Happiness in a pleather jacket

Yesterday was International Day of Happiness. Is this the first one? I’ve never even heard of it before, but I like it. Yes, I’m a day late, but I really want to slap up a quick post!

Knitting: the colder months

From left: Patons Rainbow (8 ply acrylic), Patons Zhivago (acrylic and tencel) and Katia Degrade “Sun” (100% cotton), which I’m using to knit a neck warmer (short scarf thingy).

Winter has suddenly hit Melbourne, with maximum temperatures in the mid-teens each day, and as this is my first winter as a vegan knitter, I’m facing a few challenges.

There are not many pastimes, in Melbourne, that are quite as cold as standing at a tram stop in a chilly, early-morning breeze. So, when I reached for one of my favourite handknitted neckwarmers last week, and remembered it was made of WOOL, I had a little moment of panic. Would I wear it and feel sad whenever I looked at it, or go without it and freeze. I chose to wear it, and work out a replacement as soon as possible.

Vegan knitting in warmer weather is easy—there are so many lovely cotton and bamboo yarns around, but unfortunately, in the winter months there aren’t too many really lovely alternatives to wool.