How Pavo changed the wrap game

I've been wrapping for three years this month. It feels like a long time, and every time Wes goes up I am grateful to still be able to wrap him. And, wrapping a three year old isn't the easiest thing to do. He's almost half my size, and can get very heavy with the wrong wrap/carry/fiber/etc. So, when Pavo Textiles made their debut on the market, I was very intrigued. Here are two women from the community, whom I have been taking advice from for over two years, combining forces to create wraps made by wrappers, for wrappers (Tommy Boy, anyone?). So, just that part alone sparked my curiosity. Add in the fact that they are made of high quality yarns, made in the US and all of the previews were totally gorgeous....can't go wrong.
It was almost a year ago that they launched, I believe. First with Parterre, a thick, dense, BEAUTIFUL design, 100% cotton. Reviews....awesome. Maybe not for tiny babies, but there is a note about this on the website. Otherwise, every review I read was full of praise. It was a few months before I had the chance to try one out, Parterre Doe, and I was seriously floored. Parterre is a wrapper's wrap. Thick, dense, stretchy. The most supportive, comfortable wrap I had tried at the time. Unlike any other wrap I have used. It's more of a magical creature than a piece of cloth. It does take a lot of work to break in, I think it's mostly because of the density. After Doe we tried Cobalt, then Noir and now have a Noir 6 of our own. If I had put all of the work breaking them in for friends into my own wrap, it would probably be nice and floppy by now, but ours is still pretty stiff. Like I said, I am wrapping a three year old: he's about 35lbs, and I am 5'2" and about 115 lbs, so he's quite heavy for me, and I can wrap this kid for over an hour in parterre with no discomfort. And it's still not broken in, not even close. I can't even imagine what this wrap will feel like 6 months from now. So, needless to say, I've caught the Pavo bug, and have dumped much of my beloved stash to make room for a few Pavos that will likely ride out the rest of our wrapping career with us. Noir, Etini, and we definitely need Sparkleberry and San Diego, and everything else that Pavo creates.....I need them all. NEED.
Etini Fuchsia and Holly have just arrived, so I have been beating them up and gathering thoughts for a thorough, proper review, soon to come. So, stay tuned!

Revving up for some new Oschas!

A few new wrap previews are up over on Oscha's Facebook page, including Braid Obsidian, Braid Mallo, ToL Astraea and Nouveau Bramble. I also saw a photo that looked like a combination of JK Mistletoe and JK Gentian, with dark green and aqua. So far we've seen aqua, indigo/purple, dark blue, dark green, light blue, natty and black. Combinations of silk, wool and cotton, and new fibers like finely spun wool and thick wool (mixed with linen for a super toddler worthy combo!)....I'm super excited for this release! I love the deep, dark night sky colors and contrasting whites. Braid Obsidian is kinda my style but I think I'd stomp a B for a SN in that colorway. Can't wait to see more previews!

Our OOAK whales

They have been with us a few months now, so it's about time I shared some photos and info about our preproduction orange/green/blue whales. There where two preproduction versions of thick whales, this one, and her sister, blue/green/light blue whales. Both versions are similar to the newer releases, but with a little less stretch. They have a thick stretchy denim sort of feel. Very substantial and supportive. These two wraps were given to a babywearing group somewhere in the Czech republic as testers. They toured Europe and visited with different mamas, while their travels were shared through photographs in the Czech forum. Apparently, most mamas who tested them loved the feel, but did t care for the colors. So the colors were changed for the release to orange/blue/red and orange/blue/light blue. Lucky for me, as I LOVE this particular colorway! I saw it in a few posts, and drooled over it from afar, never thinking that I might actually own them one day. Then I happened upon them on fsot and immediately messaged the seller. A wrapper's dream come true! They are very loved here, and will be for a Long time to come!

