Firespiral Serendipity Cirrus
The Basics
Daddy wearing Firespiral Slings' Serendipity baby wrap
Sometimes the most wonderful things happen by accident! This was the case with Serendipity, which was woven using Firespiral yarns intended for another pattern on their Cirrus warp. Someone at the mill pressed the wrong button somewhere and out it popped! This beautiful machine woven wrap is 50% cotton, 42% viscose & 8% linen. It's in the region of 220 GSM which makes it a thin wrap.
The Brand
Firespiral Slings' Serendipity baby wrap
Firespiral is a British company, founded by two babywearing mothers, who design their own jacquard woven wraps in-house. They are inspired by "the universal patterns in nature that stray into both science and myth; the magical way in which we are connected to the world and its rhythms". Firespiral use small, local producers and suppliers wherever possible, and have a strong focus on ecological and ethical production.
The Looks
Close-up shot showing natural light filtering through the loose, open weave & the different colours in the yarns.
A few weeks ago I was hovering around the Firespiral stall at the Midlands Baby Carrying Convention (MBCC). As I lovingly fondled their upcoming releases I spotted, hanging out at the end of the rail like a wall flower at a school disco, a beautiful natty (natural coloured) wrap without any design as such. Something about the texture and the way it hung on the rail caught my eye, so I begged the lovely Tamsin of Firespiral to let me test and review it.
'Macro' shot showing the weave pattern
Serendipity looks rustic, textured and earthy. Although there's no obvious pattern, the weave is far from plain. Instead, you can see a succession of little waffle-like squares. The yarns in this tri-blend are distinctly different, varying in thickness from fine to quite chunky. This adds definition and a lovely texture to the weave.
The colour is certainly not uniform either. Although it's tricky to photograph, the yarns vary subtly from ecru to a pale cream, with tiny flecks of natural brown. I love the resulting natural creamy stone colour, as does my husband, but it's also the perfect dye blank if you want to create something unique.
The Wrapping Qualities
Firespiral Slings' Serendipity baby wrap
In hand, Serendipity feels light and thin with a beautiful floppy drape. It's very soft from the outset and requires no breaking in, but the weave and the tri-blend yarns of differing thicknesses give a the wrap a lovely texture.
Serendipity is extremely easy to wrap with. It glides into place, is very forgiving of sloppy wrap jobs (not that we ever do those of course!), ties teeny knots (& makes a super thin CCCB!) and yet has the grip to hold really well. My husband, who's only just started wrapping, confirms that this is an ideal wrap for a new babywearers. Well, he actually said "it was less faff than the others", but that's definitely what he meant!
Now, I know it's a cliché but this beauty really does wrap like a bandage. It's got a considerable amount of diagonal stretch and all the bounce you'd expect from a viscose blend. It's the very definition of mouldable, making it perfect for a newborn or small baby.
The gauzy weave is beautifully open and airy. This, in addition to its pale colour and light weight, make it a wonderful warm weather wrap. In the last couple of weeks, Somerset enjoyed a run of humid, hot weather. Somerset may have enjoyed it but, as a lady genetically predisposed to survival in cooler climes, with no A/C, and carrying a 'few' extra pounds of arctic insulation, I can't say that I did! I used Serendipity in preference to everything else in the house and it made long periods of carrying our three month old (who's started teething already and is going through a developmental leap, which is fun for everyone of course) genuinely comfortable on those hot days and sweaty nights.
Serendipity wouldn't be my first choice of toddler wrap as I like a bit more cushiness on my picky shoulders. I also prefer a little less stretch when carrying a hefty 'load'. Having said that, it does the job for quick ups, although I suggest you'll want a nice tight wrap job in multi-layer passes.
Like most Firespiral wraps, Serendipity is machine washable and easy care. It's quick drying too, so you don't have to worry about it getting grubby or covered in ice cream.
Summary
Firespiral Slings' Serendipity baby wrap
Serendipity really was a fortunate mistake. Light, exceptionally airy, thin & very mouldable, it's the perfect squish wrap especially in warm weather. It's ideal for holidays in the sun and will take up next to no room in hand luggage. It's also great for younger babies, new wrappers and long, stuffy nights at home or in hospital.
I'm told that Firespiral will be releasing this lovely wrap on a 'hem to order' basis through their website in the very near future. Because of the way it came about, I'm not certain whether they have plans (or even can!) re-weave this particular creation, so my advice is to snap it up while you can. It'd make a fab. Father's Day present!
