Winter accessories you’ll want to hibernate with.

There is a moment every year when the light begins to soften. The trees along the lanes in Sussex turn copper and gold, the mornings arrive with a trace of mist, and the instinct to slow down returns. It’s the quiet turn of the season, the moment we start to prepare our homes for winter. Quilts are unfolded, fires are lit, and the small rituals of comfort take on a kind of poetry.

This November, we were delighted to see our Camellia Quilt featured in Red Magazine’s beautiful winter issue, in a piece aptly titled “Winter accessories you’ll want to hibernate with.” To be included among the season’s most cherished pieces felt truly special , a recognition of everything we love about our craft: warmth, beauty, and the art of taking time.

At Shades of Cool London, every quilt tells a story, one that begins far away, in the heart of Jaipur, where our artisans block print by hand in the morning light. Wooden blocks, hand-carved with intricate floral motifs, are pressed into natural cotton with a rhythm that feels timeless. Layer by layer, the pattern emerges, sometimes perfectly, sometimes with the gentle variation that marks true handwork. Once printed, the cotton is stitched and quilted by hand, creating that light, cloudlike texture that makes our pieces so comforting to live with.

When I unwrap a new shipment in Sussex, the scent of the cotton and the faint trace of Jaipur’s sun always come with it. It’s a moment that bridges two worlds, the warmth of India and the softness of the English countryside, meeting in one folded piece of cloth.

The Camellia: A Bloom of Hope

Among all our designs, the Camellia Quilt has a special place in my heart. The camellia is one of the first flowers to bloom in the New Year, a gentle symbol of endurance and hope. When the garden is still asleep, its bright petals push through the frost, reminding us that colour and life always return.

I wanted that sense of renewal to be woven into this quilt, the first blush of yellow and soft greens against an ivory background, like the promise of spring whispered into winter. When I first saw it featured in Red Magazine, surrounded by other cosy treasures, it felt serendipitous. The camellia, after all, is more than just a flower; it’s a message of resilience and quiet optimism, something we could all use a little of in the darker months.

Preparing for Winter

As the days shorten, I find myself doing what I imagine generations have always done: making home ready for winter. Folding away the lighter linen throws, layering the beds with quilts, stacking firewood, and making sure there’s always a candle ready to light at dusk. There’s something grounding about these small domestic rituals. They remind us that comfort doesn’t need to be complicated, that a well-made quilt, a soft lamp, and a pot of tea can transform an evening. A quilt becomes not just a layer of warmth, but a quiet invitation to rest.

Our cotton quilts are designed for this rhythm of life, breathable enough to use through the seasons, reversible for a change of mood, and easy to care for. They’re equally at home draped across a bed, folded at the foot of a sofa, or wrapped around your shoulders on a chilly morning.

Our Sussex Stockists

While our quilts begin their journey in Jaipur, they find their home in Sussex and I am endlessly grateful to the local shops that share them with their own communities. You can find Shades of Cool London quilts at Circus in Midhurst, a beautifully curated boutique full of design treasures; at The Little Shop of Smiles, which radiates joy and colour in everything it does; and at Clinic51 in Duncton, a beautiful women’s wellness space where comfort and calm are at the heart of everything. Each of these spaces reflects what we value most; craftsmanship, community, and care. To see our quilts nestled among other thoughtful creations feels deeply meaningful; it reminds me that our work doesn’t end when a quilt leaves Jaipur or Sussex, it continues in the homes and hands that choose it.

A Gift That Lasts

As the festive season draws near, I often think of quilts as the most timeless of gifts. They’re given to newlyweds, to friends setting up home or simply to oneself, as an act of comfort. A quilt is a gesture of warmth that lasts long after the wrapping paper is gone.

Every purchase from Shades of Cool London also helps support the Pink City Rickshaw Company, a social initiative in Jaipur that empowers women from low-income backgrounds by training them as tour guides and entrepreneurs. It’s a cause close to my heart, a way to give back to the city that brings so much colour and beauty to our collections. So when you buy a quilt, you’re not just bringing warmth into your own home, you’re also helping sustain craftsmanship and independence for women halfway across the world.

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The Beauty of Slow Living

I’ve always believed that comfort and beauty go hand in hand. A handmade quilt carries the energy of time, care, and intention, qualities that have become rare in a world that moves too quickly. There’s something deeply human about pausing to make or choose something slowly. In every stitch, every block print, there’s a heartbeat, a reminder that artistry still has a place in everyday life. So as winter settles over Sussex, I find myself grateful for the rhythm it brings. The logs crackling in the hearth, the soft weight of a quilt at night, the morning light filtered through linen curtains, all small, quiet moments that make a house feel alive.

A Soft Invitation

Whether you discover our quilts in Red Magazine, in a local Sussex shop, or on our website, my hope is that each piece brings you a sense of warmth and ease. The Camellia Quilt in particular feels like a message for the season ahead, a reminder that even in the coldest months, beauty blooms.

So as winter approaches, take time to make your home ready; layer, soften, light, and rest. Surround yourself with things made by hand, with intention, and with love. Because when the world outside grows still, a beautiful quilt can do more than warm you it can remind you of everything that endures.

Discover our Quilt Collection here