So todays Object Highlight, selected by our Income Generation and Retail Officer Andrea.
The power of the blanket!
Today the Scandinavian concept of Hygge has well and truly infiltrated our culture, the idea is to make an environment in your home that cultivates a feeling of warmth and comfort, both physically and emotionally as a way to help cope with the cold and dark winters. As the night draw in and a chill descends, there’s no better way to warm up and get that cosy feeling than wrapping a comforting blanket around yourself to snuggle into.
Within the museum collection we have some fine examples of woollen blankets that were made here at Salters Mill. Described as travel rugs, they were made for use during leisure time, on a day out travelling in a car that didn’t have a heating system anywhere near as efficient as todays vehicles. These blankets were sturdy and robust making a warm and comfortable surface to sit upon while having a picnic and enjoying the views once the destination had been reached.
We have examples in several different colour combinations, some are classic and you could even buy something similar today in cream and green designs. One of our favourites was made in the 1970’s when the designers were allowed to be a bit more experimental with the shades of yarn used and the combination of yellow, pink and blue together with a brown background seems to sum up the era perfectly.
