A few random Sunday thoughts....

Made the trek from Baton Rouge to New Orleans today to visit my parents, and a busy Saturday yesterday, so not much knitting time this weekend. Currently working on a baby blanket for my parent's neighbor, Ruth, a young nurse, who recently gave birth to a fine baby boy, born at home with a midwife. Mom and baby are doing fine. I am quite fond of Ruth, as she has befriended my elderly parents, and gives them a lot of help in her spare time. I am 90 miles away and I highly value her kindness to my folks. She's a good neighbor, and deserves a lovely handmade gift.

This relates to my previous monologue on acrylic for kids. When I was done with that post, having acrylic-prejudice on the mind at the moment, I realized that I forgot to include cotton and microfiber yarns as great yarns, especially for kid's things. This particular bambino is getting a blanket made in Lion Brand's microfiber yarn. Very soft, warm, and infinitely washable.

I'm also quite fond of the inexpensive cottons available at Wal-Mart, etc., when making kid's things, especially blankets. Worsted cottons make a nice snuggly blanket to use during the mild-weather months, especially for those of us who don't live in the deep-freeze zone.

This brings me to thoughts about WOOL and climate. Far too many people think wool is unsuitable for Southern climes and often choose acrylic or cotton instead.

Fact: cotton does not keep one warm, especially on a chilly, rainy, windy, highly humid New Orleans winter day in a drafty 100-year-old house designed to let heat OUT. Cotton absorbs humidity, and wearing a cotton sweater on a dank, rainy day is not unlike wrapping yourself in a wet towel.

Fact: in a pullover sweater for an adult -- or in many other garments -- acrylic does not breathe. Wool does.

Fact: a Lopi pullover is MUCH too warm to get much use in the Deep South.

Fact: a sport-weight wool sweater will keep one warm in the above-mentioned drafty old house, and will cheerfully shed the chill rain and sleet that means "winter" in South Louisiana.

I have other fish to fry tonight (literally), but more thoughts on the South and wool shall follow in a subsequent post.

Best,

Mambocat