Wovember

Stop me if you've heard this one.... My sister used to go to a needlepoint store that was half needlepoint and half knitting. It was right around the corner from where she worked. One Christmas, she drew my name in the family exchange and gave me a small needlepoint canvas with all the thread needed to complete it. It was fun, helped pass the time so when I finished, I asked her to take me into the store for another one. While I was looking around for a canvas, I was enchanted by the yarn - but I didn't know how to knit.

Over a couple months' time, I kept going in to look at the yarn. They had a child's Peter Rabbit sweater. It was mostly white with a giant, intarsia Peter Rabbit in the middle of the front. I loved that sweater. They wouldn't let me buy it, "Sorry, that's a shop sweater and we can't sell it. It comes in kit form though."

I said, "I don't knit."

They said, "Honey! We'll teach you." And then signed me up for Saturday morning classes.

I figured that I'd knit one sweater, hate it, and be done. What happened was I got sucked into the world of fiber and let me tell you, I fell hard. Within a couple of months, I was searching for a spinning teacher because I wanted to make my own. Then I started taking any class or workshop I could get myself to (knitting, spinning, weaving). Dyeing came next and voila, 20+ years later, I'm still doing it. I just finished a sweater over the weekend, I have an Etsy shop that sells the fiber and yarns I dye, I'm making plans to travel to a wool show in Maryland next year, and my best friends all share the same passion I do for all things wool.

What's Wovember? It's a way of life. How often do you wear wool and not even think about where it came from? Time to praise sheep and all things wooly. Don't tell me wool makes you itch - you're just not wearing the right kind. It's getting cold and trust me, it's going to be a long, long winter. Go dig out those sweaters, mittens, and blankets. Better yet, dig out that old knitting project that you gave up years ago because "it was just too hard" and have a go again. Find a yarn shop or ask a friend to help you (I LOVE to teach people). There's nothing better than pulling on a hand-knit pair of socks or wrapping up in a luxurious scarf. Keep yourself warm this long winter and praise the sheep!