How the Baaay State Blanket Came to Be

Back in November 2007, inspired by our neighbors, CT and RI, we invited Strickland Wheelock/Wheelock Textiles to one of our monthly meetings to discuss a wool blanket project for Massachusetts. Once the winter passed and the time for lambs was drawing near, shearing began. After several “skirting workshops” the wool was gathered, skirted and graded, then weighed and bagged, with the help of our “stompers”, into 200 lb. bags.

In the meantime, we applied for and received a grant from the Department of Agricultural Resources for marketing purposes.

1,904 lbs of wool was taken to UConn to be shipped out to Faribault, MN for scouring.
By August, 1,087 lbs. of clean wool was back in Millbury, MA at S&D Spinning Mill, Inc. where it was carded and spun. The wool was then sent to Richmand Textiles in South Grafton, MA to be made into our Baaay State Blanket. After finishing, labeling and preparing for market, 240 of our Inaugural Baaay State Blankets arrived on December 23, 2008.

Our blanket program is now in its 12th year with 
new contributors from all over Massachusetts.  

Thank you to our “woolies” and ALL who participated in another successful project. Until next time, BE WARM…