Fluff is for February!
“I always try to balance the light with the heavy – a few tears of human spirit in with the sequins and the fringes.”
Dear One,
Sometimes something crops up in the midst of a difficult season to lift your spirit and make you smile. When I was growing up, I thought my mom was brilliant to have given birth to my brother and sister in February and March, respectively. February and March are long (okay, emotionally long in February's case) months in Minnesota and it was fabulous to have two guaranteed celebrations on the calendar to get us through.
Now, in addition to celebrating my fabulous siblings, I have an annual cousins gathering---Snow Weekend---to look forward to in February. Fifty or sixty of us (yes, I know that's a lot) gather each year at this time in a huge log cabin. We hug, we laugh, we play games, we listen to one another's stories, we eat a lot and sleep a little.
If you live anywhere wintry---even if you love doing wintry things---I think you need to bring some light and joy to February. For such a short month, it can be a lot to deal with.
You may have heard me rave about the merits of Fluff yarn by The Wandering Flock before...but I'll bring it up again, because it's the perfect yarn to liven up February. And maybe also March!
Why Fluff? Because it's a dreamy blend of 35% baby suri alpaca/15% wool/50% cotton---which somehow manages to be airy and cozy, warm and light. And the colors! What are we going to make with all of these colors?
What to create with the amazing yarn you just added to your cart? How about Andrea Mowry's new Frost Lines cardi? It's fresh, fun, and will knit up pretty quickly on US 7 (4.5mm) needles. And, yes, there is a non-cropped version included in the pattern for those of us who prefer more coverage from our cardigans!
Not into button bands and their insistence on inviting buttonholes to the party? Meet the Arctic Armor sweater by Park Williams. Top-down garter stitch in the round on US 9 (5.5mm) needles. Mic drop. It's lovely as pictured, and I can also see it with a crisp white tee underneath.
And if you're not feeling any sweater right now, but want to get some Fluff yarn on your needles, check out the Jaunty, also by Andrea Mowry. It's a scarf pretending to be a shawl...or maybe a shawl masquerading as the perfect scarf. Either way, it's ideal February knitting: the stitch is Half-Fisherman's Rib (which takes a couple of minutes to learn, but then becomes comfortingly rhythmic), the shape is a very shallow triangle, no gauge swatch necessary.
The last couple of months of winter require a gentle touch. The days are getting a bit longer, the sun is climbing a tiny bit higher in the sky each week...but it is still February.
Find yourself something you can look forward to (even if you have to manufacture your own fun): bundle up and walk--face up-- in the winter sunshine, read that not-quite-book-club-worthy novel you've been tempted by, and definitely make something with your hands.
If you're busily making resistance hats for everyone you know, bless you! And thank you! If, on the other hand, you're craving a project---go ahead and treat yourself.
Gaby
On-Going Opportunities:
Makers Mornings -- typically the 3rd Saturday of each month
Beginning Crochet Class -- usually once per month on a Thursday afternoon
Beginning Knit Class -- usually once per month on a Thursday afternoon
