A Gift From An Old Friend...

New Years afternoon my Mom and I were invited to an afternoon lunch and knitting party. It was a lovely time with friends we knew and a couple people we didn't. We all ate wonderful food and sat around chatting about how each of us starting knitting, when and where we learned, etc. Our friend Lynne was hosting the party in her new home and she is always such a wonderful and gracious host. It is easy to see how much she enjoys having little parties and gatherings like the one we went to New Years afternoon. We got to meet their new puppy Daisy while we were there, she was just shy of 10 weeks and as cute as a button. Mostly pit but could be some mastiff in there too, I think the jury was still out on that one. One of the things that Lynne announced when we were all there was that she had acquired some knitting supplies and a few patterns from the husband of our dear friend Rosalia who had passed away from cancer a couple of years ago. They were free to anyone who wanted them and the rest would be donated. Later in the afternoon she pulled me aside and said that when she was going through the things Rosalia's husband had given her she came across something she felt should be given to me. I am a budding designer, as most of you are aware, and she thought that perhaps I could design something new. Lynne led me to her craft room which, built onto the side of their new home is...*sigh*...nothing less than amazing. In addition to knitting, Lynne is a most talented quilter. Her craft room is bigger than our living room and has room for all of her quilting materials as well as her knitting stash. She handed me a skein of yarn with colors of a ruby red and burnt orange sunset. It was gorgeous. She then asked me to look at the tag...60% wool and 40% possum. Its one of these amazing New Zealand possum yarns. Lynne said she believed it was a skein Rosalia has purchased shortly before her death. I have never worked with this blend before but have wanted to for a long time. Lynne felt the colors would go with my hair very well. It does. Check it out...

I took this pic early this afternoon but the colors are much richer than the picture shows. I was so grateful for this very special skein of yarn. Via Lynne, thank you Rosalia. I promise I will make something pretty with it. 

I have finished my angora/corridale mitts and I LOVE them! They are just a tad slouchy and so warm and cuddly...

And helping me all along the way is my handsome baby boy...

Its been a nice couple of days. Getting this skein of yarn from an old friend is somehow reassuring that Rosalia is still watching us all and very much still part of the knitting world in her own special way.  Thanks Lynne, for keeping an eye out. I appreciate it more than you know!