities
Known to help with everything from anti-stress to better sleep to even reducing “itis” conditions (like arthritis and dermatitis), linen has been known to be one of the best fibers for healing.
3. Natural insulator
Cool in the summer and warm in the winter, linen fibers are maintained by the air. It reacts to the season and the body in contact with the cloth to give the best of all circumstances.
4. Repels insects
Remember what the mummies were wrapped in? That wasn’t toilet paper, it was linen. The ancient Egyptians used linen because of its ability to help repel microorganisms and insects.
5. Resistent fiber
Linen is a long lasting fiber, with the ability to keep its shape and resist becoming fluffy like other fibers. The more it’s washed, the more beautiful and supple it becomes.
6. Strength
Linen is one of the strongest fibers. Not only does it help clothing and bedding last longer, it’s even used in paper money to increase strength.
I live in a very drafty apartment in a 60′s high rise; it gets really cold in the winter. (I know, I know, it’s not as cold as Maine, still….) I was seriously considering moving and giving up my fabulous treetop view, but now I don’t have to.
This (Lambswool) blanket is worth every penny. It keeps me toasty warm and the hand of it is just remarkable. Absolute luxury. And practicality.
Brahms Mount is excited to announce our new line of organic soaps. Made in Maine, these soaps feature a combination of olive, palm and coconut oils mixed with pure rain water to produce an exceptional, rich lather.
These beautiful handmade soaps are a wonderful addition to the Brahms Mount product line and compliments what our brand stands for. These soaps come in two packages of four bars each, each with different scents. One box includes:
Rose Petal (French red clay; rose petals; rosewood, orange, and cedarwood essential oils)
Looking toward the future, Brahms Mount will endeavor to build our line with complimentary accessories that will enhance your lifestyle. For purchasing information, visit our website: www.brahmsmount.com.
A new year, a new blog writer (hello!), and some lovely new additions to the Brahms Mount Day Blanket Collection – the weather in Maine during this time of year may not be anything to get excited about, but there are plenty of things at Brahms Mount keeping our spirits high right now.
The Brahms Mount Day Blankets are 50” x 80” throws made from a 50/50 blend of our linen and cotton fibers. They are perfect for keeping you warm around the house, picnicking in the summertime, and make great alternatives to yoga and exercise mats – pretty much any use you can think of, these blankets will accommodate.
The new additions to the Day Blankets are named Solara, Desert Dusk, Blue Note, Verdura, and Ombre, and incorporate a new, rich palette of colors. The Solara is comprised of plum, claret, autumn, and Breton red; Desert Dusk of blaze, suede, melon, almond, and ecru; Blue Note of bluebird, cranberry, blue, Caribbean, and yellow; Verdura of apple, spring green, brown, ecru, and white; and Ombre of melon, almond, and ecru.
The Solara being set onto the warp
As the “new girl,” this is the first new installment I have personally witnessed come out at Brahms Mount. Naturally, I was curious about the story behind these new Day Blankets, so I bent our designer’s, Claudia Brahms’, ear about it. Here’s some of what she had to say:
HF: “What was the inspiration for this particular palette of colors?”
CB: “The Day Blanket Collection is a great opportunity to be inspired by all colors. Each Day Blanket has to be a vignette, a story.
“The Solara is a direct inspiration from a beautiful silk scarf that had brilliant colors blending into each other. What I saw was a blaze of color in stripes that lead into each other.
“But each inspiration is different, and there’s room for many colors in this collection. That is the base theme…each [Day Blanket] is a palette upon which to paint a different story on.”
HF: “How have your designing choices evolved over the years? Do you see a particular movement through the Day Blanket Collection specifically, or the Brahms Mount Blankets as a whole?”
CB: “Much can be said with few words. I have a very consistent appreciation of the understated, though creating magic within that criteria is always a challenge. There are the fabrics that have lasting value. Trend is important, imparted discreetly it can look familiar and natural. Applied heavily, and the fashion becomes shorter lived. We need to be clever at riding the edge.
“The Day Blanket Collection is evolving. I see it as a perpetual opportunity to introduce our new colors.”
HF: Honest truth – do you have a favorite of the new Day Blanket designs?”
CB: “The next one!!!
“If I have one that’s a favorite, I’m in trouble! They all have to be outstanding.
“It’s important that I design looking forward. Otherwise I will get stuck in the past. It’s like playing tennis. You hit the ball…and if you spend too much time staring at its good form, you will not see the return ball as it hits you in the face.” Desert Dusk, Blue Note, Verdura, and Ombre will be available early this year, no later than February, so make sure to keep checking our website. It’s the perfect time to curl up against the cold with a favorite book – or, as Claudia mentioned, you can sit back and listen quietly to the blanket’s very own story.
It’s finally summer here in Maine. We’ve had a few days of rainy weather, but today we have blue skies, bright sun, and a warm breeze rich with the scent of the roses in our garden. From our front porch, I can see the Kennebec River flowing sluggishly through town.
The change in weather has driven me to change all the bedding in my freshly-painted bedroom. Gone is my merino lambswool blanket; out comes the crisp cotton and lighter blankets.
White Starry Nights Blanket
To me, nothing quite says summer like a bright white blanket. There’s just something about the way the white gleams in the sunlight and makes you feel cool even in Maine’s humid heat. White blankets can make any room feel like a beach house retreat or a cottage by the lake.
White Chevron Blanket
Here at Brahms Mount, we make five unique blankets in pure white cotton, and each one is a wonderful treat, no matter what the season. All of our cotton blankets are made from cotton grown in North America. Our white cotton is dyed using the least environmentally damaging whitener for natural fibers.
White Rib Blanket
Whether you’re looking for something casual or something with a touch of elegance, chances are there’s a white cotton blanket for you.If you like a touch of color in your blanket, check out our colored Herringbone blankets on a white background. We’ve introduced three new fun colors this summer: Oyster, Almond, and Misty Blue!
