What is a carthen?
Welsh blanket, ‘carthen’, made by Lewis Jones, Lampeter, 1926. Welsh blankets are famous for their colourful, geometric designs.
What are Welsh blankets called?
Carthen (Carthenni as a plural) is the Welsh word for traditional Welsh blankets. These iconic Welsh tapestry blankets were historically woven on narrow looms but subsequently wider looms in traditional double weave patterns and colours. They are blankets made with several coloured to produce a check design.
What makes a Welsh blanket?
Welsh Tapestry is the term applied to double cloth woven blankets, producing a pattern on both sides that is reversible and is the icon of the Welsh woollen industry.
How are Welsh blankets woven?
And since Welsh blankets are so important to a family’s ancestry, they’re still often given as wedding gifts in modern times. A traditional Welsh blankets woven on a large loom using hand-dyed wool and is a double weave, which means they’re reversible.
Why are Welsh blankets so expensive?
Throughout history, they have sustained and continued to create the fabric that makes these priceless items. At points throughout history, the woollen industry has been instrumental for the country’s economy. Welsh woollen products have a constant demand due to their known quality and aesthetically pleasing nature.
How do you wash a Welsh wool blanket?
When you do occaisionally need to give them a wash, they can go in the washing machine on a COLD, delicate or handwash cycle. Use a delicate wool wash such as ecover or bioD, and conditioner if you feel the need to.
How do you wash a Welsh blanket?
How are Welsh tapestry blankets made?
The tapestry quilt is essentially a double cloth fabric, which is created by two cloths being woven on top of each other, creating the ultimate double-sided design (two blankets for the price of one!).
How do you care for a Welsh blanket?
How do you wash Melin Tregwynt?
The fabric should be immersed in cool water and agitated for no longer than a couple of minutes. Leaving the blanket in even cool water for any length of time will felt and shrink the fabric. For contract use you can also wash them on a max 30deg machine wool wash, with short spin, cool tumble dry or line flat dry.
Can you wash a Welsh wool blanket?
Welsh and other pure wool blankets can be washed in a machine using a 30 degree eco wash and mild liquid detergent and dry outdoors. Never tumble dry wool as heat caused it to shrink and felt. Welsh tapestry quilts are best professionally cleaned as the dyes could run. Some areas are more prone to moths than others.
How do you wash Welsh wool?
Use the ‘wool wash’ program on a machine. However, most washing machines have the ability for you to tailor your washing program to your preferences. So, lowering the temperature to a 30°C wash is recommended and making sure it is subjected to a slow spin. Do not machine wash if it does not have a machine wash label on.