We have had lots of house guests the past few weeks. I love to treat my friends to cheerful and cozy rooms, because as a frequent traveler I know how much a little care and coddling is appreciated. Since we like to play host to visitors we are always on the look out for more blankets to keep everyone comfortable.
My husband, Greg is a wonderful scavenger and checks in with thrift shops regularly. He has a nose for quality and the patience to root around to find it. Here you see three wool blankets that he discovered. Great colors! But as with many older blankets the edges were tired and torn. So we gave there beauties a new life by finishing them with new fabrics… from the FreeSpirit Sassaman archive, of course!
We also decided that it would be much more exciting to use a different but coordinating fabric on each end. Picking the fabric was the best part and it’s nice to have these little pieces of design history sprinkled throughout the house. Don’t these blankets fit our color scheme to perfectly?
But we didn’t want to forget the royal heritage of these well crafted warmers, so we kept the original labels intact. I love the combination of old and new and the concept of recycling a perfectly useful and handsome object.
Burnt Toast, too, has an eye for comfort, as all cats do. We know where she is headed for the morning catnap!
PS… Don’t forget about the Patchwork Sassaman Style contest this month! You still have plenty of time to whip up that 1+4 Patch top to enter. Go to Dragon Threads to read all about it!
Did you dye these blankets or were they this color to begin with? I, too look for wool blankets at thrift stores and estate sales for upcycling into slippers, stockings, etc. but the ones I have found are natural colored and I have to dye the. Love the new bindings! Great idea!
These blankets are the original color. But I love the idea of dying the natural ones.
What a wonderful idea! I have an old wool blanket I had bought to make stuff animals but that didn’t happen while the kids were small and this is a perfect redo idea. Thank you.
Jane, the blankets are beautiful. Do you dry-clean the blankets once your husband finds them at thrift shops? I’m assuming you don’t wash them but do clean them before sewing on the beautiful bindings.
Actually we do launder the blankets to fluff and felt them a little bit. Sometimes we will cut them up, too, if they are stained beyond repair.