Knitting Season

I live in Manitoba Canada. If you've never been here in winter you are missing out. Sometimes in the middle of January, the icy winds blow from the arctic, and the temperature drops into the -30s Celcius, but the wind makes it feel like -40s. Yes, it's so cold your nose hairs freeze together when you breath. But it's best not to have your nose exposed to that kind of cold.

As I right this, the temperature is -28C, with a windchill of -39C. Some might say that is too cold. But I say the temperature is just right.... for knitting!

There is only one project that can truly satisfy a knitter in this kind of weather and that is a warm pair of mittens. Have I mentioned how much I love to knit mittens? None of this fingerless mitt crap either! No way. You'll get frost bite in under a minute if you try that here. Even regular single layer mittens are not enough to keep out that biting wind. Some people prefer double layer mittens, like Fiddleheads, or thrummed mittens perhaps. My favorite is felted (or if you're picky about your fibre terminology, "fulled") mittens.


Start with 100% wool (alpaca also works). Knit the mittens much bigger than you need them. Then throw them in the washing machine, in a pillow case, on the hot/cold cycle. Check them often. I knit my cuffs after felting.

I've knit 2.5 pairs of mittens in the last 3 weeks. Very very satisfying! The .5 pair is for my dad, who tragically lost one of his mittens. I knit him a replacement, because he lives in Saskatchewan and it's just as cold over there!

Winter is also a good month for alpacas:


I knit some alpaca goodies for a local alpaca farmer. I hope they like them!

And also spinning! I'm participating (somewhat... with the limited time available) in the SpinDoctor podcast Rare Breed spinning contest, where you spin as many types of rare sheep breed wool as you can before June (also the deadline for my thesis...). I don't think I'm going to be a high scorer, but I'm super interested in spinning different kinds of wool.
I started with some cotswold from Nova Scotia:


and then some Romeldale/California Variagated mutant from Spirit Trail Fiberworks.


I'll try to post more as I go! :) Until then, keep warm (unless you're someplace like California or Florida, in which case, you should come visit and find out what winter is really like ;))

Being a non-consumerist knitter

Did you listen to the radio or watch tv over the holiday at all? If you did, did you notice how everything is all about buy more more MORE?

I hate it. I hate the more, more, more attitude. When is it enough? When does one have enough of something so as not to need more?

One of the main reasons I knit is so that I can be in touch with the process of creating something, preferably something useful for myself or others. I knit a hat for my grandma who is having chemo, to help her to feel a little bit better about herself when she looks in the mirror.

I knit hats for my dad and my brother for Christmas.


I'm knitting mittens for my hubby and I, so that our hands can be warm in the bitter cold of winter on the prairies.

I spin so that I be even closer to very beginning of the process. I have a collection of lovely spindles, which I feel are enough to make the kinds of yarn I want. Quality tools for my craft. I do buy yarn. I do buy roving/top/fleeces. But not uncontrollably and not just because they are pretty and I have to have them.

So am I the only one who thinks it's odd that other knitters and spinners have the more, more, more mentality? I was on ravelry and I saw a post where someone bought a very expensive ball of yarn, and it was met with comments like, "oh you're on your way down the slippery slope", and "welcome to the addiction". (yes this blog is called allison's knitting addiction, but I'm addicted to knitting. not buying yarn.)

I am glad that I have a small yarn stash. As a poor student I have been knitting from my stash a lot more often. That's the key though, KNITTING from STASH. Not just stashing and stashing it away. The yarn I have, could easily be used up by me in a couple of years. I don't really feel the need to buy a lot more.

I've seen similar comments about collecting spindles. One woman in my spinning group even commented that I say I have enough spindles, until I see one that I just have to have and then I'll buy another.

I'm not saying I won't buy another spindle, if I find there is a gap in the usefulness of my current collection. But what is with the pressure from the knitting and spinning community to buy whole rooms full of yarn and pounds pretty roving, and hundreds of spindles. When is it enough? Why won't people accept it when I say I have enough?

I find it very troublesome that a hobby that is so grounded in tradition has succumbed to the consumeristic pressures of modern society. What do you think? Are there other knitters/spinners out there like me?