Firespiral Pyrula Aqua Vortex
The Basics
Pyrula is a heavy weight wrap weighing in at 312 GSM and is a blend of 25% linen and 75% cotton. It's woven using Firespiral's delicious Alchemy weave, which is slightly looser and makes for lovely soft & mouldable wraps.
The Looks
The sheen of Aqua cotton warp and texture of the linen / cotton weft
I'm a big fan of the Firespiral Aqua warp. It's the clear sea on a sunny day in summer, but on cold days takes on a frosty feel.
The weft is a two-tone combination of cream linen and warm golden cotton that would make Rumpelstiltskin proud! It shimmers like hot sand and gives a beautiful texture to the wrap.
The golden weft has the effect of deepening the Aqua colour, which appears richer and a shade darker than in Pyrula's sister wrap 'Barnacle Aqua Seafoam', which is also woven on the Aqua warp. Pyrula positively glows in low light especially, and brings beautiful shimmering colour to even the dullest day.
Glowing in low light (no filters or funny business!)
I'll be honest and say that the Vortex design wasn't one of the first Firespiral designs to catch my eye when I first discovered the brand. However, having tried them in person, those swirling bubbles have definitely grown on me! They look great however placement falls, and there's no 'upside down'. The design is pretty without being fussy, and the spheres create a nice texture for wrapping.
The Wrapping Qualities
Hunting for apples
So, you've tried heavy weight linen blends before? They're renowned for being 'beastly' and inflexible until you've beaten them into submission right? Think again. There's something magical about Firespiral linen. Sure, it takes a little bit more to get them kitten-belly soft compared to their 100% cotton Alchemy wraps, but nothing like what I've come to expect from other brands. A couple of washes & irons and a few decent uses will have Pyrula buttery soft.
I used to imagine that Firespiral paid pixies to do gymnastics on their linen wraps to soften them up, but was interested to read the actual (slightly less fantastical) reason for that floppiness on their website. They say, "we tend to team together thicker weight yarns with finer ones, and use plied yarn rather than single thickness. These techniques help to give extra volume and weight to a wrap without creating density or inhibiting the movement of the cloth".
This is certainly evident with Pyrula, which feels thick and cushy, while still being flexible. Yes, cushy! Not a word I traditionally associate with linen blends, but Pyrula is completely unlike some other heavy weight linens I've tried and has a real marshmallowy quality in addition to the strength & support you'd expect from a thicker linen blend wrap. Pyrula has a lovely drape from the outset (to give you an idea, the photos were taken on its second outing, after one wash & iron) and does not feel dense or bulky despite the thickness.
Wrapping in an orchard with Pyrula Aqua Vortex
There's no doubt that Pyrula is toddler worthy. After their thicker woolly wraps, Pyrula is one of the most supportive and comfortable Firespiral wraps I've tried. It's very easy on the shoulders and has the airy coolness you'd expect from linen. I can honestly say that carrying my hefty toddler around for 1-2 hours whilst 25 weeks pregnant was really comfortable & I experienced nothing of the shoulder & back twinges I'm getting just now with some other wraps. Once completely broken-in, there's no reason why it couldn't also work for a 'squish' (small baby) with a careful wrap job, although I wouldn't recommend it for a new or inexperienced wrapper with a newborn due to the extra thickness.
I'm testing a size 7 but it'd also make a great shortie. As well as the Double Hammock (DH) carry, I tried it in a Basic Ruck and Pyrula works beautifully in single layer carries as well.
'Tandem' carrying at 25 weeks pregnant!
As you might expect from a thicker wrap, it took a little bit more work to adjust and tighten, and I had to be more precise with my wrapping. However, once in place, it was going nowhere. That textured weft lends grip and it didn't slip an inch during my lengthy toddler expeditions. The knot wasn't huge, but I did feel that Pyrula wraps a bit on the short side, so consider sizing up if you're usually close to your tails (you can see that I was pretty close with woolly jumpers and my 'bump' taking up space!).
Being a linen / cotton blend, Pyrula is super easy-care, machine washable and can be tumble dried and steam ironed, so there's no need to fear using the paler colours on muddy days!
Summary
If you want a cushy, supportive, toddler-worthy wrap, that'll soften up quickly to be buttery soft, Pyrula Aqua Vortex is for you.
If you like the look and sound of Pyrula Aqua Vortex then keep an eye on The Wrapping Years Facebook page where I'll be giving away the wrap in these photos, thanks to those generous Firespiral ladies, very soon!
Pyrula is, at the time of writing, available to buy on the Firespiral Website.
Happy Halloween!
