Wrapped up in a cozy mystery.
Any blanket experts out there?
I was thrilled to find this fabulous vintage blanket for just $7 a few years ago at an antiques mall. As soon as the temperature drops each fall I grab it out of storage, but Joe rolls his eyes whenever I go to put it on the bed. Why? Because it's six feet wide and twelve and a half feet long. It doesn't work in either direction.
The binding is on the two shorter sides, which I take to mean that this blanket is supposed to be used the long way. On an extremely long but narrow bed? On some sort of double length kid's bunk? On the sofa during family snuggle time? In the sleeping quarters of a boat?
I'd love to know the background of my beautiful but bizarre blanket, because I don't have a clue. Can anybody help me out?
Want to see more vintage?
(click here to see all these posts on one long page)6/22/09: Vintage Laundry Line
7/26/09: Going Vintage Green
8/2/09: A Beacon in the Light
8/17/09: A Peek Inside My Potting Cabinet
2/18/10: A Nice Day
5/24/10: Two More Vintage Quilts!
8/13/10: Another Vintage Quilt
10/13/10: Vintage Quilt Love (Again)
10/23/10: These Blustery, Mustery Days
Love laundry lines? (some repeats here)
(click here to see all these posts on one long page)12/1/05: Warm Wash, Cool Dry
1/2/06: Winter Color
4/17/06: Monday Washday (and a Lamb Report)
6/22/09: Vintage Laundry Line
8/2/09: A Beacon in the Light
2/18/10: A Nice Day
5/24/10: Two More Vintage Quilts!
6/13/10: The Dangers of a Laundry Line
7/25/10: Blowin' In the Wind
9/27/10: White Tee Shirt Day
10/13/10: Vintage Quilt Love (Again)
11/15/10: The Other End of the Laundry Line
© FarmgirlFare.com, the cuddly little foodie farm blog where there's plenty of blanket for everyone—and yes, you are indeed seeing part of The Shack in some of these photos. I told you i's a scary old falling down building we live in!
Susan- You have a double long blanket. It was meant to be folded in half. From Montana Blankets that still makes double longs:
ReplyDeleteTo save time during the looming, the blankets were made double long (end to end). These double-long blankets were predecessors to our modern-day sleeping bags. One half was laid on the ground while the other half was folded up and over one's feet and used as a covering.
Have a Merry Christmas Susan - I wish you better health next year free from bees, snakes and whatever may come your way in an unwanted way (beams in old sheds). 2011 should be the year to leave the shack, right?
Thank you for your blog.
How neat! I've never heard of double long's before....
ReplyDeleteWOW! I've never heard of double long blankets either before this. I bet if we Google it, we'll find out a ton of information.
ReplyDeleteThe pattern is really very beautiful and looks like it is in really good condition. What a find for you!!
I believe it is a jacquard tablecloth for a long table that seats 8 or more. My family used this type of cloth forever when growing up. Look on eBay for examples.
ReplyDeleteIs that a seam running down the middle? Does that make it a double long & a double wide. Is the width about the size of a twin or full and someone sewed two together for a queen or king. What a great blanket and a wonderful pattern.
ReplyDeleteooops - in looking at the pictures again - what I thought was a seam is the edge of the blanket folded over the clothes line. Still it is a great blanket.
ReplyDeleteI love vintage blankets. All I can say is it is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThe double-long idea sounds the most reliable...or at least, more reliable than my idea! I thought since the pattern was repeated twice with an obvious break in the middle, it was originally intended to be cut into two blankets!
ReplyDeleteFun mystery!
I was thinking along with Genevieve and was going to ask you about a possible seam down the middle, but Susan's theory holds up. Is it made of wool?
ReplyDeleteI am a lover of old buildings and your shack is so intriguing to me. I always envisioned it as being one story, but I see that it is two. After you move into your new house, will you show us full photos of the shack? I would dearly love to see it. Merry Christmas Susan. I've loved your blog for years and will continue to do so.
This double blanket looks so cozy...
ReplyDelete(BTW, the stripes in the legs of this somali wild ass remembers me of those in Gus http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/2010/12/meet-a-somali-wild-ass-foal.html)
I didn't read through all of the comments, so maybe someone offered this already. I grew up with a wool blanket like this (not nearly as pretty as yours)and was told that it was extra long so it could be doubled over at the bottom where it was needed most (doesn't it seem to take forever for your feet to get warm on a cold winter night). So perhaps that is the explaination.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful blanket! You got a great bargain!
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I can't answer your question about its history though.
I found a similar blanket a few years ago in a California thrift shop. I just love it- It is cream, muted orange and dark tan and has an intriguing pattern- laurels and plaid. It has a little tag with a rabbit logo, company name and is 100% cotton. I will check it again when I return home next week and let you know what the company name is. I did research on it way back but have since forgotten the details. I do remember that the company had published an odd little rabbit story book that promoted the blankets to children and their parents.
ReplyDeleteWe had a similar blanket like this for our RV in the upper cab where the bed was hard to make up. You use it like a sleeping bag (without a zipper) It keeps your toes warm, too! I love your farm. I have been browsing your pages while sipping a cup of lemon tea. So relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI just put a similar blanket on my bed and had all the same questions... and found you be googling "blanket double up". https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?
ReplyDeletefbid=10202266842214431&set=a.4768137723328.1073741825.1291986296&type=1&theater