Yarnia Tales

Ah, winter. Soon it'll be time to re-visit Yarnia. You know that place with beautiful, colored yarns, some silky, some fuzzy or lumpy or multi-textured. Time to haul out the collection of crochet hooks, knitting needles and afghan patterns.

I'm one of those people who can't resist a ball of yarn. Maybe I'm part cat. But don't let me loose in a yarn store or even the yarn aisle at the local Wal-Mart. There's just something about yarn...

Of course, I'm also an acquisitive person when it comes to other strange oddments like antique and one-of-a-kind crochet hooks. So a store that specializes in both is a double whammy for me. I'm twice as dangerous to my debit card/bank account when I find myself in a store like that. Probably, it's best that there aren't too many of them around here.

I come by my love of yarn and crocheting honestly. One of my earliest memories is watching my mother crochet the edge of a doily. I still have a tiny dress, a wooly shawl, and a baby blanket she crocheted. I also have a picture of me wearing that dress.

Years ago--about thirty years ago--the house hunk had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands. I taught him to crochet so he could keep his fingers moving while he was recovering. Now that was quite a fortuitous thing I did. Since then, he's crocheted numerous bed-sized blankets--at least two for each of our children, grandchildren, parents, and various other objects such as hats, scarves, and shawls.

Yep. If we want to embark on a knitting or crochet project at my house, there's no need to run to the store for yarn. Just look in the closet. There's plenty of skeins in there in just about every color.

Someone suggested I give it all away. But the last time I discussed it with the househunk, he was horrified. He's been infected with the Yarnia bug, too. Instead of giving it away, he hauled a bag of skeins out and started a new project. And it wasn't even winter yet!

anny