Yarn with Traditional ideas but a Modern Twist.Forever Green Organic Merino take traditional idea's on colour & plays with tone to produce something refreshing & modern.
September & October is traditionally a time 'Godzone' that the birth rate spikes. I guess it is a combination of having a festive season that also coincides with Summer which brings plenty of new lives to pass at this time of year. My family is no exception with two of my cousins giving birth over the last few weeks.
It has also meant that in the shop we have been busy which clucky nana's getting busy on whipping up last minute gifts for the impending arrival(s). With today's' technology it has meant that more & more expectant parents are opting to find out the sex of their bundle of joy well in advance, great for those who like to be organized, and especially good for those clucky grannies. So as you would expect we have solid sales of Baby Yarn, in pink, blue & white for the 'undecideds'. Honestly it's enough to make me weep.
Why?
For starters, there are so many stunning infant garments available now, in a full range of fashion colours & yet, for some reason, the constraints of blue for boys', pink for girls & white for the unknowns is a hard & fast convention. Even all my powers of persuasion at the coal face can not change Nana's mind. Every now and then I might get one who will 'colour outside the lines' & try lilac, mint or lemon & if they are really going 'abstract', a pastel variegated yarn.
This morning was a classic case in point. I had the most delightful woman in who was visiting from out of town who had made a special trip to hunt us out. She knit for a local market to help supplement her pension & was always on the look out for reasonably priced yarn. "Is that the only 3ply you have?" she inquired pointing at the Baby Blue 3ply we had on sale. It turned out she only knitted 6 different patterns, all in 3ply, and only in blue, pink, lemon & white "I have tried one of those pastel mixes, but I'm not sure about them, ...too modern". Several questions later I ascertained that the patterns she were knitting could in fact be easily knitted up on 4ply (more popular, more readily available & greater likelihood of specials), she looked at me agog & exclaimed "But I have knitted that same jacket pattern in 3ply since my first son was born in 1954!"
A Colour scheme I am sure my customer this morning would never have tolerated!
A wee singlet for my cousind newborn, Fergus.
Not deterred I packed her off with a sample of our 4ply to knit up as a trial. It stunned me that for her, mothers still wanted the same colours & styles. To be fair I have a collection of vintage patterns & the styles of many are timeless classics's, but surely knitters, isn't it time that we updated the colour palette we knitted them in?
Nina's Shrug over the new capped sleeved top purchased to match.
On my completion front, I have finished my nieces Shrug. A sized down version of an adult pattern I had, knitted in the stunning Koigu 4ply Kpppm. I have bought a matching outfit that even a fussy 4 year old should love & made in a yarn that will survive machine washing from a well meaning solo Dad.
My tie front Cardy is also progressing very well, in fact I am really enjoying the knit, an excellent pattern so far, & I am hoping to get it finished when we head away at the end of next week.
Not knitted in any pastel shade, a good rich syrah red for me!