Roses for Nan

We've gotten lucky recently and managed to snag a beautiful Roses Foxglove from Oscha's new Machair Collection. It is a beautiful vibrant purple with soft pink in 100% cotton. Thinner than Roses Noel and very summery. The design is very textured and seems like it will be very moldable, like a flatter ellevill jade almost. No sign of digginess thus far. I wasn't sure if I would keep it while I was waiting, but this purple is so perfect, and it wraps so beautifully...how could I let it go?
Additionally, my mother-in-law said its beautiful, purple is her favorite color, she loves roses, and she is very ill. We have decided to keep our roses and wear them to remember her when she isn't with us anymore. They will forever be Nani's Roses, a maybe someday Wesley will wrap his own babies with them.

On Wrap Thickness...

My son has always been the higher percentile for height and weight. It wasn't long before certain wraps began to feel diggy. When I ordered my first Mystery Box from birdies room, only one wrap made the "cut" and that was Moss 55% linen. DS was only 4 or 5 months old at the time, but even BNIB I thought it was the bees knees. From that point on, I was a thick-wrap-lovin' mama. Thick and beastly because my favorite wrap descriptors, and the likes of Geckos Antigua, Carmin and Caribe fish, and Ecru Pfau all had their debut in my stash. I swore off all things thin, because I knew they just wouldn't work for me. Many beasts from the didy forest came and went until one day, I realized that while I loved many of my thick wraps, the ones I was reaching for most were all thin. 07 Pfau, Didy Ginkos, My Old Hopp. Looking back, my wrap preferences seem to go in reverse, I started out loving thick supportive wraps, and as DS got bigger and bigger, I began to love and prefer thin and moldable. Over those months, as my wrapping skills became more fine tuned, I found my needs changing drastically, or perhaps that I didn't "need" much in a wrap at all. At one point, I wouldn't buy a wrap if it wasn't "toddlerworthy," but recently I find I can wrap with almost anything and be pretty comfortable. That said, different wraps have their purpose. I love my Girasols for rebozo, but I wouldn't want one as a long wrap, just because there are much better things I can use, and I have a long Jade Royal that I love, but I didn't care for Jade as a shorty. I guess my purpose for this post is to warn new wrappers, that if you do end up ordering a Mystery Box, or happen upon a thin wrap that you don' think is supportive enough for you, Don't blame the wrap. I have a lot of regrets about wraps I sold because they were "too thin." I think I just may not have been a skilled enough wrapper to be able to use them properly, and had I known then, I probably would have practiced a little more before moving them on.

Deer are here!

Wow! What a beautiful wrap! Legend of the Miraculous Deer Green/Ecru has arrived from Budapest. Its a gorgeous natural color, mixed with a forest green, to make a beautiful soft sage. The cotton side is luxuriously soft, and the Linen side is very similar to Natibaby's bamboo/linens, but a little bit more textured and slubby. New in package, it was stiff and beastly, but after just one wash, its surprisingly soft and floppy. Definitely a thick wrap, and wraps thick, with a huge knot. Comfy with my 30lber in both single-layer and multi-layer carries. Nice cush, pretty moldable, and i think it will be more moldable once it's broken in. The pattern is beautiful, subtle, classy, dressy or casual. I love the placement, and the way it looks wrapped!

Obsession of the week: Vatanai Blue/Orange/Red Whales

Okay, this one took me a little bit by surprise. Everything i've ever heard about vats was regarding how thin but supportive they are. I tried Vatanai Ravenna recently on a temp trade and loved it. So when I heard that these new tri whales were thick, I was excited! I love Ravenna, but I love thick too. I was looking for the orange/brown version for a few weeks, but the only size available at retail was a 6 so I waited. I had a feeling SO might try wrapping with this so I asked him which colorway he preferred and he chose this one. I ended up getting this 7 in a trade, and while I was hesitant about the color, now that its here I LOVE it! The blue is very petrol, and the red/orange mix together nicely. Its just a beautiful wrap. But that's not the best part! This thing is a beast of a wrap for sure, but i've never met such a thick, dense wrap that had so much stretch! The stretch and moldability are unreal! I can't compare it to anything i've ever felt before. I just keep going back to a description someone gave of pamir a long time ago, that it wrapped sort of like an ace bandage....This is very much like that...like a huge, thick, dense ace bandage. Unbelieveable cush, super support, the ultimate comfy toddler wrap. Makes me think I could give up all the rest. Not that I ever could, in fact, i'm thinking of getting the orange/brown version too!