A Lesson In Justification
July 14, 2009
My plan for the visit to the Calgary Stampede was very simple: visit the Buffalo Gold booth, buy something pretty of their bison fibre, and that is it. I bought some lovely bison/nylon mix, enough to make a dark brown pair of winter socks, or a small shawl, or a hat, or mitts. I truly thought my day was over, my money spent, indulgence complete. However in the sheep barn I ran into the lady who owns www.springharvestfarm.ca. This farm is near Edmonton, in Stoney Plain AB, and they raise mohair and angora goats.
I’m insufficient on the facts, but there is a difference in mohair, mohair from different animals that is. I bought a skein of mohair/wool that is not as fuzzy as the mohair you are used to. I really didn’t have a choice, this stuff was so beautiful, the only miracle is I didn’t try and buy all of it. The yarn is soft, really soft, plus the incredible dye job mixing green, turqoise, and the white of the natural colour is out of this world. I immediately found a pattern and cast on for a cosy hat:
The pattern, which is also my new favorite hat is found at http://parallaxknitting.com/russian-princess-in-exile/. The designer is from Saskatoon, and she understands winters up here. I love that it covers my ears, and I can pull it all the way down to below my eyebrows for those -40 oC days:
I have enough yarn leftover to make a kids one for one of my nieces for Christmas. I’m currently planning on making a few of these for Christmas gifts for some of my friends as well, I love it that much!
Here is the justification part: if you buy yarn that you weren’t planning on, make something with one of the skeins right away, which totally means it made sense to buy all that yarn in the first place. Totally.
I like the hat on you. I have completely worn mine out, but it definately has one of the most important elements for a real winter — good forehead coverage.
What a great find! Its a lovely color and matches your eyes very well.
that hat rocks the free world.
You have more hats then all of Santa’s elves combined
I met that lady too, the one with all the thrums? Awesome yarn but I had just visited Buffalo Gold so I didn’t purchase. Must tell you about my visit to Buffalo Gold!! 
(future blog post)
I couldn’t have resisted those colors either. I’ll bet the mohair makes it extra warm too!
That is an awesome hat! Am checking out the pattern in a minute.
I will remember your justification. I have to say that I only regret the yarn I’ve bought and not knit up, so you may be right!
Just downloaded the pattern, and what do you know, it’s for bulky yarn! I happen to have some LOVELY CANADIAN bulky wool yarn a friend gave me. Happy Day! Thanks again, Anne!