Through my travels around the world, I’ve spent a good bit of time wandering lands rich in wild sheep, known for their luxurious wools. From Iceland to Scotland and Ireland, and Spain, and Maine, there are regions known specifically for their top quality wools like Merino and Cashmere. I’ve always traveled like a backpacker, living out of the rucksack on my back and relying on nothing else. It kept me free, allowed me to roam, to drop my pack and simply frolic the fields of unspoiled beauty, without much to burden me or weigh me down.
I kept few souvenirs, often writing narrative stories and taking photographs to preserve my memories, and now I have a stunning portfolio of work and memories to bring me back whenever I’m feeling nostalgic. I rarely bought into the trinkets often sold in beautiful and historic places, opting to preserve the memory of the feelings I felt and the things I saw, and the people that touched my heart and soul. But I will say the one souvenir I often sent home so it was waiting for me was the fine wool products.
In Ireland, I purchased a handmade scarf, which I still wear to this day. In Iceland, I purchased a traditional Icelandic earflap cap, which I wear every winter, because it’s awesome and extremely warm. In Scotland, I purchased a cashmere sweater which I bring out on the coldest days of the year. These things provide me with decades of warmth, and nostalgic memories, and there’s nothing else I can think of to buy when I’m abroad that offers as much value for so long.
Recently on my honeymoon, my wife and I visited Maine and toured from Portland to Bar Harbor and inward to Moosehead Lake and Carrabassett before turning back home to Ohio. One of the coolest attractions along the coastal drive is stopping at Swans Island Company in Northport, Maine, where they have dedicated craftspeople operating handlooms, where they’re dying and skeining yarn, and handcrafting an assortment of wool pieces. They make it all there in front of you, from blankets and throws to pillows, capes and mitts, as well as yarn and bags, and more.
In Ireland, I purchased a handmade scarf, which I still wear to this day. In Iceland, I purchased a traditional Icelandic earflap cap, which I wear every winter, because it’s awesome and extremely warm. In Scotland, I purchased a cashmere sweater which I bring out on the coldest days of the year. These things provide me with decades of warmth, and nostalgic memories, and there’s nothing else I can think of to buy when I’m abroad that offers as much value for so long.
Recently on my honeymoon, my wife and I visited Maine and toured from Portland to Bar Harbor and inward to Moosehead Lake and Carrabassett before turning back home to Ohio. One of the coolest attractions along the coastal drive is stopping at Swans Island Company in Northport, Maine, where they have dedicated craftspeople operating handlooms, where they’re dying and skeining yarn, and handcrafting an assortment of wool pieces. They make it all there in front of you, from blankets and throws to pillows, capes and mitts, as well as yarn and bags, and more.
I recently had a chance to work with the fine folks at Swans Island, receiving their new Mt. Kineo throw, which is produced at their weaving studio from their hand dyed American yarn sourced from flocks in the Dakota’s and is spun at a mill in Massachusetts. That same mill also spins all the yarn for America’s beloved baseballs. Upon first inspection, I was blown away by how thin, yet strong the throw is, then after some use, just how warm the blanket is really surprised me.
Swans Island’s wool is very fine and soft, and the craftsmanship is very tight and intricate, creating a finished product that’s luxurious feeling and very warming, making it perfect for the cooler months. The Mt. Kineo throw is a very fine handmade product that features a tight knit with a dual color scheme that alternates toward the end, as you can see in my attached featured photographs. This is a fine souvenir from an amazing trip around the pine tree state, though beyond the wool, it will always be the seafood and the forests that sticks most in my memory.
If you would like to learn more about Swans Island’s top quality wool products, click here.
They also welcome visitors, so if you’re ever in Maine, be sure to stop by!
Swans Island’s wool is very fine and soft, and the craftsmanship is very tight and intricate, creating a finished product that’s luxurious feeling and very warming, making it perfect for the cooler months. The Mt. Kineo throw is a very fine handmade product that features a tight knit with a dual color scheme that alternates toward the end, as you can see in my attached featured photographs. This is a fine souvenir from an amazing trip around the pine tree state, though beyond the wool, it will always be the seafood and the forests that sticks most in my memory.
If you would like to learn more about Swans Island’s top quality wool products, click here.
They also welcome visitors, so if you’re ever in Maine, be sure to stop by!
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