It's 10C today. This is somewhat odd for our climate. We've had an incredibly warm fall and have had no snow to date...none. Not even freezing rain. Usually by this time, we've had one or two days where the school buses are cancelled. I'm not complaining. I know the snow is coming. In fact, the weather network says that we'll see it mid week. I have my snow tires on. I bought new winter barn boots. Our cut firewood is piled and ready. When the cold and the snow come, we'll likely be living with it for 4-5 months, so I will count my blessings for the extra time to prepare.
There's no obligations today that we need to leave home for. I picked a couple jobs that needed to be done and we worked as a family to get them done. One job was to replace the mailbox post that was run over by the guy that delivered our logs last month. That was a rather big job, but it's done!
Now our day is meant for relaxation. Comfy clothes, hot chocolate. I've got some handspun yarn soaking in preparation for handpaint that I might get to later. We might watch some of Season 1 of The Waltons that I brought home from the library. Family is coming for supper...picking up Chinese food on the way. Total relaxation is on the agenda!
I am knitting a very simple, long scarf in 100% alpaca of the highest quality. In Canada's grading system, this quality is known as "Grade 1", but internationally, the fibre used in this yarn would be called "Royal Baby". Whatever it's called on paper...you can just refer to it as "holy cow, that's soft".
I tend to knit pretty simple patterns because I'm not a very advanced knitter. However, this scarf is absolutely beautiful in it's simplicity. As I was knitting it, and thinking that it was such a simple pattern (knit 3 and purl 1 in 2 combinations, that's it!) and yet, the outcome was such a gorgeous scarf.
In reality, it is the yarn that makes this scarf a classic beauty that, with proper care will serve someone for a lifetime. It will become softer with wear as the fibres in the yarn relax and bloom. The rich natural colour of the fibres will not fade over time. The same scarf pattern, if knit in a cheap, manmade fibre would simply not produce a classic piece.
Knitting is labour intensive. If you knit, you do because you enjoy it. But it's your labour, your skill, your time. Choose beautiful yarns made from natural fibres to create timeless classic knitwear.
