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Let cozy quilts and blankets whisk you to faraway lands
BY GENEVIEVE RAJEWSKI
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Autumn’s turning LEAVES and brisk air are two of the reasons why many Bostonians could never imagine living anywhere else. Still, when you’re cheering through chattering teeth at a Patriots game, you just may wonder why you submit yourself to such punishing weather. Before you move to Miami (where the Pats recently delivered a big chill), try a vicarious relocation instead. Imported quilts and blankets can both warm you up and evoke a change of scenery — all without compromising your New England citizenship. At Irish Imports, hundreds of imported handwoven and machine-made blankets tower in stacks. ("Fortunately, they’re soft piles, so if they tip over, you’re unlikely to be injured," jokes co-owner Virginia Greenblatt.) Available in mohair or wool, knee rugs ($55–$85) are small blankets perfect for taming the shivers while you wait for your radiator to fire up. Larger, sturdier travel rugs ($70–$145) earned their name back when they were used in Irish wagons; today, they would serve you well at a tailgate party or picnic. The mohair blankets come in a bold palette of reds, pinks, oranges, and purples. The wool blankets come in both earth tones and vibrant hues, but their richer yarns give them a tweedy feel. At Nomad, imports from the Far East and south of the border also channel warmer climes. "This year, we have a lot of what I call ‘people’s blankets,’ or ones that were made not for tourism but for everyday use," says owner Deb Colburn. Need something to snuggle under on the sofa? Look to cotton blankets handwoven on Myanmar family looms ($38). Although lightweight, they’re quite warm, with a pattern that resembles tartan. Imported from Mexico, Nomad’s campesino blankets ($38) are also a perfect cure for chilly evenings. Made from cotton and acrylic and similar in appearance to vintage Hudson Bay blankets, these "farmer blankets" impart the coziness of polar fleece. Nomad also carries a wide selection of ralli quilts ($550), which are imported from the Sindh region on both sides of the India/Pakistan border. Patched together from pieces of vintage fabric (typically from the 1940s through ’60s), the quilts feature minuscule running stitches and tribal embroidery that give them an amazing texture. "Women create the quilts as a group and as a village activity," says Colburn. "They sing traditional village songs that have been passed down from one generation to another." The quilts then are used for everyday purposes or (if more luxurious) given as a dowry. To inject some artificial sun into autumn’s dreary mornings, look to Madura, which sells imported French quilts in hues straight out of Provence. The Anjou quilt ($174–$223.50) has scalloped edges and a toile pattern in red or blue, while the Caraibes quilt ($232.50–$298.50) is a masterpiece in shades of orange and gold. The Hudson quilt ($214.50–$279) features small flowers on a blue, red, gold, or ivory background. And thin gold stripes jazz up a Trinidad quilt ($195–$256.50) in red or orange. Where to find it: • Irish Imports, 1737 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 354-2511; www.irishimportsltd.com. • Madura, 144 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 267-0222; www.madurahome.com. • Nomad, 1741 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 497-6677; www.nomadcambridge.com.
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