posted by Lily on knitting

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I mentioned a while ago that I am knitting Kate Davies’ pretty, pretty cardigan, Blaithin (Irish for little flowers), for Abby this winter.  It’s a chance to play with the fair isle technique some more (eeek … still not quite finished my milo tin warmer) but if I’m honest, it was the photos of Miss Davies whizzing along a serene coastline on her traditionally built bicycle, her dear little plaits atop her head, and her creamy skirt billowing out behind her that completely captured my heart.

When I showed Abby, she too loved it.  But wanted it in yellow rather than blue.  So we popped on over to Beaverslide and chose some lovely worsted weight wool – Buttercup for the body, Lake Josephine for the blue, Prairie Fire for the red and Jersey Cream for the background.  We placed our order and sat back and patiently waited.

Modern post is indeed a modern miracle.  Less than 10 days later those thick skeins of wool had travelled from the snowy borders of Montana to Melbourne – from so high up in the Northern Hemisphere to so low down in the Southern Hemisphere.  Makes me shiver and smile at the same time.

Part of me cringes at ordering wool from so far away – oh the wool miles!  But you really must read their story … I just love knowing that the people that sell me their wool, raise their sheep with care and compassion for both their livestock and environment.  They wash, prepare and dye their wool gently and it is mulespun in a 19th century mill.  There’s so much to love about their story and I am happy to support their family run business … from all the way down here.

And here’s the most heartwarming part of this story.  Our wool arrived yesterday … oooh I was so excited ’cause the shawlette was coming off the needles and I would be able to cast on that night.  I ripped open the bags, tumbled our lovely wool out onto the sofa, and looked at the soft, winter green yarn sitting there amongst the yellows, blue, and cream. No Prairie Fire – no red.  I checked my order.  Yep – I’d ordered Prairie Fire.  This here green was called Prairie Sandreed.  An easy mistake.

No probs – I thought – I’ll just email the Beaverslide folk and let them know.  And then I checked the Blaithin pattern – which if you have, you may already know what I had forgotten. GREEN!!!!  Soft winter green!!!!!!  How funny is that :-) Yes, I still needed the red, but it was one of those funny moments when even though we are forgetful and things don’t go quite to plan, the universe is still looking after us.  Leanne, all the way over there in Montana had inadvertently put the perfect green into my order instead of red.  How wonderful is that.

I ordered the Prairie Red and then emailed Leanne to let her know.  She sent me a lovely reply – we shared a giggle and were both pleased with how our lemons had turned into lemonade.

Her from way up there in the snowy north of the northern hemisphere.  Me from way down here in the drippy south of the southern hemisphere.