Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Pavo Textiles - Farrand Turquoise/Amethyst review and GIVEAWAY!

I should start by admitting I'm a total nut for Pavo Textiles. I've tried Penumbra and Etini (Magnolia, Holly and Poinsettia), Unicornio, Parterre, Ama, Swallowtail, Hearts (LOTS of hearts!), Zebra, Cheetah, Gotham (Brick and Parakeet)... and I haven't met one I dislike yet. Their designs are diverse; cute hearts, playful mermaids, whimsical unicorns and folklore - geometric and structured; swallowtail, hanakotoba, and harmony... and then grand, like the incredible intricacy of etini, the parterre patterns (with their garden walls) and oh yes - Farrand.
This is like the love child of Parterre and Sparkleberry. The tri-weave makes you THINK you're looking at purple, turquoise, or gold, but when you look closer you see the elements of the colour  (Or as Audrey says; "Blue, red, PURPLE wrap!") and appreciate the density and cush this creates in the texture.


In the bag, Farrand Amethyst is dense and weighty, all substance and no play. This is a serious piece of textile art, y'all. I took it out, frowned at it, did my best not to be intimidated and threw it in my friendly front-loader. Then we had to go out, which was good, because left to my own devices I would have obsessively petted and patted it until tolerably dry.


Moving forward, this wrap just keeps getting better. It was a BEAST new, and I spent some spare time working out (twisting, untwisting, running through rings and banging it against the floor) until BOOM. There it was. The pattern lifted with washing and then worked back in, the whole thing fluffed out and I swear I could carry a seven-year-old without strain. I also love that the wrong side (as seen below) is just as epic as the right... 


 Farrand has this weird way of being very present in the hand (heavy, tactile, dense) and then fluffing up into a cloud that supports your child's weight (12 kilos, in my case) effortlessly. The pattern locks passes in place and makes me feel glamorous. Not sparkly complicated glamor, like etini, but blow the doors off the hinges, this is THE ONE. This will be pried from my cold, dead hands.

Notice how I'm emphasising the progression of this wrap? The move from holy shit, that's an immoveable slab of thread to OH MY I just want to roll around in it? That's so you won't be scared when Turquoise arrives on YOUR doorstep, brand new in bag and ready to roll. Yup, Pavo Textiles have given me a size 6 Farrand to send to one of YOU! Obviously you will need to do some clicking... and get ready to be rewarded!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Please note that I have not been paid to write this review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own. 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Twiga Babywearing coat!


We need to talk. After acquiring a Momawo babywearing jacket, I said I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to wear all-year round. Well, I still would, but now that it's warming up, I don't need quite so much insulation, more a windstopper to cut the chill and keep off the damp... and Twiga has come to the rescue. 


This is SLEEK. Without a baby bundled in the front or back (HEY, it comes with two slightly different style inserts, so you could actually tandem in this!) it's a really nice A-line jacket with a removable hood. Audrey liked the child's hood (removable) so much she insisted on wearing it WITHOUT the jacket, which was amusing on a sunny 24C day. The panel pictured above is the cooler option; the adult jacket stays open above the insert. For colder weather and smaller babies or back carries the second panel (which allows a full closure in the adult collar) would be more comfortable :)


As you can see above, the insert is designed to fit snugly and accommodates a 2.5yo in a front or back carry - pretty impressive. I really like the streamlined fit of this coat and the built-in 'gloves' (not GLOVES, but hand warmers with a thumb hole!) are deal-makers for me. I ALWAYS suffer from cold hands in the winter and there's nothing worse than a chilly breeze gusting up one's sleeves. 


Fortuitously, we've had a couple weeks of drippy rain. As I write this, it's gently and pervasively dripping outside. Even when it's NOT raining precipitation seems imminent. A couple jaunts to the park have been saved by this coat; I wear it with the panel stuffed in my bag, Audrey trots alongside in her hoodie, then when rain threatens I tucker her in a wrap, zip the extra panel in and we bolt home. Good times. The zip-closure pockets are great for keys, phone and wallet - quick trips don't even need a bag. 


You can see the nice cosy fit afforded by elastic toggles at Audrey's neck and in the hood; and see my hands?! That's PART OF THE COAT. GENIUS. 


Generously, Twiga has offered to give one of my followers their own soft-shell babywearing jacket - they come in black, red, or turquoise, and you can find a size chart and the official description HERE. When you know what size you need, you can click to enter right about... here! Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please note that I have not been paid to write this review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own. 

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Ergobaby stretch wrap - review and giveaway!

I say Ergo, you say soft structured carrier, right?
Not any more. Ergobaby has been listening carefully to parents lately. The light, breathable Ventus model, the Ergo 360, and now an Ergobaby stretch wrap are all on the market. Why a stretch wrap, you ask?
When you look at a newborn and then a soft structured carrier the two aren't always a good match. It's really important to preserve the natural kyphosis of a newborn spine, while being supportive enough to hold baby close, mimicking an in-arms position, and keep airways clear - TICKS guidelines, remember?

 A wrap doesn't need adjusting. It'll conform to the body wearing it, whether that's a newly postpartum mama, a skinny dad, a cuddly grandma or proud grandpapa. You can pre tie and pop baby in and out with minimal adjusting, and the strong stretch of 95% cotton, 5% spandex will support your body and baby's. 

The Ergobaby stretch is rated from 3 to 14 kgs. On trial with a 4kg demo doll and a 9 kg demo doll, I was impressed by how secure everyone felt. The knit feels quite lush in hand and washes beautifully, nothing flimsy about this! Generously, Ergo have provided me with one to give away, so if you have a squish on the way, know someone who does, or you're planning one any... month now, hit the widget and get your entries in!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Please note that I have not been paid to write this review. Any and all opinions expressed are my own.