Honeysuckle plaid carthenni CPN48

 

The Welsh word carthen is a fairly generic name meaning , simply cover. Welsh famillies have grown up using it to mean various types of blankets, quilts & covers. Mostly , however, it has become synonimous with a particular pattern produced by a handful of mills in the Gwili Valley. Woven in huge numbers in the 1950s` & with fringes along both sides, they were given as wedding presents & birthday presents . Sold in markets such as Swansea & Cardigan, Stalls such as Megan Jones` in Carmarthen & back packed round cities such as in Swansea & cardiff.

 

Emotive textiles ; they are remembered with fondness by generations people in Wales. Used to cover beds & often as nursing shawls too. There is a whole generation of 50 somethings that recall cwtching up in a carthen as a child.

 

A characteristic reverse twill creating a chevron pattern in the plaid design. They were woven at Gwmgwilli, Gwilli Mill, Elfed & later at DERW ( sister to Gwili in the 1960s`).

 

This blanket , minus the fringes has been faithfully reproduced in the Gwilli valley using the same loom that wove it half a century ago. With a contemporary new colourway of Honey suckle hues & finished with blanket stitching either end.

 

Measuring 90" x 84" ( 225cm x 210cm) .

 

 

Machine washable on a wool cycle.