
In the early 1990’s, John and Carolyn Grace moved to Swans Island, off the coast of Acadia National Park in Maine. Traditionally, many of Maine’s islands were used for wool production, and the Graces made the decision to reintroduce the long-established method of wool processing and weaving with their business, Swans Island Blankets.
Using the traditional techniques of artisans before them, and with a dedication to the highest of quality standards, Swans Island Blankets became well known for not only their craftsmanship, but the sheer beauty of their blankets. By 1996, Swans Island Blankets was nationally recognized and won a Smithsonian Blue Ribbon for Craft.
By 2003, with new business partners, the company moved to the mainland, where weaving takes place in a 1780 farmhouse in Northport, not far south of Swans Island. This move, from the sheep to the looms, allowed for a boost in production as well as jobs for weavers and finishers in the Midcoast area. What was originally known as Swans Island Blankets, is now simply named Swans Island, as their output has reached beyond blankets to other woven goods, including scarves and wraps. Swans Island also sells their yarn and a number of knitting patterns.
The production process is almost as graceful as Swans Island’s final product: First, the wool is carefully chosen, each blade of grass removed from the fleece by hand, then gently washed (in order to retain the inherent lanolin), and then spun. As synthetic dyes are derived from petroleum, Swans Island only uses natural dyes produced from living things. With a multitude of variables (from the water’s mineral content, to the time of year the dye-producing plant was grown), the skill involved in the dying technique is an art in its own right. The yarn is then woven on American-made hand looms, using techniques that result in goods that are intended to last many, many years.
With a foundation of authenticity and quality distinction, married with the production of practical, utilitarian goods, Swans Island is a paramount example of the American craft principal and its importance today.
If you’re in the area, you can visit the Swans Island studio in Northport, Maine. Otherwise, their products are available for order on their website.
Above: Domestic Corriedale Wool Blankets, starting at $595