AVAILABLE NOW AT A SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE
"We were late for the Canada Day Fireworks at St. Alban's, we'd arranged tickets for the BBQ but the weather had taken an unseasonable dip and necessitated a stop at the trunk to grab a blanket. As I unwrapped a particularly fine specimen, I had to do a double take as the scene captured in the yarn was nearly the same as what lay before me. 'It's from the cover of Mark's book' she said. Warm and soft I quickly wrapped it around my shoulders and sprinted towards the riverbank." - Diary of a Glen Shepherd
Our most "Glen" product yet. The Main Street Blanket honours Sykes & Ainley's hometown heritage, creating a cozy modern classic.
Rendered in buttery soft Merino wool, the fully-reversible blanket draws its inspiration from archival imagery showing a historical view of the Village of Glen Williams' Main Street looking towards Prince Street and what is now the Copper Kettle Pub with the Williams Woollen Mill in the background. A horse-drawn carriage delivers barrels of goods while local residents look on.
It is an iconic view, that has changed little over the years. Painted by the Group of Seven's A.J. Casson and a familiar sight to Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery on her frequent dinner visits to friends overlooking the old Sykes & Ainley mill, those who know the Glen will recognize this scene instantly.
For the uninitiated, Glen Williams is a Canadian village at the base of the Niagara Escarpment. It lays in the Credit River valley in the North-West corner of the Greater Toronto-area. A true oasis, the village was built by American Loyalists and home to several Woollen Mills over the years.
The black, white and champagne coloured yarns combine to create a variety of shades and give the blanket an almost sepia-toned quality in tribute to its archival orgins. The quality of the loom means that the woven wool captures the finest of details.
The whole piece is then finished with a whipstitch in snowy white wool for added style and durability. Blankets come packed in a piped and zippered plastic tote for storage in the warmer months.
Designed in Glen Williams and woven in John Sykes' home county of Yorkshire, the Main Street Blanket is made using 100% fully traceable Merino wool from Australia, a true Commonwealth creation.
The blanket is heirloom quality, manufactured by the family-owned A.W. Hainsworth mill, using wool certified by the Responsible Wool Standard—a voluntary standard that addresses the welfare of sheep and the land they graze on.
A portion of the profits from this blanket will support the work of The Campaign for Wool in Canada and its parent organization, The Canadian Wool Council.
Additional Specifications
190 cm by 120 cm / 74.8" by 47" inches
100% RWS Merino Wool
Designed in Glen Williams, Canada
Made in the United Kingdom
Social Impact
A portion of the profits from this Sykes & Ainley item will go to supporting the work of The Campaign for Wool in Canada and its parent organization The Canadian Wool Council (CWC). The CWC is a Canadian non-profit organization devoted to supporting Canada's wool growers and educating consumers on the wonders of wool.