Lambs & Ivy is a well-recognized and respected designer and manufacturer of baby crib bedding and accessories, available at national chains and baby specialty stores throughout the United States and at a wide assortment of internet retailers. Whale's Tale crib bedding, first introduced to consumers in early 2005, presents an interesting alternative to those who are seeking a sea life theme for their nursery décor, a surprisingly under populated theme based upon my research of competing products offered by major manufacturers. Whales Tale appears to strike a reasonable balance between quality and price, representing a good value at between 5 and 0 for a six-piece crib set.
Whale's Tale is sold as a six-piece crib set including a quilt, bumper, fitted sheet, crib skirt, valance, and diaper stacker. The fitted sheet and valance are also available for separate purchase. The Whale's Tale collection is made from 100% cotton and is machine washable - a very practical advantage. The typical assortment of coordinating accessories are available to fill out the nursery: musical mobile, wall border, wall decorations, pillows, blankets, lamp and shade, hamper, and rug. An interesting accessory, not available with many other crib bedding collections, is a child sized upholstered rocking chair, a nice touch to make an older sibling feel a part of the new nursery.
Baby Crib Sets
The Whale's Tale collection features soft velour whales on the quilt, bumper, and other accessories. There are also appliquéd fish, seahorses, and octopi swimming throughout the collection. The "ocean" is made from a printed light blue striped fabric and blue terrycloth. Printed fabrics are of a lesser quality than woven fabrics, however I think that the addition of the terrycloth adds a unique aspect to the collection. Moreover, the Ocean/Sea Life theme used in Whale's Tale is relatively uncommon in the crib bedding industry.
The bumper stands 9" tall with ties on the top and bottom. A slight drawback of the bumper is the fact that it comes as one continuous piece, as opposed to being broken up into two, three, or even four pieces. The crib skirt has a 13" drop to complete the look of the set. The fitted sheet is a light purple/lavender color with the sea animals printed onto the sheet. Due to the fact that the sheet is a printed fabric, I would caution a buyer to be aware that the pattern could fade or wear more quickly than would be the case with a higher quality woven fabric; I would recommend that consumers purchase separate solid colored sheets for every day use (white or pale blue should work just fine), and reserve the Whale's Tale sheet for when you want to show off your nursery to visitors. The valance measures 14" by 70" and comes in the rod style. The diaper stacker can hold up to three dozen diapers.
Because Whale's Tale merchandise is assembled in the United States, it can be particularly appealing for Canadian customers purchasing from a US retailer. It can be shipped to Canada duty-free, thereby avoiding charges of 17% or more of the purchase price that apply to bedding manufactured in China or India.
My research indicates that alternatives in the Ocean/Sea Life theme category are limited when it comes to the major national brands. You might be interested in Lilly by Glenna Jean, which is significantly pricier, or a number of patterns offered by California Kids, which are also higher priced. As it frequently happens, if Whale's Tale is successful with consumers, other manufacturers will quickly come out with new collections to fill out the category.
