Minako Ursus Mischa

Review of Minako Ursus Mischa

Pattern: Ursus
Name: Mischa
Blend: 42% L.S. egyptian gassed cotton , 36% Japanese Tsumugi Silk 22% cashmere 
Thickness: 280 g/m2 (prewash)
Wrappee: 19,5 months and 14,5 kg


Ursus Mischa is the first Minako I have ever tried, and it is always a pleasure to test something new. I have heard a lot of good things about the brand, and also the wrap, so I was very excited.

Also the blend is quite new to me. I have just tried once or twice both cashmere and Tsumugi silk, and Mischa have both.
The wrap was already well broken in when I received it, and it felt airy and fluffy. It felt medium thick in hand, and I could feel there was a bit stretch in it too.

Mischa arrived in our house just in time. Just the same evening my son decided that he did not want to go to sleep in any other way then in a FWCC, and that is just new for us. We have never really worn that much in FWCC before, because of his weight and my shoulders and back, but when thats all he wanted, the mother of course try her best to make it happen. So, I grabbed Mischa, and up he went....
And wow! 

Mischa was to the rescue. It felt good. I could carry him like this and make him stop crying, and comfort his needs. He fell asleep after a short while. We were both very comfortable wearing Mischa right from the start...

So... 
I posted this picture at some chatter groups, and people started asking me about the glitter.
"Does it scratch?"
" Is it uncomfortable to wear?"
" How does it feel like?"

And Yes... Mischa is glowing and glittering... 
But... Its not from glitter....

Mischa is made from black cotton and cashmere together with tsumugi silk in the color of charcoal... And look! Its not glitter. Its tsumugi silk speckles in different colors!!!

I love the look it gives to the wrap! So the answer is: NO! There is no glitter in this, and it feels very comfortable! 

So, where to start...

Mischa is a medium thick wrap, with its 280 g/m2. It does not feel thick in hand at all, and is very comfortable to wrap with. The wrap feels airy, and adding a lot of cush and bounce on my shoulders. I could wear my toddler for hours, without feeling any pain at all. 
With that being said, it is also quite easy to wrap with, and have just the right amount of grip. It was easy to make second passes, and the wrap was not sliding out of its place while tying it.

The wrap has an elegant look, at the same time with giving a bit of a rough look. Black can be a bit boring all alone, but this wrap is everything but boring. It looks pretty, and it has an interesting pattern, that I'm not getting tired of.

Its the first time Im having a mono wrap in my stash, and I love it. I now know that I need one.

I have used this wrap in DH, ruck and FWCC. Its my most used carries, and Mischa rocked them all. If there is anything I would have to say, it´s that after a short while it did not feel as comfortable wearing a simple ruck, but that is no news for me, as my toddler is almost 15 kg´s already. There is not a lot of wraps that are comfortable on my shoulders in single layers with this little kid.

This wrap is suitable for all. I felt it is very comfortable with my toddler in double layers, and I'm sure Mischa is also up for small squishes. Its very soft and moldable, and still gives great support.

Conclusion:

- Medium thick wrap, feeling thin in hand
- Have an airy feeling, both in hand and while wrapping
- Medium amount of stretch 
- Medium amount of grip
- Nice cush on shoulders
- Feels moldable when wrapping
- Easy to wrap with
- Suitable for all
- Beautiful! 

- Not for those who need a mute and thin wrap, or for those who need no grip or massive grip.

Linuschka Bolero Serenity

Review of Linuschka Bolero Serenity 

Pattern: Bolero

Name: Serenity

Blend: 48% peruvian pima cotton 52% tussah silk

Thickness: 308 gsm

Wrappee: 19 months and 14,5 kg.

I was lucky to be able to test one of Linuschka´s testers who have been traveling in Norway, and was very happy when I heard there was a high-tussah blend. I really enjoy all the tussah-wraps with their different colors and nubs.

When I first received the wrap- I was really happy to see its in my kind of colors. Wow!
I love the earth-tones this wrap have! 

Serenity is a light beige wrap together with a beautiful brown, and have nubs of brown and blue (!!!). The blue are a real surprise- and it fits perfect! 
Its a delicate wrap, and I felt it matches most of the clothes in my wardrobe, and for me that is also a big plus.
And yes, Im the kind of wrapper who like things to match. ;)

When bolero came to me, it had already been with other testers, and was no longer in loom state. It was soft and cosy, and it was nice to wrap with from the start. 

The thing that first had me with bolero, is that even if it feels soft as a kittens belly- it also feels strong. When you have it in your hands, you can feel it´s tightly woven.

Bolero Serenity is made with single weft. It actually reminds me of some wraps I´ve tried with linen, but this hold no linen- just tussah and cotton.

Another thing that surprised me, is the 308 g/m2. Serenity feels light and thin in hand, and it could easily been the best newborn wrap I´ve tried. I have a 230 g/m2 wrap with cotton/linen, and this feels almost the same! Bolero Serenity holds my 14,5 kg boy with no problem! 

Just days before Serenity landed here, I received my first Linuschka. This is Ipomee Dark Hedges- also a high-tussah wrap, containing 35% cotton, 41% tussah and 24% merino wool. This wrap is made out of double-weft, and have 280 g/m2.  

I was curious about the difference between this two wraps, and specially the weft surprised me. 

Serenity being single weft, and Dark Hedges being double weft- and they also feel so different. 

I would say that they are completely opposites of each other. 

While Serenity is thin in hand, and tightly woven, Dark hedges feels a bit thicker in hand, and a lot more fluffy/airy in its weft, and having more bounce and cush. They are both pretty and very good to wrap with- in each it´s ways! 

