we have a new bedspread. it's worth noting. we have been waiting on it for about a year now... it is our housewarming gift from my dad. apparently he was watching martha stewart one morning last fall and saw a segment about swan's island blankets and thought they sounded fabulous. he asked us to choose one to be made, and now it has been made, and has arrived. (he said he was going to get one for himself too, but then said he was waiting until the cat died, but, after seeing ours, he didn't seem so sure he wanted to wait. i don't think he'll kill a cat for it, but i don't think he's going to wait to get his either.)
it is really lovely. we were ooohing and aaahing over the way it came packaged -- in this big linen envelope bag with cedar slats slid into fabric pockets on three sides. there is also a pocket on the front with a card inside with multiple "to/from/date" blanks, intimating that the blanket will outlive many humans. if you saw the price tag on the blanket, you'd be comforted by that possibility, too.
another tag attached to the blanket was letterpressed on handmade paper. no detail unfussed over!
we got a lighter weight blanket and even the lighter weight goes a long way towards keeping you warm. i would say this, over a comforter and sheet in the winter, and just this and the sheet in the summer, and it'll be perfect either way. we put it on the bed last night and were amazed at how "tucked in" we felt.
it is, undoubtedly, an heirloom item. no cheetos in bed in our house from now on. no more guacamole guns either.... and no nyquil wrestling.