The Bonus Day

Even Winnipeg doesn’t expect snow in early October. The weather report predicted flurries, so I packed on Friday with confidence. Early the next day, we headed to the airport—in about 4-5 inches of snow. No plowing had happened overnight, because nobody had expected a storm yet! We still have green leaves on all the trees!

So, the professor and I made it just fine to the airport (15 minutes away, as compared to the 70 miles we had to go to Nashville when we lived in Kentucky) and I cheerfully joined the long lines. About an hour and a half later, it became clear I wasn’t going anywhere. Apparently a plane had gone off the runway the night before in the slippery conditions, and only one runway was working.

The booking agent looked relieved when I just asked if I could have a “do over” for Sunday. I called the professor again, bought myself a cup of tea and a couple of t-shirts for relatives, and went home at 9AM to spend the day at home.

Since I was all packed and ready to go, the day was there to enjoy! We took a long walk, had lunch at a nice neighborhood bistro, and I took a nap. I knit. I cuddled with dogs. All in all, a great break.

Today, I got to the airport bright and early (on completely dry and clear streets), took a mostly empty flight to Ottawa, and now I’m waiting for the next leg of my trip to DC. It’s been a peaceful trip so far. Sometimes, it’s just better to try again later.

I promised that every post for a while would have a bit of Knit Green in it, and here’s today’s. A year ago, at this time, I was knitting up the Spire Smock sample for the book. When I chose the color of the yarn, I had to think—what would look good in the photography? Would the color be appealing to knitters? I looked at the Vermont Fiber Company’s O-wool classic color card over and over. I could not resist the Saffron shade.

Now, I look pretty bad in orange colors, and this color was no exception, so I’d never chosen it on my own for a personal project. However, getting to knit this cardigan for the book gave me a special learning experience. During the darkest days of fall, I couldn’t wait to sit down and work on this project. The rich crocus colored orange just sang in my hands and truly lifted my mood. Every day (and this project took something in the range of 6 weeks to complete) I yearned towards the coffee table, where I’d left the project. I couldn’t wait to knit that saffron colored woolly goodness again.

Who does this color suit? Perhaps anyone with dark skin, or light skin and red hair… Really, anyone with a sense of daring should try saffron…especially if you wear a more flattering turtleneck underneath. Of course, this cardigan can be knit in most any solid color yarn that gets the right gauge, but if I had to do this again to create a sample, I’d still choose O-wool. A firm twist and a somewhat crisp hand makes this textured pattern pop.

Not all the patterns I design suit me. The style might not be right for my body type, or the color might be a problem for me. However, I still strive to create things with classic style and clean lines—things I’d like to wear. If I only were tall and skinny, dark skinned or a red head…I can dream. In the meanwhile, I hope other knitters see this kind of a design as a “bonus” treat. That is, an additional pattern that’s perfect for them, even if it’s an unexpected color, style, or not even why you might buy Knit Green.

Update: I made it to the DC area Sunday evening and arrived just in time for my nephew's 1st birthday party! Posting this Monday just before rushing off to teach a class at a yarn shop in Virginia. Sometimes things do work out just right in the end...