My husband and I watch TV almost every night and love lounging in the family room, so we take throw pillows and blankets seriously. If we find a blanket we like, we buy the same thing over and over. Barefoot Dreams’ cozy blankets are our longtime favorite and obsession; however, they were a bit too casual for our formal living room. There were several contenders, but this Cross Blanket from Pia Wallen was the final winner.
Boy - I had been eyeing this blanket for many years until I finally decided to get one. I would’ve bought this sooner, but finding a retailer in the US is so hard. Most people order from Nordic Nest, an online retailer of various Scandinavian products. Although Nordic Nest ships to the US, the free shipping minimum is $199, and they also charge a foreign transaction fee, so it wasn’t the most ideal retailer of my choice.
I’ve thought about getting other popular designer blankets like Gucci or Hermes but at the end, decided against it because they felt a bit too ostentatious. Every interior designer that stages homes for sale seems to be draping a Hermes throw around a couch, and I didn’t feel like doing that at my own house. Then I thought of Pia Wallen! I ended up buying 2 Pia Wallen blankets in 2 different sizes and colors to meet the free shipping minimum. It turned out to be a great purchase because the quality and design are much better than I expected.
According to Pia Wallen,
“The Cross Blanket is related to our world-famous Crux Blanket which was introduced in 1991. The design is inspired by the values that a cross represents. In Swedish folk art tradition, the cross is a strong symbol for hope. It has remained an important symbol within Pia Wallen’s work over the years. This blanket is produced in collaboration with a Swedish company manufacturing the finest organic cotton from their own fields in Peru since 1986”.
The blanket is made of 100% organic cotton; however, it requires dry cleaning. I was actually really surprised to learn that this blanket is made of cotton instead of wool or cashmere blend because the fabric does not feel like cotton at all. The weaving and texture resemble those of wool blankets, so I was expecting to dry-clean them from the get-go. The wool-like texture makes these blankets more formal and structured than Barefoot Dreams blankets which are much softer and cozier. FYI, Barefoot Dreams’ blankets are made of 100% polyester, so I definitely recommend them for more casual uses as they wash incredibly well.
The Cross Blanket is available in 2 sizes - Small and Large, and you can choose from a myriad of colors. Some colors do sell out, like Black, Grey, Camel (beige - it’s the color I got!), and Marine Blue (deep navy).
I bought one large blanket in Camel and a small blanket in Orange.
The larger size measures 150 x 250 (cm), and it is large enough to be used as a coverlet for a queen-sized bed.
The orange color is more of a vivid, flaming orange-red. It complements the neutral Camel color when layered together, and I think it looks really nice against my sectional.
The smaller size (orange color) measures 75 x 125 (cm).
The blankets are reversible.
I just love the stitching on the edges. They add charming little finishing touches around the blanket and serve a practical function by preventing the edges from fraying.
My husband and I watch TV almost every night and love lounging in the family room, so we take throw pillows and blankets seriously. If we find a blanket we like, we buy the same thing over and over. Barefoot Dreams’ cozy blankets are our longtime favorite and obsession; however, they were a bit too casual for our formal living room. There were several contenders, but this Cross Blanket from Pia Wallen was the final winner.
Boy - I had been eyeing this blanket for many years until I finally decided to get one. I would’ve bought this sooner, but finding a retailer in the US is so hard. Most people order from Nordic Nest, an online retailer of various Scandinavian products. Although Nordic Nest ships to the US, the free shipping minimum is $199, and they also charge a foreign transaction fee, so it wasn’t the most ideal retailer of my choice.
I’ve thought about getting other popular designer blankets like Gucci or Hermes but at the end, decided against it because they felt a bit too ostentatious. Every interior designer that stages homes for sale seems to be draping a Hermes throw around a couch, and I didn’t feel like doing that at my own house. Then I thought of Pia Wallen! I ended up buying 2 Pia Wallen blankets in 2 different sizes and colors to meet the free shipping minimum. It turned out to be a great purchase because the quality and design are much better than I expected.
According to Pia Wallen,
“The Cross Blanket is related to our world-famous Crux Blanket which was introduced in 1991. The design is inspired by the values that a cross represents. In Swedish folk art tradition, the cross is a strong symbol for hope. It has remained an important symbol within Pia Wallen’s work over the years. This blanket is produced in collaboration with a Swedish company manufacturing the finest organic cotton from their own fields in Peru since 1986”.
The blanket is made of 100% organic cotton; however, it requires dry cleaning. I was actually really surprised to learn that this blanket is made of cotton instead of wool or cashmere blend because the fabric does not feel like cotton at all. The weaving and texture resemble those of wool blankets, so I was expecting to dry-clean them from the get-go. The wool-like texture makes these blankets more formal and structured than Barefoot Dreams blankets which are much softer and cozier. FYI, Barefoot Dreams’ blankets are made of 100% polyester, so I definitely recommend them for more casual uses as they wash incredibly well.
The Cross Blanket is available in 2 sizes - Small and Large, and you can choose from a myriad of colors. Some colors do sell out, like Black, Grey, Camel (beige - it’s the color I got!), and Marine Blue (deep navy).
I bought one large blanket in Camel and a small blanket in Orange.
The larger size measures 150 x 250 (cm), and it is large enough to be used as a coverlet for a queen-sized bed.
The orange color is more of a vivid, flaming orange-red. It complements the neutral Camel color when layered together, and I think it looks really nice against my sectional.
The smaller size (orange color) measures 75 x 125 (cm).
The blankets are reversible.
I just love the stitching on the edges. They add charming little finishing touches around the blanket and serve a practical function by preventing the edges from fraying.