It’s nice to have a book in a chair by the fireplace with a book wrapped in a soft, warm and very cozy blanket on a cold winter evening. Currently, there is a huge selection of quality natural wool blankets. Let's try to figure out which material is better to purchase this product: from camel, sheep’s wool or merino. Such blankets can be used as bedspreads and blankets, and will also be indispensable for a picnic.
What to look for
First you need to decide what kind of requirements are presented to this product. Experts advise choosing blankets made of wool according to the following criteria:
- the size;
- structure;
- color;
- picture.
It is possible to choose any size: there are blankets for newborns, children and adults. Use them as wraps on chairs. Despite the wide selection of various modern textiles, natural materials are the most popular.
Merino wool blanket
Sheep of this breed live in the mountains of Australia, New Zealand, Spain. For the manufacture of yarn choose the highest quality wool from the withers of a sheep. Due to living in cold climatic conditions, wool is able to retain heat well, not absorb odors and moisture. Creatine, which is found in animal hair, has bactericidal properties. It is believed that merino wool products have a peculiarity - to have a therapeutic effect: warm up with colds, relieve pain in joints and back, reduce pressure, help with sleep disturbance.
According to reviews, yarn can easily be dyed in any color and make a plaid out of it for every taste.
Made of alpaca wool - “little camel”
These animals live in the highlands of South America, in even harsher conditions than merino sheep. Alpaca wool is thin, smooth, does not contain lanolin. A blanket made of the wool of this animal is able to retain heat 7 times more efficiently. In addition, it is 3 times lighter than merino wool. Due to the absence of lanolin, the risk of allergies is significantly reduced, which means that such products can be used for newborns, allergy sufferers can use them. Such plaids are able to maintain optimal body temperature in both winter and summer. According to consumer reviews, products made of alpaca wool are quite expensive, but they are strong enough and maintain good appearance and useful qualities for a long time.
How to care for merino and alpaca rugs
Such rugs can be washed with your hands, as well as in a washing machine, for this you should use the gentle washing mode. Water temperature cannot exceed + 35 ° C. For washing, do not use aggressive powders and bleaches. It is recommended to wash blankets separately from other products. If a stain appears on the blanket, it should be immediately washed, using warm water and any soap. Despite the high price of these products, it makes sense to buy them: with proper care for them, they can last for more than a decade.
Wool knitted blanket
Among lovers of knitting, products associated with large viscous are of genuine interest. Such a product can be purchased in a store, or you can bind yourself. For knitting, they take special, large-sized knitting needles, improvised materials (for example, PVC pipes) are also suitable, and most interestingly - instead of knitting needles, they use their own hands, in the literal sense - they knit hands on the wrists.
In order to knit a large viscous plaid of merino wool, you need to take 3 kg of very thick yarn. It is enough for a product of 150X180 centimeters.
Features of care for a large knitted blanket
If light dirt appears on the surface of the plaid, they can be cleaned with a dry brush. It is recommended to wash such products by hand. The temperature of the water intended for washing should not exceed + 30 ° C. Special liquid products containing lanolin are added to it. During washing, you can not use mechanical movements, namely: products do not need to twist and rub. The blanket can be slightly wrung out to remove excess water. Dry it only in a horizontal position, spreading the product on a flat surface. In the event that the plaid is very dirty, it is better to entrust it to specialists - give it to dry cleaning.
Made of camel
In Russia, camel wool blankets are especially fond of; the most valuable wool is from camels from 1 to 3 years old. The camel wool blanket is light, thin, very soft and warm, has the ability to quickly warm the body, thanks to the natural 100% wool. Currently, blankets made of camel wool are made in different colors, which does not leave consumers indifferent. A distinctive feature of these products is that they are bilateral.
Camel wool blankets have a number of features and advantages over others:
- have healing properties;
- hygroscopic;
- do not cause allergic reactions;
- maintain the temperature balance of the body;
- in hot weather they protect against overheating, in cold from overcooling;
- relieve static stress.
When buying a plaid, you need to pay attention to the composition, cost, color. Camel wool blankets have a fairly high price.
How to wash a camel wool plaid
You can wash the plaid in the washing machine by choosing a delicate wash. Use water with a temperature of + 30 ° C, use special detergents for washing wool. You can not squeeze the blanket, it should be dried in a straightened form or by hanging it by the edges.
The most affordable plaid
Sheep wool is the most popular and affordable, it is from it that a large number of things fit. Get this raw material when shearing sheep. Sheep wool blanket is lightweight, very warm, eco-friendly and inexpensive. The quality of wool depends on the following indicators: breed of sheep (fine-wool, coarse-haired, half-fine), in what conditions animals are kept. The quality of the material is affected by the diet, gender, health status, age of the sheep, as well as climate. The best is considered wool that is cut from the chest of the animal. Let us dwell in more detail on the advantages and disadvantages of a plaid made from wool of sheep.
Advantages:
- environmental friendliness;
- hygroscopicity;
- healing properties;
- air tightness;
- wear resistance;
- thermoregulating properties;
- dirt-repellent properties.
Disadvantages:
- lanolin contained in wool can cause allergies;
- exposed to moths;
- products from raw materials of poor quality are rough to the touch.
Sheep blankets come in a wide variety of sizes and densities.
Care Tips
Hand and machine washable. Machine wash only on delicate mode, permissible water temperature + 30 ° C. Wash using special means for wool with a lanolin content. It is recommended to wring it out with caution, without stretching or twisting the product; do not use the machine wring. Dried horizontally in a well-ventilated area. Once every 2-3 months, the plaid should be taken out to ventilate outside, protecting from direct sunlight. Store the product in cotton bags by putting a moth repellent in them. According to customer reviews, such a blanket can warm you on a frosty winter evening and become indispensable when traveling to nature. The relatively low price, which does not affect the quality of the goods at all, will not leave indifferent.
Knitted or crocheted plaid
Knitted blankets look very impressive. Such a product can be purchased from the masters, or even better knit yourself, choosing a pattern to your liking. Knitted blankets made of wool with the addition of acrylic are obtained of good quality. If you knit products from inexpensive threads, the plaid will very quickly lose its presentation. The product can be made with knitting needles or crochet. You can knit a blanket both immediately with a whole fabric, and parts that you then need to sew together.
To create a 166X172 cm plaid, you need 2.2 kilograms of yarn (equally wool and acrylic). For knitting, you can choose any style, including classic or patchwork. Use different knitting techniques: embossed, double, zig-zag. A very interesting modern technique for knitting blankets is intarsia (multi-color knitting). You can knit the original plaid from all the remains of yarn available at home.
How to wash a knitted blanket
It is better to wash such a blanket with special liquid products. Water for washing should have a temperature of no more than + 30 ° C. Before washing, let the blanket lie in water for 10 minutes. Wash the plaid, let it drain water, do not squeeze and do not twist. Dried on a flat surface.