Bolero has been used in FWCC, DH, DH sweetheart finish, as a ruck and as a blanket. 

Its soft, strong and its cuddly.. We have been using it every day for the time it was here, and we love it! Mostly DH, as thats my favorite. 

With his weight of soon 15 kg, there is not many wraps that feels comfortable on my shoulders when I'm wrapping single layers. 

This one is no exception for me. It was no problem using it in a simple ruck, but my shoulder is a bit too sensitive. But the wrap is study and will not sag, so if your shoulders are up for it- Bolero Serenity will also be. ;)

To describe Serenity- I would say that its thin, strong, having a lot of grip- but still not too much for making passes glide easily enough to tighten without using too much strength. 

Because its thin in hand, the knot, and also the candy cane-chestbelt, is not oversized. It fits perfect without making it uncomfortable for me. Thats also a big plus if you are using a babywearing-jacket or dont like the big knots being in the way while doing other things.

Because the wrap is both thin and have good grip, it makes the wrapping itself much more easy, and when tightening it does not fall out of place that easily. It will forgive a sloppy job just because it can stay in place almost all the time.

My toddler like to have a lot of fun while sitting on my back, and is very active. Not once did I feel like Bolero Serenity lost it place! 

Also I think its a great wrap for both summer and winter. It did not feel warm when carrying inside, and it feels cosy and like a blanket around us when using it outside in the cold winter. We also like to use the wraps as blankets in the sofa- and this one really did the job when we´re cuddling up together. 

Conclusion: 

- Thin in hand

- Makes small knots, and drapes beautiful

- Very strong

- Very soft

- Beautiful colors with amazing nubs

- Perfect for those who is looking for an all around wrap that fits summer and winter, and likes thin wraps with good grip and that make precisely wrapping jobs.

- Not for those who seek wraps with bounce, a lot of stretch or cush. 

Lovaloom Flora Saphire Prism

Review of Lovaloom Flora Saphire Prism

Pattern: Flora

Name: Saphire Prism

Blend: 87% Pima cotton, 23% Merino wool superfine, Oeko-tex certified.

Thickness: 290g/m2

Released: 02.01.17

Wrapee: 19 months and 14,5 kg.

I was so happy when I got the chance to be a tester for Lovaloom. The brand has been one of my favorite since I started babywearing, and I have tried several of them- always satisfied! 

Lets start being honest- When I first saw Flora Saphire Prism on a photograph, I was not sure if the wrap was totally «me».. I thought it was a bit to much colors, so when I then heard that this was the wrap I was going to test- I was really happy! To be able to test a wrap you maybe would not choose your self- made it a bit more interesting.

I was the first to receive the wrap this journey- and was told to wash it. I was not sure if the wrap was in loom state, or if they just preferred me to wash it. The package arrived, and I literally torned it open. And there it was- love at first sight!  The blue color was just perfect, and the pattern had different colors that matched perfect!

Not to mention the touch of it! I was actually so shocked- this could NOT be in loomstate- and I had to ask one more time, and the answer was yes- it was. 

This is by far the most «soft right out of the box»- wrap I have ever felt! I also have to mention- as all the Norwegians think- including me- THIS is the perfect wrap to match our national costume «bunad». And I was lucky, because my «bunad» match perfect in every way! And looking like our «bunad» - I also felt dressed up just by wearing the wrap. That`s a huge plus! 

Next morning I was ready to try it on. It was washed and ironed. And my first thought trying it was- OH WOW!

It was so soft, and it just wrapped it self. I could not feel any hurting shoulders or back at all. It was a real pleasure to wrap with!  The wrap felt like a bandage, and it was just the perfect amount of stretch for me.

Its 23% Merino Wool Superfine- and it is for me the perfect winter wrap. I felt it as a bit warm when wearing inside the house- but outside it was just perfect for Norwegian weather. We only used two layers of wool on our self, and then wrapped us inside this blanket of a wrap! So comfy!

I´ve had Saphire Prism here for 10 (short) days, and we wore it every day, even some days twice a day. After around a week, I was evaluating my own stash. I was thinking back for the last week to see if there is some wraps I use less then others, and actually- tester or not- its Saphire Prisme that was my first choice every time I needed or wanted to wear my baby boy. I loved the high gsm, the strech, the bounce! And that it did not need a lot of work- it was okey with just a quick up too. The WQ was perfect if you ask me! Another thing I felt was good about this wrap- is that you don´t need to worry about it getting dirty. Ofcourse I did- because it not my wrap- but I was bringing it outside, and even had some ups and downs outside- and I could not see a stain or anything at it. It felt like it was just peeling off! 

I tried FWCC, Rucksack and  several variations of Double Hammock. And Saphire Prism is rocking it all!  
Even nailed a 7 km walk with my LO in a double hammock, and I think that is the longest my shoulders have been carrying him after he became a toddler! And that with no pain for me- and no complains from him! He even lent to my back and rested, enjoying the walk. That´s not normal for us- he is always a very active boy, who want to see and discover everything, jumping up and down on my back.  

If I should recommend, I would say that this wrap is perfect for all ages- but maybe most for a bit older babies and toddlers. It can carry the weight of 14,5 kg with no problem, so this is definitely the wrap you need to have when having a heavier  wrapee . Its also soft even in loomstate- so Im sure it would hug around cute babies with no problem once a bit more broken in. 

I could really recommend this wrap! And also the brand! Im always very pleased with them, both straight from HQ and buying used.

Thank you Christina, for letting me test Flora Saphire Prism.