It's nearly Springtime, but before the cold days are out, we thought it would be a good time at Carmarthen Antiques Centre to focus on the ever popular Welsh Blanket, a functional and sensational-looking item to grace any family home! Historically traditional throughout Wales, Welsh Blankets are often of a beautiful design, with the wool used creating a thick blanket arguably vastly superior to mass-produced (often synthetic) copies. Traditional Welsh Blankets, being a natural product made from sheep wool, it has an advantage over modern synthetic fabrics in that it rarely causes adverse/allergic reaction to the skin, being a natural fibre. Although there is currently a resurgence in their popularity, back in the 1920's there were over 200 Wool Mills in Wales compared to the just a handful of producers now. The variety of colours, patterns and designs of Welsh Blankets make them unique, durable and very pleasing to the eye - which is why we always have a good selection here at Carmarthen Antiques Centre! The designs and patterns are so simple yet stunningly beautiful, often geometric, so they still fit in with even today's modern designs and styles. Welsh Blankets are a link to our recent history of a rural economy of sheep, wool and weaving, they are highly prized and retain their value due to the skill and time it took for them to be produced. Designs of the blankets were often indicative of the particular mill at which they were produced, varying from stylish monochrome designs to bright (almost lurid) colours giving them a timeless effect. If you really want to explore the history of the Welsh Blanket, why not visit the National Wool Museum in nearby Llandysul if you are vising West Wales, go to https://museum.wales for opening times.
