Baie Slings Trowen Goldspun
The Basics
Baie Trowen Goldspun
Trowen Goldspun from Baie Slings is a medium weight wrap weighing in at 254 GSM and is a blend of 25% hemp and 75% cotton. It's woven using Baie's Plush Weave, a looser weave, which Baie explains "makes for an airy and cushy, very mouldable wrap".
The Looks
Baie Trowen Goldspun
I spotted Goldspun on a rail at the Winter Wovenland event and it was lust at first site! I've long been drawn to the Celtic knot-work inspired Trowen design and Goldspun is one of many stunning colourways that Baie have released the pattern in. There is no 'wrong side' to this wrap, and the pattern is fully reversible (the same whichever orientation the wrap is in). This means that there are no issues with design placement when wrapping, which equates to one less thing to worry about when you're trying to wrap in high winds with an impatient toddler!
Macro shot showing threads, hemming & middle marker
Goldspun is certainly aptly named. It's a rich, opulent combination of shimmering teal blue and pale gold. If you look carefully you can see that the pale gold is actually woven from a combination of two different threads, a yellow gold and a white / ecru colour, which creates the effect of looking as though it's woven from spun gold. I recently learned that Juliette of Baie slings hems all of the wraps herself. Her attention to detail is obvious in the impeccably neat edging to the rails and positioning of the Baie middle marker tag.
I've been 'Baie curious' for some time now. Baie's a U.K. based company born of a family of babywearing artists. They create some beautiful patterns out of natural materials while supporting local businesses. I've been particularly keen to try a hemp blend in Baie's Plush Weave and was curious to know whether the wrapping qualities would do Goldspun's stunning looks justice. I was not disappointed!
The Wrapping Qualities
Baie Trowen Goldspun
Goldspun feels light and airy in hand. Although at 254 GSM it sits squarely in the medium weight category, it feels quite thin, and I was surprised at how pliable it was even before its first wash and iron. Having tried a fair few hemp blend wraps, I'm used to at least a touch of 'straw matting' feel at the outset, and have found one or two hempy beasts that resembled hessian sacking before they'd been tamed! Not a hint of this here. Goldspun is true to Baie's description of their Plush Weave wraps and is mouldable from the outset. Having said that, hemp always responds well to heat, and after two washes and steam irons it was soft and floppy enough that I'd almost begun to question whether it was actually 100% cotton! It was certainly suitable for even a newborn. A good look and feel confirmed that that gorgeous, slightly irregular, hemp texture was still there though. At 25% hemp, Goldspun is a lower hemp content than some hemp blend wraps I've tried, which no doubt contributes to that early moulability. I was eager to know whether the properties of hemp that I've come to know and love would still be evident when wrapping.
Goldspun is very easy to wrap with and suitable for even the most novice wrapper. The passes glide into place smoothly, but the textures of the hemp and the Trowen pattern combine to give sufficient grip for them to hold securely. My knot certainly wasn't going anywhere, in fact I spent some time wrapping at home, finishing effectively with only a half knot.
I wouldn't say that Goldspun's a particularly cushy wrap due to it being on the thinner side. However, it was comfortable on the shoulders (my picky 30-weeks pregnant shoulders at that!), had a nice little bit of bounce, and there was no slippage, digging or drag with even my chunky 21 month old toddler. We were testing a size 6 and tried Double Hammock Tied Under Bum (DH TUB), Double Hammock Rebozo (DHR), Reinforced Ruck with Candy Cane Chest Belt (RRRR CCCB) and Basic Rucksack carries.
The hemp adds strength and Goldspun is nice and supportive. The multiple-pass carries were comfortable even on walks lasting in excess of two hours. If you have particularly picky shoulders however, I'd recommend trying a thicker wrap if you intend to carry heavier children in single-layer carries for extended periods.
Being a hemp / cotton blend, Goldspun is machine washable (at 30 degrees). The care label says not to tumble dry, but it air-dried quickly and can be ironed when damp, so this was no inconvenience. Being light and on the thinner side it got a little bit wrinkled during use, but smoothed out easily when being stored rolled-up (not folded) as per the care instructions.
Summary
Baie Trowen Goldspun
Trowen Goldspun is a great all rounder. It's suitable for newborn to toddler, and novice to experienced wrapper. I recommend it, as a beautiful example of Baie's hemp blend in Plush Weave, if you like thinner medium weight wraps that are easy to wrap with and feel light and airy, but are still sturdy and supportive enough for a heavier wrappee.
Trowen Goldspun is now sold out, but Baie release this popular design in new colourways and blends fairly regularly so keep an eye out! I'll certainly be looking out for more hemp blends from Baie. You can see the full range of Baie's gorgeous in-stock wraps on the Baie website and I recommend liking their Facebook page or joining their mailing list to keep abreast of their news and new releases.
