Tuesday, September 27, 2011

New handwarmers for fall


I still have a few projects that I am working on that are not all that creative and art focussed so I am getting my fill of creating in the evenings with some more knitting.


I started this pair of handwarmers last winter, I had one knit and about an inch and a half of the second before spring arrived. The recent cooler weather motivated me to pick them up again and finish.

I love knitting handwarmers because I have made so many that I don't need to follow a pattern I just design them as I go, once I have figured out the gauge.


These handwarmers are knit from natural undyed possum wool that I bought last year in New Zealand. Here's another pair I made last fall from green possum wool.

You can see the fur that is spun in with the wool fuzzes up making them so soft and warm. After washing, the fur blooms and gets even softer and fuzzier. The wool is a blend of 50% merino, 40% possum and 10% silk.


photo courtesy of Wikipedia

The New Zealand Common Bushtail Possum, originally from Australia, is not like the American possum, it was brought to New Zealand to establish a fur trade because of its beautiful pelt. Unfortunately, New Zealand has no native mammals in its habitat so the possum with no natural predator has decimated native species.

If you are interested in buying some possum wool yarn like this, I found some in the US here. Or if you want to get it direct from New Zealand you can get it here. The wool's a little pricey but 5% of the sale goes to the preservation of New Zealand's native environment.

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