Trend Watch: Sheepskin in the Nursery

In the last couple of years, we've seen a bunch of photos showing sheepskin rugs in the nursery. Heck, we have sheepskins in both our babies' nurseries. They provide a plush place for baby to roll around on, especially when you've got wood floors underfoot.

From a maintenace perspective, it's a bit more work than turning on the vacuum. The maker of our rugs told us to machine or hand wash your sheepskin in warm water using a mild liquid detergent, dry the sheepskin flat or on a line and stretch to shape while damp, and brush with a wire brush or comb. Anyone else use them as well?

(pic via Nesting Blog)

Comments (17)

I see a trend of granny squares in the nurseries :-)

I like the idea of a sheepskin for baby to play on. Does any one know a place to get a sheepskin that won't cost an and a leg??

Honeyhaze, I really like your nursery. We have the same bedding and mobile. That gnome is so cute and I love that stool by the crib too.

Oops...that should be an "arm" and a leg.

ZMama, we have a few sheepskins in our house. One is an expensive skin from (now-defunct) Caban. Two are inexpensive (around $30) ones from Ikea. Other than the fact that the Caban sheepskin is a bit bigger, they're all pretty much identical and have held up well over the years.

Our baby has one in her bedroom and our puppy has one in his corner. The baby's is considerably cleaner. The dog's looks like it might still belong to a sheep who has been frolicking in a field.

personally, I don't let the baby play on the high-pile sheepskin. We had one in the bedroom, now it's on the bench - it traps everything: hair, dust; and it's hard to keep clean. And I dread the idea of the baby drooling over it, or sucking on it....
I would get a cow, goat, bear skin rug instead.

Zmama, I got the one for my nursery at Costco for a decent price, I think.

Thanks for the tips on where to get the sheepskins, ladies. I really appreciate it!

A couple decades ago it was the trend here in Norway that children were also photographed on them. :) Today I can't think of anyone that doesn't own one. A cheap one (maybe 60 US dollars?) isn't as big as those, but they are the perfect size for placing in the crib or a baby wagon. I have one in my daughters crib and we also have a skinnpose (a skin bag) for the baby twin-wagon and I don't think they're too much of a hassle to clean. Unfortunately if you're worried about allergies (quite alot can get trapped in the fibers quickly) I might pass on this.

I love the granny square blanket!!!!

Have lusted after the one at Boo and the Duck for years, but it is too expensive for me -- much bigger then this one, it too is crocheted on tiny hooks (very tight).

How about a pattern ohdeedo? That would be fun! (the Bu & the Duck one is made with alpaca yarns -- just more info for your consideration)

We have sheepskins too -- they are not good for sleeping, but are good for a cuddle after a bath, or while reading a story. They are a breeze to clean -- something not everyone is aware of.

I gave one to a friend for her firstborn, and found out years later that she threw it out within months because the baby had gotten some pee on it. She didn't realize -- despite the instructions on the back -- that all you do is throw it in the washer on a gentle or wool cycle, and then hang to dry...

Ikea has awesome sheepskins for $19.99!!! They are super soft and plush, and just the right size for a baby to lie on.

Is it really ok to machine wash? Tilda has puked on ours four times already!

kirbylou --

we have both a special baby sheepskin from Germany (which is what I gave my friend) and an IKEA sheepskin. I am afraid that the latter we use on the back of the rocker, and it hasn't needed washing, so I can't guarantee it.

However, I have washed the other one plenty of times (it is sheered, and so the fleece is shorter) as I tend to put it on the changing table (it is nice and comfy after a bath). Although I put a large velour/sherpa cloth under his bum just in case, I wash it anyway.

I put it on the wool setting (we have a European front-loader) and use Eucalan, which you should be able to get in any knitting store or online. We've had it for 5 years (got it for my firstborn), and so it stands up very well to regular washing. Use something high in lanolin so that it does not dry out on you (hence the Eucalan).

Check out the info here:

http://www.chichesterinc.com/Eucalan.htm

The only warning I have is to not forget it in the washing machine... I did that once when we went on a 3 week vacation -- the leather just disintegrated.

I bought mine right from the US importer - US Sheepskin - in Tacoma, WA -- I have gotten several for friends and family that have had babies.... I have to agree, sheepskin is great.

John in Seattle

Sheepskins vary considerably. The sheepskin pictured above is from Gotland sheep, special to regions within southern Sweden. The cheaper versions of sheepskins that you can find at IKEA and other retailers are a different breed, usually white in color and not the super curly, gray / black / white version like above. These Gotland sheepskins can be washed in the washing machine and line dried and are wonderful for your child's floor as well as in their stroller (which we had when our daughter was small). You can shop for these specialty skins in the U.S. here: http://www.huset-shop.com/huset-gotland-sheepskin-p-256.html

ahh! i just had to stop myself from being an angry blog commenter. instead i'll just calmly point out that a lot of people think sheepskin and babies shouldn't mix (sids). i'm not an expert, but ya might wanna give it a google, at least.