Mail, mail and more mail.  This arrived over the weekend.

The arrival this time is fiber for a quick knitting project.  It is a hat I have wanted to make for myself.  It is a little something to break up the winter doldrums and inject a little humor into the long Wisconsin winter.

Since I spend a lot of winter outdoors snowshoeing, hiking and cross country skiing, I am always in need of warm gear.  How can you beat wool…especially,  when it is orange?

Here’s a sneak peek at the wool.

All of the mail this week has me so excited for the end of tax season.

Well, enough dreaming about future projects and all the beautiful fiber that awaits me.

Have a great week, everyone!

More amazing things have arrived in the mail.  All a part of my post tax season planning.  This shipment is courtesy of Tolt Yarn and Wool.

Serendipity is a wonderful thing.  I learned about this wonderful place from following Karen Templer’s blog, Fringe Association.  It was a blog post about her Anna Vest KAL that led me to “Farm to Needle: Stories of Wool” by Anna Dianich.  A book that gives a glimpse into the world of wool.

The book is beautifully photographed and it features stories about where the wool we, makers, use comes from.  You get to learn about the process of yarn becoming wool.  More importantly,  you get to meet makers…just like all of us, who are passionate about what they do.  There are knitting patterns in each section featuring yarn that has come from the farmers, spinners, dyers and designers profiled in the book.

When I opened my package, this is what I found.

Everything was packaged so nicely.  There was a little sample of the yarn and a lovely thank you note.

Here are two patterns that I can’t wait to start.

The first is Karen Templer’s, Anna Vest.  I never thought I would want to knit a vest for myself.  Then I saw some knitters FO photos of this vest and now, I must make one!

The second is Dianna Walla’s, Aspen Socks.  I am going to make the leg warmers.  The stitch pattern is beautiful and the neutral color is gorgeous!  Living in Wisconsin,  these will come in handy.  Plus, this pattern will give me more experience working with charts.

I am looking forward to the end of tax season so I can let my creative juices flow.

One more thing before I go:

I have to say that buying from small, independent retailers/artisans/makers is a real pleasure.  You get first-rate service from people who are passionate about their products and what they do.  It shows in all of the little touches, like how your purchases are packaged or that they take the time to write you a thank you note.

Also, you are supporting a small, local business and you are buying American made products.

Have a great weekend!